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1940 A Gallant Stand or Fight them on the Beaches: Debate over War Plan Orange 3
1940 A Gallant Stand or Fight them at the Beaches: Debate over War Plan Orange 3
Reports reach Parsons over the effectiveness of Japanese tanks against the Chinese Army as well as the reports of the effectiveness of the German panzers in Poland. He and Eisenhower had several deep discussions over the previous year, and Eisenhower is convinced, with tank support, and the formation of 3 infantry divisions with the trucks to move them, that a mobile force could attack the Japanese when they inevitably land at Lingayen Gulf (the assumed Japanese landing site for over 37 years) then there is a chance that the Japanese might be pushed back into the sea and valuable time purchased for the Philippines and the US Navy to fight its way to the rescue. The other choice, retreat to Bataan and hold out for six months will definitely delay the Japanese, but also will almost certainly not delay them long enough for rescue.

It is a risky strategy but if it fails, the mobile force should be able to retire to Bataan, where as a safety measure, the Philippine Army will be digging in and preparing the defense. If nothing else it will buy time to move everything useful to the final bastion defense and it will increase the Japanese casualties.

Parsons sends his recommendations to General Marshall in March 1940, where they are examined closely but Marshall simply has nothing to send him until September 1940, when the Selective Service Act is passed, the National Guard is federalized and massive defense spending is approved.

Parsons has actually asked for relatively small amount of reinforcement. The 65th Infantry Regiment (with its high number of Spanish speaking Puerto Ricans), a tank brigade, another cavalry regiment or the funds and equipment to raise one, permission to form two divisions out of the Philippine Scouts and US infantry (plus the reinforcing infantry regiment requested) to be designated the 12th and 23rd Infantry Divisions. He also requests sufficient artillery, vehicles and other equipment to form the planned Philippine Army 1st Division earlier than planned as well as some corps artillery and heavy equipment for his engineers. Parsons also wants some modern fighters and bombers, at least a group of each and Marshall begins talking to Hap Arnold about what can be provided and who can be sent to command it. The most urgent thing that Parsons asks for is a signals regiment, or at least a battalion as he is critically short on such support.

The main issue is that Marshall has only what can be spared after Lend Lease, US Army expansion, Hawaii, Panama and Alaska, leaving the Philippines far down the list in terms of what can be found to send them. For the rest of 1940 this will not be much, but he does order the 65th Infantry sent in September, authorizes the formation of the two divisions, and sends General Grunnert to assume command of the US I Corps, which will consist initially of only a headquarter but eventually, if Marshall can scrape some up, will have additional support and combat support units. While small arms can be found for the Philippine 1st Infantry Division, and extra machine guns and even the trucks, the problem of artillery units remains one of shortage. Marshall does persuade Roosevelt to part with some discretionary funds however, matching dollar for dollar what the Commonwealth spends, and thus doubles the available budget for the Philippine Army. He also manages to increase funds for the Philippine Department by 20% and finds a National Guard Signals Battalion to send. Additional reinforcements will have to wait until 1941 however.

General Marshall and Secretary of War Stimson (who takes office in 1940) are able to persuade to Navy to release any spare artillery in the Philippine Islands to the US Army, which is in dire need of artillery for the expanded Filipino coast artillery branch. Mines for use in Lingayen Gulf are also found from Navy and Army stocks and ordered sent urgently. However in spite of their best efforts Stimson and Marshall are not able to persuade Roosevelt to order the Philippine Army into federal service as he is concerned that this will further antagonize Japan and he is trying to buy time.

However Parsons and new High Commissioner Sayre manages to persuade Quezon that a formal request from him might do the trick, particularly when in Japanese move into French Indochina in September 1940 and also signs the Tripartite Pact. In November 1940 Roosevelt is forced to accept Quezon's request, particularly in light of the fact he has already federalized the US National Guard.



The Philippine Department US Army January 1941
Headquarters US Army Philippines (Parsons)
Mobile Force
US I Corps (Major General Grunnart)

26th Cavalry Regiment (Philippine Scouts)
12th Infantry Division - 31st US Infantry regiment, 43rd Philippines Scouts (PS) infantry regiment, 57th PS infantry regiment, 86th Field Artillery regiment (PS), plus support (10,000 men)
23rd Infantry Division - 65th US Infantry regiment, 45th PS infantry regiment, 47th PS infantry regiment, 88th field artillery regiment (PS) plus support (10,000 men)

attached
Philippine Army (PA) 1st MP regiment
PA 1st Engineer brigade

Lingayen Gulf defense area (Ord)
2nd PA Engineer brigade
11th PA Division (provisional) w 1st PA Coast Defense regiment (lacks artillery)(1,600 men) 2nd PA MP regiment (1,200 men)
21st PA Division (provisional) w 2nd PA Coast Defense regiment (lacks artillery)(1,600 men) 3rd PA MP regiment (1,200 men)


Bataan defense area
4th PA MP regiment (1,200 men)
3rd PA Engineer brigade, 5th PA engineer brigade


Airfield construction central Luzon

4th PA engineer brigade, 6th PA engineer brigade

Manila
6th, 11th, 12th PA MP regiments
1st PA Infantry Division (forming)

Harbor Defense Command (Subic and Manila Bays)
59th US coast artillery regiment, 60th US coast artillery regiment (antiaircraft)
91st PS coast artillery regiment, 92nd PS coast artillery regiment
Marine Corps detachment Subic Bay (a small battalion in size)
5th PA MP regiment

outside of Luzon
7th and 8th PA engineer brigades
7th, 8th, 9th, 10th PA MP regiments

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