Mike Guardia (14 page)

For the first two years of the war, many of the firearms that USAFIPNL procured came either from local civilians or dead Japanese. Volckmann’s current supply system satisfied his immediate needs but arms, ammunition, and medical supplies—the essential tools for guerrilla warfare—grew scarcer as the war dragged on. Recognizing that he didn’t have the resources for a “toe-to-toe” campaign, Volckmann knew that he would somehow have to make contact with MacArthur’s Headquarters. Doing so would accomplish two ends: first, it would provide a lifeline to his guerrillas; second, it would provide a means to direct the incoming Allied forces to key positions and facilitate combined operations with USAFIP-NL.
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It was a lofty goal, but Volckmann did not lend himself to the notion of guerrilla warfare as a series of “pot-shots” against the enemy while biding his time for MacArthur’s return. For Volckmann to destroy the enemy and take back North Luzon, General MacArthur would have to fulfill the two-year-old promise he had made on Corregidor.

Relief map of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippine archipelago. Visible from the map are the rugged mountains of the Cordillera Central in North Luzon.

U.S. Army Center for Military History.

Russell William Volckmann, 1917. Dressed in his uniform as the C Com - pany “mascot,” the six-year-old Volckmann (right) is flanked by childhood friend John Smoller. Coincidentally, Smoller also attended West Point and graduated with the Class of 1934.

The Volckmann Family Collection.

Cadet Volckmann, U.S. Military Academy, ca. 1932. “Russ,” as he Volckmann’s graduating class at the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Fort Benning, Georgia, 1938. Volckmann stands in the top row, third from right. USMA Fifty Year Book: 1934—1984. came to be known, was popular among his classmates and well-liked by those who knew him.

The Volckmann Family Collection.

Volckmann’s graduating class at the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Fort Benning, Georgia, 1938. Volckmann stands in the top row, third from right.

USMA Fifty Year Book: 1934–1984.

Philippine Scouts receive training on a 37mm anti-tank gun.

U.S. Army Center for Military History.

A wrapper to one of many chocolate bars SWPA sent in its propaganda submarine to Volckmann. The caption near the bottom reads: “This chocolate bar, the ration carried by American soldiers around the world, will give you valuable nourishment. It is fortified with vitamins essential for health and strength.”

National Archives and Records Administration.

Japanese victorious at Bataan.

National Archives and Records Administration.

Elements of the 32nd Infantry Division (US) take up positions on Hill 504, 1 April 1945. As part of the I Corps’ assault on Yamashita’s southern perimeter, they assisted Volckmann’s 14th Infantry Regiment in destroying the Japanese 2nd Tank Division before moving into the Bessang Pass area.

U.S. Army Center for Miltary History.

Elements of the 122nd Field Artillery Battalion (USAFIP-NL) fire on Japanese positions during the Battle of Bessang Pass.

U.S. Army Center for Military History.

A 1940 postcard depicting the Ifugao rice terraces in Mountain Province. This is a representative sample of the rugged terrain in North Luzon.

The Donald D. Blackburn Collection.

This map, constructed by Volckmann, shows the path of his trek to North Luzon. Guerro’s (Guerrero’s) and Fausset’s (Fassoth’s) represent civilian evacuation camps. Also visible is Mt. Arayat where Volckmann solicited help from the Hukbalahap.

The Russell W. Volckmann Papers, U.S. Army Military History Institute.