Eisenhower in the Pacific: Part 1 The Shoestring Warriors of Luzon
- Thread starter galveston bay
- Start date
Fantastic story so far! It's crazy how even a semblance of better planning and leadership on the American side could have completely derailed Japanese war plans.
the islands are big enough that it is hard to put a detailed map of the whole chain on a single page!
I will be using smaller detailed maps of specific areas
Hopefully Gregory Boyington can stay out of trouble and lay off the bottle in this timeline. He can rack up more kills and maybe transition back into the Marine Corps easier.
Donald Reaver
Donor
Great update, a more professional resistance looks like a given. Before the battle starts will you be giving a summing up of the order of battle for the Americans compared to what was there in o.t.l.? Would be very helpful to help follow the battle and reduce confusion about the changes made.
OTL, what fixed defenses were at Lingayen Gulf? You have some 8 inch guns there now and a minelaying capability...going to be interesting
Final reinforcements and expansion 1941
1941 Reinforcement
Expansion of the Philippine Army
An infusion of money allows the Philippine Army to call up over 30,000 conscripts in January 1941, enough to bring all 14 brigades of the Philippine Army up to strength as well as replace those who volunteer for service in the Philippine Scouts. The work over the last years to expand training camps and make them habitable pays off this year as well as the efforts to obtain sufficient weapons for the troops. The Army is able to raise an additional 2 MP brigades, and with the arrival of heavier guns fro the US Army and Philippine Scouts, as well as stripping 120 75 mm guns from formations elsewhere (plus those released from the Scouts) the Philippine Army is able to form 10 light artillery battalions of 12 guns each. With the addition of artillery, the 20 MP regiments are reorganized into 6 light infantry divisions (3 regiments infantry, 1 battalion light artillery, 1 engineer/pioneer battalion each) with 1 division each (31st and 41st) at Mindanao and Cebu, and the remaining 4 (11th, 21st, 51st, and 61st) organized into 2 small corps. Each corps is also assigned an engineer brigade (1st and 2nd), while the remaining 2 MP regiments are assigned to Manila and far northern Luzon, while 1 engineer brigade (3rd) is assigned to the Del Monte area and another continues work on improving airfields in Bataan (along with an American aviation engineer battalion) as well as providing engineer companies to continue work improving airfields in Luzon.
Another division, the 1st Division, is raised from cadres supplied by the Philippine Army and Philippine Scouts. Sufficient artillery is found to raise a full regiment of guns (36 75 mm guns) for this division, and sufficient trucks for them as well plus move one of its three regiments at a time. More trucks are on order but they will not reach the Philippines until sometime in 1942. It is assigned to the Mobile Force providing that formation with a third division, although one less well equipped or trained than the other two.
What is missing though are sufficient machine guns and any anti tank artillery for the other 6 divisions of the Philippine Army. Lacking any other choices, the 2.95 inch mountain gun, dating back to the last century, are given trucks and although they have wooden wheels they can be broken down they are mobile enough to move to a vital area although once placed will likely not be able to withdraw. With this expedient a total of 48 anti tank guns are put into service, enough that each of the 4 divisions in Luzon is able to field an anti tank battalion of 12 guns each, which are also were the bulk of the few heavy machine guns that the Philippine Army has available are concentrated (aside from those assigned to air defense). However each company has only 3 light machine guns, and each platoon only 3 BARs, although a few old Lewis guns are found to put into service by companies lucky enough to find them.
However the Coast Artillery finally gets weapons that it needs. A sufficient number of 8 inch guns are found for use by the 1st and 2nd Coast Artillery, Philippine Army, giving each 3 firing batteries and spare tubes. The other 6 batteries in each regiment are given World War I era 155 guns. The 1st Coast Artillery is assigned Lingayen Gulf, while the 2nd Coast Artillery is deployed so that a battalion each covers the Iba/Palauig area, Lamon Bay, and Balayan Bay. The Marines of the 1st Provisional Battalion (USMC) and elements of the US 59th Coast Artillery cover Subic Bay, while the remaining US and all of the Philippine Scout units are manning the Manila Bay fortifications.
US Army reinforcements
The most important arrivals are the 192nd and 194th tank battalions, which between them have 108 M3 Stuart tanks and 46 halftracks fitted with 75 mm guns which have an armor ordinance company as well. General Weaver is assigned command of a provisional brigade sized force called 6th Cavalry Brigade (provisional) consisting of the 1st Provisional Armored Group, the 26th Cavalry (PS) Regiment, and the newly arrived 112th Cavalry Regiment (Texas National Guard) giving him nearly 2,600 armored and cavalry troops. The remaining reinforcements are sufficient personnel to bring the US units in the islands up to strength.
Two regiments of 105 mm guns, as well an infantry regiment are en route, as well as an aviation engineer brigade and heavy equipment such as bulldozers and other earth moving equipment and vehicles are aboard the Pensacola convoy.
A new commander October 1941
In September, now past retirement age and in increasingly poor health, General Parsons is forced to ask for relief. Although General Grunnert is briefly considered for the position, in the end it is decided that as General Krueger has done very well in the recent Louisiana Maneuvers, and has the rank and experience commanding an army, he will be sent. With him is sent his Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Dwight Eisenhower. Both men get a brevet promotion with the job, Krueger to four star general and Eisenhower to Major General (although Ike gets that as a permanent rank as well).
They arrive aboard the Manila Clipper and the change of command ceremony occurs on October 21, 1941. Sent home with Parsons is General Grunnert who is being given an assignment in the US and General Wainwright is given command of the US I Corps.
Expansion of the Philippine Army
An infusion of money allows the Philippine Army to call up over 30,000 conscripts in January 1941, enough to bring all 14 brigades of the Philippine Army up to strength as well as replace those who volunteer for service in the Philippine Scouts. The work over the last years to expand training camps and make them habitable pays off this year as well as the efforts to obtain sufficient weapons for the troops. The Army is able to raise an additional 2 MP brigades, and with the arrival of heavier guns fro the US Army and Philippine Scouts, as well as stripping 120 75 mm guns from formations elsewhere (plus those released from the Scouts) the Philippine Army is able to form 10 light artillery battalions of 12 guns each. With the addition of artillery, the 20 MP regiments are reorganized into 6 light infantry divisions (3 regiments infantry, 1 battalion light artillery, 1 engineer/pioneer battalion each) with 1 division each (31st and 41st) at Mindanao and Cebu, and the remaining 4 (11th, 21st, 51st, and 61st) organized into 2 small corps. Each corps is also assigned an engineer brigade (1st and 2nd), while the remaining 2 MP regiments are assigned to Manila and far northern Luzon, while 1 engineer brigade (3rd) is assigned to the Del Monte area and another continues work on improving airfields in Bataan (along with an American aviation engineer battalion) as well as providing engineer companies to continue work improving airfields in Luzon.
Another division, the 1st Division, is raised from cadres supplied by the Philippine Army and Philippine Scouts. Sufficient artillery is found to raise a full regiment of guns (36 75 mm guns) for this division, and sufficient trucks for them as well plus move one of its three regiments at a time. More trucks are on order but they will not reach the Philippines until sometime in 1942. It is assigned to the Mobile Force providing that formation with a third division, although one less well equipped or trained than the other two.
What is missing though are sufficient machine guns and any anti tank artillery for the other 6 divisions of the Philippine Army. Lacking any other choices, the 2.95 inch mountain gun, dating back to the last century, are given trucks and although they have wooden wheels they can be broken down they are mobile enough to move to a vital area although once placed will likely not be able to withdraw. With this expedient a total of 48 anti tank guns are put into service, enough that each of the 4 divisions in Luzon is able to field an anti tank battalion of 12 guns each, which are also were the bulk of the few heavy machine guns that the Philippine Army has available are concentrated (aside from those assigned to air defense). However each company has only 3 light machine guns, and each platoon only 3 BARs, although a few old Lewis guns are found to put into service by companies lucky enough to find them.
However the Coast Artillery finally gets weapons that it needs. A sufficient number of 8 inch guns are found for use by the 1st and 2nd Coast Artillery, Philippine Army, giving each 3 firing batteries and spare tubes. The other 6 batteries in each regiment are given World War I era 155 guns. The 1st Coast Artillery is assigned Lingayen Gulf, while the 2nd Coast Artillery is deployed so that a battalion each covers the Iba/Palauig area, Lamon Bay, and Balayan Bay. The Marines of the 1st Provisional Battalion (USMC) and elements of the US 59th Coast Artillery cover Subic Bay, while the remaining US and all of the Philippine Scout units are manning the Manila Bay fortifications.
US Army reinforcements
The most important arrivals are the 192nd and 194th tank battalions, which between them have 108 M3 Stuart tanks and 46 halftracks fitted with 75 mm guns which have an armor ordinance company as well. General Weaver is assigned command of a provisional brigade sized force called 6th Cavalry Brigade (provisional) consisting of the 1st Provisional Armored Group, the 26th Cavalry (PS) Regiment, and the newly arrived 112th Cavalry Regiment (Texas National Guard) giving him nearly 2,600 armored and cavalry troops. The remaining reinforcements are sufficient personnel to bring the US units in the islands up to strength.
Two regiments of 105 mm guns, as well an infantry regiment are en route, as well as an aviation engineer brigade and heavy equipment such as bulldozers and other earth moving equipment and vehicles are aboard the Pensacola convoy.
A new commander October 1941
In September, now past retirement age and in increasingly poor health, General Parsons is forced to ask for relief. Although General Grunnert is briefly considered for the position, in the end it is decided that as General Krueger has done very well in the recent Louisiana Maneuvers, and has the rank and experience commanding an army, he will be sent. With him is sent his Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Dwight Eisenhower. Both men get a brevet promotion with the job, Krueger to four star general and Eisenhower to Major General (although Ike gets that as a permanent rank as well).
They arrive aboard the Manila Clipper and the change of command ceremony occurs on October 21, 1941. Sent home with Parsons is General Grunnert who is being given an assignment in the US and General Wainwright is given command of the US I Corps.
authors notes: as General Parsons was not called back to active duty during World War 2 I am forced to assume he had health problems. I don't have any particular information on that but he was 64 years old and has been in the tropics for the last few years.
Geneal Grunnert was thought little enough of that he spent the war at a desk in the United States overseeing service forces and training until he retired in 1945 at age 64. While Krueger is about the same age he did do reasonably well in Louisiana and adequately in World War 2.
Eisenhower was his Chief of Staff and although Marshall would want him in Washington Ike is uniquely qualified for the Philippines at this point, being the expert on it. Without MacArthur he might even have wanted to go.
The main difference at this point is that by December 1941 all of the Filipinos will have at least 11 months of military training, far more than the 4-5 months most had in OTL. They also all have weapons and sufficient funds available to learn to use them effectively and with all that more confidence and discipline. They are still not as good as the Japanese units they will be facing but they are lot better initially than they were in OTL
Lamon Gulf, Subic Bay and Balayan Bay were all considered likely landing sites for the Japanese along with Lingayen Gulf, although the terrain leading out of them was not as easy to advance through as the Luzon Plain from Lingayen. All had some coast defense troops and a Philippine Army division assigned in OTL.
A full order of battle both air and ground will be provided, as well as additional information on the Philippine Coast Guard.
The Marines and ships assigned to China station don't evacuate until November-December 1941 so they are not technically in theater yet.
Geneal Grunnert was thought little enough of that he spent the war at a desk in the United States overseeing service forces and training until he retired in 1945 at age 64. While Krueger is about the same age he did do reasonably well in Louisiana and adequately in World War 2.
Eisenhower was his Chief of Staff and although Marshall would want him in Washington Ike is uniquely qualified for the Philippines at this point, being the expert on it. Without MacArthur he might even have wanted to go.
The main difference at this point is that by December 1941 all of the Filipinos will have at least 11 months of military training, far more than the 4-5 months most had in OTL. They also all have weapons and sufficient funds available to learn to use them effectively and with all that more confidence and discipline. They are still not as good as the Japanese units they will be facing but they are lot better initially than they were in OTL
Lamon Gulf, Subic Bay and Balayan Bay were all considered likely landing sites for the Japanese along with Lingayen Gulf, although the terrain leading out of them was not as easy to advance through as the Luzon Plain from Lingayen. All had some coast defense troops and a Philippine Army division assigned in OTL.
A full order of battle both air and ground will be provided, as well as additional information on the Philippine Coast Guard.
The Marines and ships assigned to China station don't evacuate until November-December 1941 so they are not technically in theater yet.
that is it for the evening... although tomorrow is a MO State Holiday (Happy Lincolns Birthday everyone) in spite of being off work I will likely be pretty busy
being a Missouri State Employee means that Lincoln and Truman are now my two favorite Presidents (we get holidays for them) although I already had ranked them near the top of my favorite Presidents list
anyway, hope you are enjoying the timeline... there is more to come
and then the war will start
being a Missouri State Employee means that Lincoln and Truman are now my two favorite Presidents (we get holidays for them) although I already had ranked them near the top of my favorite Presidents list
anyway, hope you are enjoying the timeline... there is more to come
and then the war will start
gb, one small nit...you said in an earlier post that the Philippine Army was going to use the Colt Monitor vice the BAR, is that still so?
StephenColbert27
Banned
Anticipation is building; definitely get the sense that we can expect a better performance from all involved in the defense of the PI than OTL. While obviously they can't win they should tie down so many troops that other operations get postponed or canceled until the PI can sorted out. Great job!
Donald Reaver
Donor
What is the reaction on the Japanese side from all these developments? Are they going in with the same amount of troops and resources. They must have an idea it is going to be a tougher fight. How much resources can they put in against P.I. and what do they have to cut back elsewhere.
ninja'd. lol
ninja'd. lol