Philippine Department

Philippine Department
Philippine Command Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Active	January 13, 1911 – April 9, 1942
Country	United States
Part of	War Department
Garrison/HQ	Fort Santiago, Manila, Luzon
March	World War II

The Philippine Department was a regular United States Army unit whose mission was to defend the Philippine Islands and train the Philippine Army. On April 9, 1942, during World War II, the unit surrendered to the Japanese. The Department and its sub-units were predominantly under the command of American officers, including an American general, while the majority of the troops were enlisted Filipinos, known as the Philippine Scouts (PS). The primary force of this Department was the Philippine Division. Of the 22,532 troops, 10,473 were members of the Philippine Division itself.

Patch of the Philippine Department

All units of the Department wore the Philippine Department shoulder sleeve insignia, with the exception of the Philippine Division, which wore their own patch: a golden carabao on a red shield.

Officially, the Philippine Department’s insignia featured the Philippine Sea Lion, in white, superimposed on a blue oval with a height of 2.5 inches. The Sea Lion is derived from the coat of arms of Manila. The Philippine Department and Philippine Division insignia were both approved on July 8, 1922.

Commanders of the Philippine Department

• January 13, 1911 – March 5, 1914 – Major General J. Franklin Bell
• March 5, 1914 – April, 1916 – Major General Thomas H. Barry
• April, 1916 – April, 1917 – Major General Hunter Liggett
• April, 1917 – August 5, 1917 – Major General Charles J. Bailey
• August 5, 1917 – August 5, 1918—Brigadier General Robert K. Evans
• 1919 – 1922—Major General Francis J. Kernan
• 1922-1923-Major General William M. Wright
• 1923 – 1924—Major General George W. Read
• 1924 – 1925—Major General James H. McRae
• 1925 – 1926—Major General William Weigel
• 1926 – Major General Frederick W. Sladen
• 1926 – April 26, 1927—Major General William Weigel
• April 26, 1927 – March, 1928—Major General Johnson Hagood
• March, 1928 – September, 1928—Major General William Lassiter
• September, 1928 – October 1, 1930 – Major General Douglas MacArthur
• October 1, 1930 – March, 1932 – Major General John L. Hines
• March, 1932 – February 28, 1934—Major General E.E. Booth
• February 28, 1934 – December 11, 1935—Major General Frank Parker
• January 22, 1936 – February, 1938 – Major General Lucius Roy Holbrook
• February, 1938 – July, 1939—Major General John H. Hughes
• July, 1939 – May 31, 1940—Major General Walter Grant
• May 31, 1940 – October 23, 1941 – Major General George Grunert
• October 23, 1941 – December 30, 1941 – Lieutenant General Douglas MacArthur
• December 30, 1941 – April 9, 1942—Brigadier General Allan C. McBride

USAFFE

This unit was formally organized in 1913 and, on July 26, 1941, was attached to US Army Forces – Far East (USAFFE). Following the creation of USAFFE, the Philippine Department became, in effect, a corps area service command. Tactical command was thenceforth under USAFFE's control.

At the time of USAFFE's formation the unit consisted of 22,532 troops. Of the 1,340 officers, 775 were reservists. 7,293 troops were assigned to the infantry and 4,967 were assigned to the Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. ~2,500 troops served in a service or supply position, mainly quartermaster or medical units. The majority of the department's troops were stationed on Luzon.

US Army Troops – Philippines – July 31, 1941

Total Strength: 22,532 (1,434 officers, 21,098 enlisted, including 11,937 Philippine Scouts)

• USAFFE Headquarters (5)
  • Manila
• Philippine Department Headquarters (289)
  • Fort William McKinley
• Philippine Division (10,473)
• 26th Cavalry Regiment (PS) (838)
• 43d Infantry Regiment (PS) (329)
• 86th Field Artillery Regiment (PS) (388)
• 88th Field Artillery Regiment (PS) (518)
• 808th Military Police Company (69)
• Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays (5,360)
• Philippine Army Air Corps (2,407)
• Service Detachments (1,836)
• Other (20)

The Philippine Department in 1914

General Headquarters:

• Fort Santiago, Manila, Luzon

Troops:

• Field Hospital and Ambulance Company Number 4
• Headquarters Company K, 3d Engineers
• Headquarters Company L, 3d Engineers
• Company F, Signal Corps
• Company L, Signal Corps
• 7th Cavalry Brigade
• 8th Cavalry Brigade
• 2nd Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
• Coast Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays
• 8th Infantry Regiment
• 13th Infantry Regiment
• 24th Infantry Regiment
• China Expedition (15th Infantry)

Casualty count

Ref: American Battlefield Monuments Commission

• {For reference only. PS=Philippine Scouts}

Philippine Forces

US forces

Note: Marines were 4th Marines^[2][3]

US Navy casualties/losses

US Merchant Marine casualties – Philippines 1941)

See Chronological List of U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged 1939 to 1941, usmm.org 

See also

• Far East Air Force (United States)
• Military History of the Philippines
• Military History of the United States

References