The battle secured San Fernando and Bacnotan in La Union, advancing Allied control in the northern Philippines during the 1944–1945 Campaign.
Key Facts
- Start date
- 19 March 1945
- San Fernando captured
- 23 March 1945
- Filipino unit
- 121st Infantry Regiment, Philippine Commonwealth Army
- Allied commander
- General Russell W. Volckmann (USAFIP-NL)
- Japanese commander
- General Tomoyuki Yamashita
- Campaign
- 1944–1945 Philippines Campaign, World War II
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The ongoing Allied effort to recapture the Philippines from Japanese Imperial forces in 1944–1945 brought Filipino Commonwealth Army troops and guerrilla fighters under USAFIP-NL into direct conflict with General Yamashita's forces in La Union province, setting the stage for an assault on Japanese positions at Bacsil Ridge.
Beginning on 19 March 1945, Filipino soldiers of the 121st Infantry Regiment, Philippine Commonwealth Army, under American General Russell W. Volckmann, engaged Japanese Imperial forces at Bacsil Ridge in La Union. The fighting involved both regular army units and guerrilla fighters in a sustained offensive against entrenched Japanese positions.
The battle resulted in the capture of San Fernando, La Union on 23 March 1945, followed after approximately two months of continued fighting by the capture of Bacnotan, La Union, extending Allied control over the northern Luzon coastal region and weakening Japanese defensive positions in the area.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
General Russell W. Volckmann.
Side B
1 belligerent
General Tomoyuki Yamashita.