Journal of Commodore Ramon A. Alcaraz September 1941.

Journal of Commodore

Ramon A. Alcaraz

September1941

September 1, 1941

Today is mass induction ceremonies in all PA Military Districts. All Os and EMs of the 1st Regiment and other key personnel of each of the ten Divs that reported for duty starting Aug. 28 are inducted into the USAFFE in their respective Mobilization Centers in the ten Military Districts.

Today, the C & GSS in Baguio City under Col Bluemel opens with selected senior Officers as students to be prospective Div Comdrs and staff to man the Divisions being mobilized, after their graduation.

September 1, 1941 - continued

To facilitate the training of other officers in the Divs being mobilized, the following Training Schools are activated: Field Arty School at Camp Stotsenburg under Lt Col Ralp Hirsh FA USA Coast Artillery School at Ft Wint under Lt Col Napoleon Boudreaux CAC USA PAAC Flying Schools at Cabanatuan, Batangas and Cebu.

Meanwhile, training of the Q-Boats on Depth Charge Firings started this week.

Q-Boat depth charge firings

September 3, 1941

Our Q-Boat depth charge firing exercises against submarine targets will continue during the week to finally complete the training program. Then, I understand the selection Board headed by C,OSP Capt Andrada will announce the permanently designated officers and crew of Q-111 Luzon; Q-112 Abra; and Q-113 Agusan. There are only six slots for Os to come from fifteen prospective candidate that are undergoing this rigid training. I am keeping my fingers crossed. For EMs, there will be only 17 coveted slots.

September 3, 1941 - continued

Aside from the FA, CAC, and PAAC Training Schools activated two days ago, the following Training Schools are activated today to train the hundreds Os being mobilized:

Medical School at Ft MacKinley under Maj Joseph U Weaver MC USA

Medical School at Camp Murphy under Maj Jack W Schwartz MC USA

QM & Motor Trpt School at Port Area, Manila under Maj Michael Quinn QMS

US Signal School at Ft McKinley under Capt Lassiter Mason SigC USA

Engineers School at Ft McKinley under Lt Antonio C Chanco CE PA USAFFE

Infantry Schools at every Mobilization Centers in all Military Districts.

September 3, 1941 - continued

Manila News today say Nazi forces overran Smolensk after three weeks fighting Stalin's Army and is now about 200 miles from Moscow. Meanwhile, British and Russian forces invaded Iran announcing their intention is only to get rid of German Agents and Technicians residing in Iran. They said their forces will withdraw as soon as the threat of German invasion or 5th Column Operation is nullified.

September 16, 1941

The OSP seems to be much ahead of their Training Program than the other branches of the PA. While the Training Schools for Os of the different branches like the Inf. FA, CAC, SigC, CE, MC, QMS etc only started the first of the month, OSP extensive Training Program was completed the week-end of Sept. 14 after the Depth Charge firings.

Today, the much anticipated announcement by C, OSP Capt Andrada as to who will be the permanent Os and Crew of the Q-Boats is made as follows:

September 16, 1941 - continued

1st Q-Boat Squadron

Q-111 "Luzon" 1st Lt Alberto Navarrete '35 Sqn Comdr and Comdg O

3rd Lt Heracleo Alano '40 ExO

Crew :

Sgt Claro Jimenez

Cpl Anastacio Castaneda

Cpl Felipe Donato

Cpl Sinforose Ros

Pfc Andres Gaceta

Pfc Florencio Inigo

Pfc Jose Villamor

Capt Alberto NavarreteSquadron Commander & Commanding Officer

Q-111 “Luzon”

September 16, 1941 - continued

1st Q-Boat Squadron

Q-112 "Abra" 3rd Lt Ramon A Alcaraz '40 Comdg O

3rd Lt Abraham C Campo '40 ExO

Crew:

Sgt Francisco Arbillon

Sgt Marcos Eamilao

Sgt Teotimo Figuracion

Cpl Anastacio Cacayorin

Pfc Jopse Loor

Lt Ramon A AlcarazCommanding Officer

Q-112 “Abra”

September 16, 1941 - continued1st Q-Boat Squadron

Q-113 "Agusan"

2nd Lt Santiago Nuval '38 Comdg O

3rd Lt Liberato Picar '40 ExO

Crew:

Sgt Paulino Baltazar

Sgt Francisco Sescon

Cpl Igmidio Alejandro

Cpl Aniceto a Torre

Pfc Arturo Noblezada

It is gratifying to note that out of the six slots for Os, four were given to our Class '40. Today is one of celebration and rejoicing.

Lt Santiago NuvalCommanding Officer, Q-113 “Agusan”

September 20, 1941

The 1st Q-Boat Squadron under Capt Navarrete started its tactical training exercises for the first time as a unit with the newly assigned permanent Os and crew. Tactical formations using new doctrines and signals are being tried.

Very good news today! Initial reinforcements from USA that left San Francisco Aug 27 arrived today consisting of 200th CAC Regmt under Col Charles W Sage with 76 Os; 1,681 EM; 12 3" and 24-37 mm guns; 26-50 cal machine guns; and 60" searchlights.

September 20, 1941 - continued

Reinforcements that also arrived today is the Tank Group under Col James R Weaver comprising of:

192nd Tank Bn with 36 Os, 588 EM and 54 M-3 Tanks; 194th Tank Bn with 31 Os, 510 EM and 54 M-3 Tanks 17th Ordnance Co with 5 Os 150 EM

Manila News front page mention about Iran's Reza Shah Pahlevi abdicating in favor of son Mohammad as Allied troops enter Teheran. Berlin announced that two American pilots downed flying for RAFare held by them. Nazi also cut off Crimean Peninsula from USSR.

September 27, 1941

Army Hq issued a GO today for all regular officers below field rank (majors) promoting them one rank higher in temporary rank. And so, 3rd Lt R Alcaraz became a very proud temporary 2nd Lt today. My promotion is not due until March 15, 1942 when I complete my two years time in grade as a 3rd “Otinant” as we were called then. Now I can be called LIEUTENANT, no longer “Otinant.” Incidentally, from hereon, to 1947, all promotions are in temporary ranks.

C,OSP Captain Andrada became a Major which he deserved long ago. 1st Lt Jurado became a Captain and so is my Sqdn Comdr Navarete became Captain "Neveready" as Sid Huff used to call him. 2nd Lt Nuval, CO Q-113 became 1st Lt and all our ExOs like Alano, Campo and Picar became 2nd Lts. Needless to say, morale in the 1st Q-Boat RON is very high.

Capt Enrique JuradoUSNA ’34

Chief, Offshore Patrol

September 27, 1941

Manila's front page news state that Nazi Germany tells Belgium to enter the war or be occupied. The French Resistance National Council was formed to organize anti Nazi efforts in Europe.

September 27, 1941

Manila's front page news state that Nazi Germany tells Belgium to enter the war or be occupied. The French Resistance National Council was formed to organize anti Nazi efforts in Europe.

September 28, 1941

PT (Patrol Torpedo) Squadron 3, USN under Lt John D Bulkeley arrived today in Cavite. PT Boats are the USN version of the British MTB (Motor Torpedo Boat) like our Q-Boat acquired from England in 1939. When MacArthur was shopping for Torpedo Boats, the USN had none, and after some serious thoughts, started their own program in 1937 at Quonset Pt, R.I. Their first operational squadron came early this year which is two years after we started OSP.

September 28, 1941 - continued

PT Ron 3 is composed of six PT Boats similar to our Q-Boats, and they are as follows with their respective COs; PT 41 Ens. George E Cox; PT 31 Lt Edward G de Long; PT 32 Lt (jg) Vincent E Schumacher; PT 33 Ens Baron W Chandler; PT 34 Lt Robert G Kelley; and PT 35 Ens Anthony B Akers. Their Sqdn Comdr is Lt J. D. Bulkeley. Since Cavite did not have adequate boatsheds for the newly arrived PTs, we share our facilities initially at Muelle del Codo, Port Area, Manila.

September 28, 1941 - continued

We at OSP are jubilant with the arrival of PT Ron 3 as they bolstered the total Torpedo Boats in our arsenal to nine including our three Q-Boats. It is felt these boats will be vital in our defenses considering the inland waters of a maritime Phil.

As of this date, the naval forces in the Phil under the Asiatic Fleet commanded by Adm Thomas Hart are; 3 cruisers (Houston, Marblehead, Boise); 13 destroyers; 29 submarines; 32 PBYs; 6 Gunboats; 3 Tenders; 16th Naval District in Cavite and the 4th Marine Regmt stationed in Shanghai. The arrival today of 6 PTs are a most welcome addition to our naval

September 28, 1941

Manila news today states that Belgium, Czechoslavakia, Greece, Luxembourgh, Holland, Norway, Free France, Poland and Yugoslavia pledge adherence to the Atlantic Charter.

September 28, 1941

Manila news today states that Belgium, Czechoslavakia, Greece, Luxembourgh, Holland, Norway, Free France, Poland and Yugoslavia pledge adherence to the Atlantic Charter.