History Chronicles

Little-known places where  battles won WWII

On Sept. 2, 1945, the world rejoiced over the surrender of Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita and his troops to the Americans, an event which paved the way for the end of World War II.

On Aug. 25 on occation of National Heroes Day, the nation hailed heroes who valiantly fought and sacrificed their lives so the country may attain its freedom.

But there are little-known important pieces of the country’s history which deserve a toast as well such as Kiangan town in Ifugao, and the Burgos airstrip in Ilocos Sur, both of which played a key role in the downfall of Japanese Occupation.

Victory Day in Kiangan

That historic Sept. 2 event, dubbed “Victory Day,” is being celebrated annually by Kiangan town.

Based on history, Gen. Yamashita signed the surrender papers at the Ambassador’s residence in Camp John Hay, Baguio City the following day, Sept. 3, 1945. However, unknown to many, Yamashita surrendered himself to the Americans in a wooden structure inside Kiangan Central School, marking the end of the war.

Juan Dait, a native of Kiangan, in his book, “Ifugao Ritual, and Cultural Practices and Other Stories,” wrote, “The gulf landings and the battles for Manila and in Bataan and Corregidor were great battles but these heroic struggles did not end the war. Kiangan did, costing 20,000 Japanese war dead and causing the ignominious surrender of Yamashita.”

Dait also said, “Victory day in Kiangan should not just be a victory day for the Kiangans and the Ifugaos, it should be proclaimed as a national holiday with the focus of the celebration done in Kiangan,” a clamor for recognition that remains a dream.

The wooden structure that witnessed Yamashita’s surrender is now the “Peace Museum,” where documents and photographs are displayed.

Burgos Airstrip in Ilocos Sur

The fall of the Bessang Pass in the hands of the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines-Northern Luzon (USAFP-NL) on June 14, 1945 was crucial to the entrapment of Gen. Yamashita’s forces in Ifugao until the general himself surrendered in September, 1945.

And the 70-hectare Burgos airstrip located between Barangays Ambugat, Bangbangar, Manaboc and Cabcaburao played a key role in that event.

WWII veteran Antonio Carta, Sr., 92, recounted that the airstrip was used as emergency airfield by the guerillas and soldiers belonging to the 121st Infantry USAFIP-NL. Carta said the airstrip also served as the training ground several batches of new recruits of the local fighting guerilla units, called “bolomen,” who were deployed against Japanese soldiers.

“Thousands of bolomen and volunteers, who were called then as Narvan reserves, were trained there under the command of Captains Benjamin Sanidad and Fortunato Banayos,” Carta recalled.

“Unfortunately, the sacrifices of these trained bolomen were not recognized because their names were not listed and were forgotten after the war but they are considered unsung heroes,” Carta added.

He said the airstrip became a supply center of firearms, ammunitions and food hand carried by bolomen and volunteers for the Filipino and American soldiers to the battle zone, about 15 kilometers away from the airstrip.

“Several small cargo planes ferried food supplies from the Burgos airstrip to several combat pursuing units of guerilla and USAFP-NL against Japanese soldiers in Central Part of Ilocos Sur, Abra, Benguet and Bessang Pass,” he said.

The airstrip also served as a reloading station of bombs on tora-tora planes that attacked the Japanese camps and garrisons in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur and Abra provinces.

After the capture of the Bessang Pass, Burgos airstrip had been closed, and is now a vast tract of rice land.

Who is Antonio Carta Sr?

Carta, who had a rank of Corporal during WWII, finished his basic military training at Camp Murphy in Quezon City on 1937. He was enlisted in the Army Auxiliary Service (AAS) of the Philippine Army on Nov. 25, 1941.He was a member of the medical company of 3rd Battalion, 13th Infantry Division that fought against Japanese soldiers when war broke out in December, 1941. He was captured by Japanese soldiers in February, 1943 and was freed four months later, after which he joined again the guerrilla unit.