The Great Raid
Planning and Preparation
After General Krueger heard about the fate of the prisoners on the Island of Palawan, he turned to the specialty unit of the 6th Ranger Battalion, which had been serving as a security unit at his base. The commanding officer of the unit, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Mucci, had to come up with a plan, and fast. Mucci then assigned Captain Bob Prince of Charlie Company, the task of rounding up men, and leading the raid. Captain Prince mobilized ninety men of C-Company, and a Platoon(30 men) of Fox Company Rangers, and Fourteen Scouts, who would leave a day before the main force, to survey them camp. They would have to make it thirty five miles behind enemy lines, approach the camp, and deal with two hundred and fifty guards, and not kill any of the prisoners. Then, make it out in little time, as thousands of Japanese troops were in positions to retake the camp, unless they were delayed or blocked. Mucci luckily, ran across a force of brave Philippine guerillas that would stay behind the raiding force guarding from a counter-attack.
After General Krueger heard about the fate of the prisoners on the Island of Palawan, he turned to the specialty unit of the 6th Ranger Battalion, which had been serving as a security unit at his base. The commanding officer of the unit, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Mucci, had to come up with a plan, and fast. Mucci then assigned Captain Bob Prince of Charlie Company, the task of rounding up men, and leading the raid. Captain Prince mobilized ninety men of C-Company, and a Platoon(30 men) of Fox Company Rangers, and Fourteen Scouts, who would leave a day before the main force, to survey them camp. They would have to make it thirty five miles behind enemy lines, approach the camp, and deal with two hundred and fifty guards, and not kill any of the prisoners. Then, make it out in little time, as thousands of Japanese troops were in positions to retake the camp, unless they were delayed or blocked. Mucci luckily, ran across a force of brave Philippine guerillas that would stay behind the raiding force guarding from a counter-attack.
Behind Enemy Lines
On January 28, Captain Robert and his band of 121 men, dissappered into enemy lines. They moved through open grasslands with Filipino guerrillas as their guides. The next morning the group reached the rendezvous point of Balincarin, five miles north of the camp. They met up with the Scouts and went over camp reconnaissance. It revealed that around the camp, the terrain was flat, leaving the party extremely exposed leading up to the raid. Mucci also learned that guerrillas had been watching an estimated thousand hostile soldiers, that were set up a few hundred yards away from the prison, and in Cabanatuan City just over 7,000 more hostile units were located, just several miles away. Mucci decided to postpone the raid for twenty four hours, to allow Japanese forces to withdraw to meet the invading American forces from the southwest.
On January 28, Captain Robert and his band of 121 men, dissappered into enemy lines. They moved through open grasslands with Filipino guerrillas as their guides. The next morning the group reached the rendezvous point of Balincarin, five miles north of the camp. They met up with the Scouts and went over camp reconnaissance. It revealed that around the camp, the terrain was flat, leaving the party extremely exposed leading up to the raid. Mucci also learned that guerrillas had been watching an estimated thousand hostile soldiers, that were set up a few hundred yards away from the prison, and in Cabanatuan City just over 7,000 more hostile units were located, just several miles away. Mucci decided to postpone the raid for twenty four hours, to allow Japanese forces to withdraw to meet the invading American forces from the southwest.
The Raid
"We couldn't rehearse this. Anything of this nature, you'd ordinarily want to practice it over and over for weeks in advance. Get more information, build models, and discuss all of the contingencies. Work out all of the kinks. We didn't have time for any of that. It was now, or not." -Captain Prince on the raid. At 17:45 with white cloths tied around their left arm to prevent friendly fire, Mucci's men surrounded the camp, while the guerrilla forces headed to their ambush positions. They made it to the camp gates and waited for nightfall and the plane. Later, a P-61 Black Widow flew over the camp. The pilots Captain Kenneth Schneider, and 1st Lieutenant Bonnie Rucks then headed to low hills nearby clearing them only by an impressive thirty feet. Prince later commented on the pilots distractions: "The idea of an aerial decoy was a little unusual and honestly, I didn't think it would work, not in a million years. But the pilot's maneuvers were so skillful and deceptive that the diversion was complete. I don't know where we would have been without it." At the same time the guerrillas, cut the camps only telephone line to Cabanatuan.
Then at 19:40, the prison erupted in gunfire. In fifteen seconds, every one of the camps towers were destroyed. They then cleared the officer quarters, and killed hostiles near the prisoners huts. It was over before it began.
"We couldn't rehearse this. Anything of this nature, you'd ordinarily want to practice it over and over for weeks in advance. Get more information, build models, and discuss all of the contingencies. Work out all of the kinks. We didn't have time for any of that. It was now, or not." -Captain Prince on the raid. At 17:45 with white cloths tied around their left arm to prevent friendly fire, Mucci's men surrounded the camp, while the guerrilla forces headed to their ambush positions. They made it to the camp gates and waited for nightfall and the plane. Later, a P-61 Black Widow flew over the camp. The pilots Captain Kenneth Schneider, and 1st Lieutenant Bonnie Rucks then headed to low hills nearby clearing them only by an impressive thirty feet. Prince later commented on the pilots distractions: "The idea of an aerial decoy was a little unusual and honestly, I didn't think it would work, not in a million years. But the pilot's maneuvers were so skillful and deceptive that the diversion was complete. I don't know where we would have been without it." At the same time the guerrillas, cut the camps only telephone line to Cabanatuan.
Then at 19:40, the prison erupted in gunfire. In fifteen seconds, every one of the camps towers were destroyed. They then cleared the officer quarters, and killed hostiles near the prisoners huts. It was over before it began.
Evacuation
When the gunfire erupted, many prisoners assumed it was the Japanese killing them, so they hid anywhere they could find. When the Rangers finally got them out, they made their way to the Pamapnga River rendezvous. 26 carabao carts waited to transport them, and anyone civilians with carts, who were willing to help joined the group, in the end they totaled nearly 50 carts. The POWs were often so underweight that the men could carry two on their back. On the way back, they met no Japanese. Once they were at Plateros they rested, and radioed that the mission was a success, at 23:00 hours. At 8:00 on January 31, Mucci radioman contacted the headquarters, and were directed to the captured town of Talavera. Once they arrived the POWs were on ambulances, and given hot showers, new clothes, and deloused. It had been a hard fight, but one well worth it.
When the gunfire erupted, many prisoners assumed it was the Japanese killing them, so they hid anywhere they could find. When the Rangers finally got them out, they made their way to the Pamapnga River rendezvous. 26 carabao carts waited to transport them, and anyone civilians with carts, who were willing to help joined the group, in the end they totaled nearly 50 carts. The POWs were often so underweight that the men could carry two on their back. On the way back, they met no Japanese. Once they were at Plateros they rested, and radioed that the mission was a success, at 23:00 hours. At 8:00 on January 31, Mucci radioman contacted the headquarters, and were directed to the captured town of Talavera. Once they arrived the POWs were on ambulances, and given hot showers, new clothes, and deloused. It had been a hard fight, but one well worth it.