Cushing's Guerrillas Ambush Japanese

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 2):

October 7, 1942

Lt. Col. James McCloud Cushing's guerrillas ambushed Japanese troops and inflicted heavy casualties on October 7, 1942 in Lawaan, Minglanilla. 

After the Americans surrendered to Japanese forces, Cushing of El Paso, Texas and a mining engineer of the US Army, was among those who took up arms and made a support base in Cebu. He was the commanding officer for Combat Operations for the guerrilla forces in Cebu based in Tabunan.

A dual command was created in Cebu. Cushing handled the combat operations while Major Harry Fenton, whose real name was Aaron Feinstein from Chicago, the station manager of KZRC radio, took charge of the administrative day-to-day operations of the Cebu Area Command. General Douglas McArthur commended KZRC for preserving the voice of freedom. The last to air in Cebu, the radio station was based inside the Gotiaoco building beside the city hall. 

On April 1, 1944, the Cebu Area Command got hold of the "Koga Papers" after Admiral Mineichi Koga's seaplane, on the way to Davao, crashed in San Fernando, Cebu's coast. Koga died in the crash while many survived and were washed ashore. The guerrillas captured 12 high-ranking officers, including Vice Admiral Shigeru Fukodome, Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet. 

On April 3, fishermen found a briefcase floating containing the papers, they gave it to the guerrillas. The papers were vital battle plans and defensive strategies of the Japanese Navy (code-named the "Z Plan") and information on the overall strength of the Japanese fleet and naval air units. It also revealed MacArthur's initial plans to invade the Philippines through Mindanao.

The Japanese tried to retrieve the documents and their captured officers by burning the villages and detaining civilians, which made the guerrillas decide to release their captives. Cushing who was one step ahead, called for a submarine to take the documents to the Allied headquarters in Australia. 

After studying the papers, MacArthur decided to move his planned invasion site from Mindanao to Leyte. It also aided the Allies in the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

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