ALONG THE HIGHWAY

WW2 daring Fil-Am raid recalled
GEORGE TRILLO

CABANATUAN CITY — An austere celebration marked the daring raid conducted 63 years ago by Filipino-American forces on the Japanese concentration camp in Barangay Pangatian here. The raid resulted in the liberation of 516 prisoners of war.

Cabanatuan City Mayor Alvin P. Vergara and other government officials led simple wreath-laying ceremony last Tuesday at the "Memorare" historical marker which depicts the heroism of the Filipino-American forces in the rescue of the 516 Americans, British, Norwegian and Dutch POWs on Jan. 30, 1945.

Only four of the Filipino guerrillas, including Sgt. Benjamin Cayanga, now more than 80 years old, who participated in the attack on the Japanese camp, are still alive to relive that historic raid.
By the accounts of local guerrillas who participated in the operation at the Japanese POW camp, the daring rescue of the 516 POWs showed the bravery of the Filipino guerrillas.

The raid is considered a classic military operation in US military history.

Without doubt, the raid could not have been made possible without the participation the Filipino guerrillas.

The daring rescue by the joint forces of intrepid Filipino guerrillas and the 6th US Ranger Battalion of the 516 POWs is especially significant in that only one prisoner and two American rescuers died.

The planning and execution of the operation was so perfect — with the movements of each and every participant in the raid, and every angle leading to the military attack had been laid — that it left no room for error with the security and safety of the weakened prisoners the top consideration.

The operation was executed by Filipino guerrillas under the command of Capt. Juan Pajota, and Capt. Eduardo L. "Tatang" Joson, with the US 6th Ranger Battalion, headed by Lt. Col. Henry Mucci, as the lead team.

Captains Pajota and Joson were commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE). Joson headed Squadron 213.
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In Porac, Pampanga -- for helping his hometown and townmates rise from the ruins of the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruptions, Philip Ella Juico, Dean of the De La Salle Professional Schools-Ramon V. Del Rosario Graduate School of Business, received the Outstanding Poraqueno Award from this town.

Juico, founding chairman of the Tindig Porac Development Foundation Inc., assiduously worked for the rehabilitation of Porac which was severely ravaged by the volcanic eruptions.

Through TPDFI, Juico rallied his townmates, including those residing in Metro Manila and elsewhere and civic-minded individuals, to pool their efforts and resources to help rebuild the town.

Under Juico’s leadership, TPDFI spearheaded the implementation of projects, notably establishment of resettlement communities for the displaced families, reconstruction of damaged houses, establishment of productivity and livelihood centers, provision of financial assistance to skilled workers applying for overseas employment, holding of medical and dental missions, and rip-rapping the Porac River dike.

The people of Porac responded positively to TPDFI’s rehabilitation efforts, and showed their ability to recover from the economic devastation wrought by Mt. Pinatubo through selfreliance.

They sustained and expanded the livelihood projects and other development initiatives introduced by TPDFI. Porac is one of the oldest towns of Pampanga. It is located at the foot of Mt. Pinatubo and Mt. Abo near the Zambales boundary.