Planning of the Cabanatuan Raid
Manila American Cemetery Memorial
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After DeathSoon, the Japanese has sent a telegram stating that he is dead. On October 20, 1944, U.S. forces have landed in the Philippines at Leyte. Philippine scouts reported about the POWs that were in the Cabanatuan camp and that the Japanese intended to move them or murder them. Lt. Gen. Walter Krueger assigned the 6th Ranger Battalion to prepare a raid for the camp. The rangers moved on January 28, 1945 and waited till nightfall behind Japanese lines. At night, the rangers hit the Japanese soldiers with overwhelming ferocity, using every weapon they had. They first took out the guard tower, pillboxes, and Japanese around that area. Then, the rangers stormed the compound and eliminated the Japanese interior defensive position. In less than fifteen minutes, resistance inside the POW camp has been eliminated. 511 American and Allied POWs were rescued while an estimated 523 Japanese were killed or wounded. The two rangers were killed, and seven rangers were injured.
On January 21, 1946, the report of internment has been sent to Kathleen Tatum. Letters were sent back and forth between John Burt about where is he going to get buried. Soon, John Burt soon finished his permanent internment paper on October 28, 1948. Ernest S. Tatum Jr. is now buried at Plot A, Row 16, Grave 52 in Manila American Cemetery. |