61st Field Artillery Regiment was a reserve unit of Philippine Army activated in August 1941 as part of 61st Infantry Division based in Panay Island. It fought as infantry as the SS Corregidor, the ship transporting their guns, was sunk when it hit a landmine in Manila Bay.
Philippine Commonwealth Army Field Artillery Regiments
The regiment was organized among the reserve soldiers mainly the island of Panay and housed in the training camp in Dingle, Iloilo. Personnel recruited within Panay except for officers that came from Luzon. Captain Gavino of Philippine Army initial commander and USAFFE headquarters sent Major John Lewis along with 4 Lieutenants to help train in September. In November 1941, Lieutenant Colonel Hiram Tarkington arrived to assumed command and Major Lewis slid as Executive Officer.[1]
Regimental Staffs
Composing Regimental Staffs are Captain Jacinto Gavino as S3 but assumed command of 1st Battalion in April 1942, Captain Walter Wald became S2 and 1Lieutenant Laspatora is the S4.
Battalions
1st Battalion was commanded by Captain Albert Price but later replaced by Major Jacinto Gavino, 2nd Battalion by 1Lieutenant Murphy but later replaced by Captain Trinidad in Mindanao, and 3rd Battalion by Captain Walter Wald later replaced by Captain Senen Cleofe.[2]
Transfer to Mindanao
In January 1942, a secret order was received by 61st Division Headquarters to transfer 61st Field Artillery Regiment along with 61st and 62 Infantry Regiments. On January 5, the regiment left Panay for Negros Island and travel via motor transport for Dumaguete port. On January 8, 1942, they arrived in Bugo, Misamis Oriental in Northern Mindanao. Change of order came and they were posted on that area to defense any landing of the Japanese.
New headquarters 102nd Infantry Division under Colonel William P. Morse was activated to command all forces in the Cagayan Sector. 61st Field Artillery, 81st Field Artillery, 62nd Infantry and 103rd Infantry are now under this division.
Japanese Landing in Cagayan Sector
From Panay Kawamura Detachment appeared in Macajalar Bay on May 6, 1942, landing started right away at Bugo, Tagaloan, and Cagayan de Oro. 61st Field Artillery Regiment has limited engagement but due to the farthest proximity of Bugo to Sayre Highway, Colonel Tarkington withdraw his regiment and moved to Alae. The regiment was ordered to Force reserve area in Somilao Sector under Colonel William F. Dalton.[3]
Puntian
61st Field Artillery moved to Puntian and deployed with 93rd Infantry on the left and 103rd Infantry on the right in Dalirig. Colonel Tarkington at dusk to conferred with Colonel Dalton on defense plan and left Lieutenant Colonel Lewis in charge. At late evening Japanese made intrusion in the Puntian area but regiment repulsed but costly. Tarkington hurriedly went back after hearing the intrusion and news Colonel Lewis was killed. At early morning he found Lewis only wounded but the regiment hold the line.[4]
Surrender
Colonel William F. Dalton, commander of Somilao Sector ordered all units within the sector to surrender at daybreak of May 11, 1942. With all frustrations and hurt Colonel Hiram Tarkington surrender his troops but he allowed Filipino soldiers who refused to surrender to disperse to the mountains. He doctored his roster and allowed them to escaped. The regiment was assembled and disarmed in Camp Casisang in Malaybalay, where Americans and Filipinos were separated.[citation needed]
The regiment disbanded after the war and never reactivated.[5]
