26 December 1941. Carmen. Philippines.
The Provisional Tank Group (PTG) had arrived in the Philippines in September and November of 1941. Consisting of the 192nd and 194th Tank Battalions, each with fifty-four M3 Light Tanks. The two battalions were among the first to hear about the attack on Pearl Harbour on 7 December, and as they were assigned to defend Clark Field against a parachute attack. They were witnesses, and victims of the Japanese air attacks that had brought war to the Philippines.
Brig. Gen. James R.N. Weaver (GOC PTG) had taken the National Guard units sent from America and tried to prepare them for war. After the initial few days of confusion, 192nd Tank Battalion was ordered to support Major-General Wainwright (GOC Northern Luzon Force), but weren’t put under his command. As Wainwright attempted to deal with the invasion at Lingayen on 22 December, he ordered his main mobile force, 26th Cavalry Regiment of the Philippine Scouts, to Rosario. The Scout Car platoon, ahead of the main force of horsemen, moved through Damortis on the coastal road where they encountered Japanese tanks and reconnaissance troops, so they fell back towards Damortis, where the rest of 26th Cavalry were establishing positions to resist the Japanese, but prepared to fight a delaying action.
Colonel Pierce called on General Wainwright for help as his force was already struggling to contain the Japanese attack. Wainwright was warned that more Japanese forces were on their way to Damortis, Wainwright requested a company of tanks from Brig. Gen. Weaver. Because of a shortage of gasoline, Weaver could furnish only a platoon of five tanks from Company B, 192d Tank Battalion.
Moving forward, they clashed with Japanese light tanks. The lead tank, 2nd Lt Ben Morin’s, as it manoeuvred off the road, received a direct hit from a Japanese Medium tank and burst into flames. The day had begun badly for the American officer. He had been bombed by Japanese aircraft, and when he ordered the gunner to test fire his 37mm gun, but the gun had locked in recoil and remained inoperative. The other four tanks, all hit by 47-mm. antitank fire, succeeded in returning to Rosario. Morin and his crew surrendered to the Japanese, in the first combat between and American and Japanese tanks of the war, the victory was Japanese.
On December 23 and 24, the rest of B Company was in the area of Urdaneta. They were ordered to withdraw to the south of the Agno River, but found the main bridge had already been destroyed. Have to fight their way through Japanese troops early in the evening of Christmas Eve, successfully crossed the river in the Bayambang Province. Here they found the rest of 192nd Tank Battalion had taken up positions just south of the Agno River from Carmen to Tayung. The tanks of the 194th Tank Battalion which had also come forward, were holding the line on the Carmen-Alcala-Bautista Road.
On 26 December the whole area was the subject to an airstrike, followed swiftly by an assault on the river Agno positions after sunset. The Japanese, with artillery support, crossed the river, the M3 Light Tanks of 194th Tank Battalion were only carrying AP shot, the Japanese infantry being engaged by the machine guns on the tanks, but were unable to hold up the advance. Lt Harold Costigan’ platoon of C Company 194th TB recognised that there was a real possibility of being cut off, and ordered his tanks to withdraw. As they approached the barrio they came under heavy fire, and had to smash through a roadblock, where two tanks were lost, though the crews were picked up by the other tanks and escaped, though under fire until they were out of range.
This set the tone of the rest of the campaign for the tanks. The tank battalions found themselves in the role of holding positions so new defensive lines could be formed. Brig. Gen Weaver’s written command to his men was that: “Tanks will execute maximum delay, staying in position and firing at visible enemy until further delay will jeopardize withdrawal. If a tank is immobilized, it will be fought until the close approach of the enemy, then destroyed; the crew previously taking positions outside and continuing to fight with the salvaged and personal weapons. Considerations of personal safety and expediency will not interfere with accomplishing the greatest possible delay.”
