“Jack” John Hopper Gabbott

Born: 16 June 1909

Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co, Utah

Died: 3 January 1991

Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah

Burial: 7 January 1991

Murray City Cemetery,

Salt Lake Co., Utah

WWII

32nd

Infantry Division

121st Field Artillery

Battery C

Early 1944 John H. Gabbott, “Jack” as he known by friends

and family, worked in the automotive industry and became a

very proficient auto body repairman. He was married (1933)

with two lovely daughters.

During 1944 WWII was a major item of everyday conversation.

Jack Gabbott was 35 years old and well beyond draft age.

However, he decided he had enough; he was going to help, so on

11 April 1944 Jack was inducted in the U.S. Army. At his age he

said the youngsters soon started calling him “Pops” Most young recruits were 16 to early

20’s years old.

Typical early 1944 New Headlines

Jan 10th - British troops conquer Maungdaw, Burma

Jan 16th - Gen Eisenhower took command of Allied Invasion Force in London

Jan 20th - RAF drops 2300 ton bombs on Berlin

Jan 21st - 447 German bombers attack London

Jan 21st - 649 British bombers attack Magdeburg

Jan 22nd - Allied forces begin landing at Anzio Italy

Jan 24th - Allied troops occupy Nettuno Italy

Jan 27th - Leningrad liberated from Germany in 880 days with 600,000 killed

Jan 30th - US invades Majuro, Marshall Islands

Jan 30th - United States troops land on Majuro

Feb 2nd - 4th US marine division conquerors Roi, Marshall Islands

Feb 2nd - Allied troops 1st set foot on Japanese territory

Mar 22nd - 600+ 8th Air Force bombers attack Berlin

Jack served with the 32nd

Infantry Division, 121st Field Artillery, Battery C. After WWII

ended he returned to his family and previous profession. He seldom spoke of his time in

the U.S. Army. The following provides some glimpse for posterity of this time in his life.

Obituary

John Hooper Gabbott, age 81, loving husband, died January 3, 1991.

He was born June 26, 1909, in Salt Lake City, Utah. On June 10, 1933, he married Ruth E.

Anderson in Murray, Utah. Their marriage was solemnized in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.

Jack was a veteran of World War II, serving in the Army and was a High Priest in the

LDS Church. A "Jack-of-All-Trades" he was a skillful and giving man, always ready to

help benefiting both family and friends.

He was a good and loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Survivors: wife, two

daughters, ten grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren and seven sisters and brother.

“Jack” John Hooper Gabbott

1- April 11, 1944 - Join Army

Report to Camp Roberts, Calif. - 17 Weeks Training

2- Late Aug. 1944 - completes Training

3- Leave to Visit Home, Busy Work On Base.

4- Dec. 2, 1944 - Depart U.S.A From San Franciso, Calif,

5- Dec. 23, 1944 - Arrive in So. Pacific.

Participated in Leyte, Philippine Island Fighting.

6- Jan, 30, 1945 to Aug. 15, 1945 -

Fighting in Luzon, Phillipine Islands

7- March 26, 1945 – PROMOTED To Private First Class

8- May 24, 1945 - Purple Heart for Wounds in Battle

9- Aug. 22, 1945 – PROMOTED To Tech 5

10- Nov. 16, 1945 – PROMOTED To Tech. 4

11- Nov or Early Dec. 1945 - Departs for U.S.A

12- 20 Jan. 1946 - Honorable Discharge

Weekend Leave – In Town with Buddies

Camp Roberts

Jack on leave visit with his Mother & Family

John “Jack” H. Gabbott assigned to:

Battery C, 121st Field Artillery

32nd Infantry Division – “RED ARROW DIVISION”

32nd Infantry Division, 121st Field Artillery Battalion – Battery C - 75 mm howitzers

On February 1, 1942, the 32nd Division was converted from "square" configuration to "triangular" and redesignated as the 32nd Infantry Division. Under the Division reorganization, the 121st Field Artillery Regiment was divided. The 1st Battalion was redesignated as the 121st Field Artillery Battalion and the 2nd Battalion became the 173rd Field Artillery Regiment. The 121st Field Artillery Battalion, as designated on February 1, 1942, distinguished itself in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. Its honors were: Aitape, Biak, Leyte, Luzon and New Guinea (with Saidor Arrowhead). Early in 1943 the 121st Field Artillery Battalion was issued 75 mm howitzers in place of the 155 mm howitzers that were its normal weapons as the general support battalion of Division Artillery

75mm Pack Howitzer

32nd

“Red Arrow” Infantry Division

WWII

On 15 October 1940, the 32nd Division, Wisconsin and Michigan National Guard, was again

called to Active Duty.

In August and September of 1941, the 32nd Division participated in the 'Louisiana Maneuvers,'

the greatest peacetime maneuver in the history of the United States Army.

On 22 April 1942, the 32nd Division sailed from San Francisco, bound for the war in the South

Pacific. They arrived in Port Adelaide, South Australia on 14 May 1942.

On 15 September 1942 the first elements of the Division were flown from Australia to Port

Moresby, New Guinea.

The 32nd Division was the first U.S. Division to fight an offensive action against the Japanese in

the Southwest Pacific. The Division fought in six major engagements in four Campaigns involving

654 days of combat, more than any other American Division. Many firsts were accredited to the

32nd “Red Arrow” Division. Eleven Medals of Honor, 157 Distinguished Service Crosses, 49

Legion of Merit, 845 Silver Stars, 1854 Bronze Stars, 98 Air Medals, 78 Soldiers Medals and

11,500 Purple Hearts were awarded its heroes.

On 2 September 1945 General Tomoyuki Yamashita, Highest Commander of the Imperial

Japanese Army in the Philippines, surrendered to the 32nd Infantry Division on Luzon.

On 4 September 1945, an advance detachment of the 32nd Division (1st Battalion, 127th Infantry)

was flown to Kyushu (southern most of the four main Japanese islands) for occupation duty, only 5

days behind the earliest troop landings anywhere in Japan. The remainder of the Division arrived in

Japan by 14 October 1945.

The 32nd Division was inactivated at Fukuoka, Japan on 28 February 1946.

On 8 November 1946 the Division was again Federally recognized as the 32nd Infantry Division,

Wisconsin National Guard.

Highlights of the

32nd Infantry Division

"The Red Arrow"

in World War II

Combat Time

654 days of combat (15,696 hours) - more than any U.S. division in any war.

This represents 48% of the total time the U.S. was in World War II.

41 months overseas, over 21 of them spent in combat.

6 major engagements in 4 campaigns.

Decorations and Awards

11 Medals of Honor

157 Distinguished Service Crosses

845 Silver Stars

49 Legion of Merit

78 Soldiers Medals

1,854 Bronze Stars

11,500 Purple Hearts

98 Air Medals

Division Credits

1- First U.S. Division to fight an offensive action against the Japanese in the

Southwest Pacific (Papuan Campaign).

2- First U.S. Division to be airborne into combat (Papuan Campaign).

3- First U.S. Division to make a beach landing in New Guinea Campaign (Saidor).

4- First to employ General MacArthur's by-pass strategy.

5- First U.S. Division to embark for overseas service in one convoy after 7 Dec. 1941.

6- First to simultaneously supply 11 battalions in combat in one action completely by

airdrop (Aitape).

7- First to supply four infantry battalions for two days from artillery liaison "Cub"

planes (Leyte).

8- First to publish an American servicemen's letterpress newspaper in the Southwest

Pacific.

9- First to go into action at the foot of "the road back," was still fighting when the

"cease fire" order came on 15 August 1945.

10- Elements of the 32nd Division were also among the first American occupation troops

to land in Japan.

World War II Campaigns of the 32nd “Red Arrow” Division

Campaigns Dates Days

Papuan

Buna 20 Sep. 42 – 22 Jan. 43 117

New Guinea

Saidor

Aitape

Morotai

2 Jan. 44 – 29 Apr. 44

22 Apr. 44 – 25 Aug. 44

15 Sep. 44 – 10 Nov. 44

118

125

57

Southern

Philippines

Leyte 16 Nov. 44 – 2 Jan. 45 47

Luzon

Villa Verde Trail

Mopping Up

30 Jan. 45 – 28 May 45

29 May 45 – 15 Aug. 45

119

78

Total: 661

days

Less 7 days overlapping when the Division was in

combat at both Saidor and Aitape.

- 7 days

Grand Total: 654

days

The 32nd Infantry Division

End of Leyte Campaign

Dec 1944 - Jan 1945

Less than two months before, Yamashita had sent to his troops a message which carried all the tremendous

prestige and authority of an Imperial Rescript: “The Army has received the following order from His Majesty,

the Emperor: ‘Enemy ground forces will be destroyed.’” Fighting literally to the death, the Japanese could no

longer carry out the orders of their Emperor. The fanatic courage with which they tried is testified by the

enemy’s casualty totals for the Leyte Campaign: 56,263 killed, 392 captured.

Troops of the 127th

Inf., 32nd

Div., look over burning Japanese tanks knocked out by

American tanks north of Lonoy, Leyte, P.I. on 22 December 1944.

On 22 December, General Gill issued General Orders 104, Headquarters, 32nd Infantry Division:

Today the “Red Arrow” Division successfully completed its primary mission of forcing a passage through

the mountains from Pinamopoan to the Ormoc Valley. After 36 days of the bitterest hand-to-hand fighting

yet experienced in this war the Division has annihilated the 1st Imperial Division (reinforced), and by this

determined action has shortened the completion of the Leyte Campaign.

With all of Highway No. 2 now in American hands, an X Corps order shifted the direction of advance of the

32nd Division westward toward the coast.

Dec. 23, 1944 “Jack” John H. Gabbott Arrives.

The 128th Infantry, which had been busily engaged in searching the Limon area and eliminating bypassed

pockets of enemy troops, started patrols west on 23 December. And on 24 December, the 127th and 128th

started toward the coast at 0800. Fortunately, enemy resistance was scattered and ineffective for the terrain itself

was almost enough to stop the advance. Supply, which had been a major problem throughout the campaign, was

now nearly impossible. Rations were soon low or completely gone. It wasn’t a question of Christmas dinner but

rather would they eat at all? The problem was solved largely by the use of the artillery’s “grasshoppers” – the

little observation planes that were certainly never designed as cargo carriers. Although their drops were

understandably not always accurate, the planes did get enough supplies to the doughboys to enable them to push

through to the coast.

Carrying 50 lb. loads, the tiny planes shuttled from the airstrip to the advancing troops. They swept low over the

trees to drop the supply cases, and then returned to pick up another load. Shoes, leggins, clothing, food,

ammunition, radio batteries, atribrine and all the other items needed on the march made up the cargoes. For two

consecutive days the four battalions were completely supplied by this method. It was the largest operation of

this kind ever successfully attempted in any theater.

On 29 December, both regiments reached their objectives: The 127th, the high ground overlooking Antipolo

Point; The 128th, the vicinity of Compopo and Tabango Bays. Patrols were sent out which made contact with

the 24th Infantry Division on the north and the 1st Cavalry Division to the south.

This terminated for the 32nd Division a campaign which had, in General Krueger’s words, “made inordinate

demands upon the troops,” but there was little time available for rest, rehabilitation, and training. Sixth Army’s

next objective was Luzon, and the 32nd had its place in Krueger’s plans. The first step was the assembly of the

Division in the Carigara-Pinamopoan area along the shores of Carigara Bay.

The Leyte Campaign appears to have marked for the 32nd Division its emergence from a sometimes

bewildered and often scattered group of units into an integrated division capable of smooth teamplay.

The service units of the 32nd Division now had about three weeks in which to get the weapons, transportation,

communications equipment, medical supplies, clothing, and personal equipment ready for another extensive

campaign.

The 732nd Ordnance Company in particular had to meet extraordinarily heavy demands. The Leyte Campaign

had been hard on weapons, vehicles and instruments. Inspections showed that about 10% of the Division’s

motor transport was now unserviceable and would have to be salvaged. Thirty crated 2 ½ ton trucks had to be

assembled, serviced and delivered to Division units. Hundreds of repair jobs were accomplished by mechanics

who worked almost around the clock. When loading began in preparation for the sailing of the Division convoy

set for 24 January 1945, the Division’s arms and equipment were not perfect or complete, but they were

adequate.

The 32nd

Infantry Division

Luzon Campaign - The Villa Verde Trail http://www.32nd-division.org/history/ww2/32ww2-11.html

Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines and is the northern most of the main islands in the archipelago. It is

about 500 miles long and is over 40,000 square miles in area. The largest mountain ranges in the Philippines are

located on Luzon, the highest peak rises over 9,600 feet, and the mountains generally extend the length of the

island

During the initial planning for the Luzon campaign, the Allies estimated that the Japanese forces on Luzon

numbered some 150,000, the majority of which (110,000) were believed to be combat troops. The Allies

believed that these forces, ably commanded by General Yamishita, would put up determined opposition.

However, during the final planning for the assault of Luzon, the estimate of Japanese strength on the island was

increased to 235,000 troops. As a result, the 32D Infantry Division (plus the 1

ST Cavalry Division, 112

TH

Cavalry RCT, and 3 additional Infantry divisions) was added to the Sixth Army order of battle.

The arrival of the 32D on the Lingayen beaches was scheduled for 27 January, eighteen days after the

assault landings. The 1ST

Cavalry Division and the 112TH

RCT were to land the same day.

The 32D Division went ashore in the Mabilao area of the Lingayen Gulf beaches, and assembled in the

Manaoag-San Vincente-Mapandan area

The Division was promptly committed to action. Although General Krueger had decided against a “precipitate

advance” until reinforcements arrived, he had pushed steadily forward both his I Corps on the north and XIV

Corps on the south. XI Corps, which had been landed by Eighth Army near Subic Bay, passed to the command

of General Krueger on 30 January. The troops were now set for the attack on Manila.

The 32D Division (less its 126

TH Infantry) was committed on the left of the 25

TH Division, and by 2 February it

had crossed the Agno River and cleared the enemy from the Natividad-San Nicolas-Tayug triangle and captured

Santa Maria. The 126TH

Infantry was held in Army reserve in the Manaoag-Mapandan area.

For the first time in the Division’s World War II history, the 32D Division Artillery (BG Robert B. McBride, Jr.)

was committed in normal fashion at the start of a campaign, armed with standard division artillery weapons.

Sketch of the Villa Verde Trail The Division’s zone of

advance was now in a

northeasterly direction

astride the Villa Verde

Trail. Originally a foot

and carabao path pioneered

in the 1880s by a Spanish

Priest named Juan Villa

Verde, this trail leads from

the Lingayen Gulf area

over the Caraballo

Mountains to the lush

Cagayan Valley of

northeast Luzon. From

Santa Maria, where it

begins, the trail twists and

turns for 27 miles (43

kilometers) to cover the

11-mile, as-the-crow-flies

distance to Santa Fe.

Before the start of World

War II, the trail had been improved to handle cart traffic for about 9 kilometers from Santa Maria, but this

section was only a 10 to 12 foot width of ungravelled clay. Although some construction was in progress in 1941

beyond this southern section, most of the rest of the trail was simply a footpath over a 4,800-foot high Salacsac

Pass to Imugan, where it joined the road to Santa Fe.

Although the 32D was meeting increased resistance, its progress and that of the other divisions of I Corps had by

now deprived the enemy of the capability of moving troops into the Central Plain area and disrupting Sixth

Army’s attack on Manila either by attacks on the American rear and flanks or by cutting the attacking troops off

from Lingayen Gulf supply bases. The importance of this phase of I Corps’ mission was emphasized by the

determined resistance offered by the Japanese to the capture of Manila, a stubborn defense which was not to be

completely overcome until 4 March.

The attack along Villa Verde Trail northeasterly from Santa Maria during the period 12 to 24 February is

called “The Fight for the Bowl.” The other phase of the operation, which started at about the same time but

extended to 3 April, is called “Probing the River Valleys.” This phase was conducted mostly by the 126TH

Infantry and it included the driving of enemy forces from the Arboredo, Ambayabang, and Agno River Valleys

to the west of the Villa Verde Trail area.

With the battle for Manila still raging, only the 25TH

and 32D Divisions were available to drive the enemy out of

his main position here

The advance from the Bowl to the Salacsac Pass area and the securing of that area was to be a long, hard job for

all the elements of the Division. The difficulties for the infantry are plain enough. For the artillery, the problems

of getting guns in and out of suitable firing positions, of finding and occupying observation posts, and of

maintaining communications and keeping the guns supplied with ammunition – these were all complicated by

the rugged terrain and lack of roads. The quartermaster, ordnance, signal, and medical troops had similar

handicaps. For the engineers, particularly, the campaign soon became a nightmare of effort to keep Villa Verde

Trail open and functioning as the troops advanced.

General Krueger’s comments on the situation which the 32

D faced in the latter part of February not only

confirm the difficulties of the Division’s mission, but marked the Sixth Army’s commander’s faith in it. “The

32nd Division,” he says, “found it increasingly difficult to reduce the cleverly organized and stubbornly

defended position of the enemy. Moreover, the necessity of making the extremely poor, winding Villa Verde

Trail passable for heavy vehicles to meet logistic requirements and the difficulty of supplying troops in the

rugged terrain of the trail by native cargadores restricted enveloping movement and compelled the division to

assault one hill after another and slowed up the advance. Repeated visits to this front had made me fully

cognizant of the tough conditions facing the 32D Division, but I was confident that it would overcome all

difficulties successfully.”

There was one pleasant change for the Red Arrow veterans as the campaign progressed. The days were still hot

and the rains poured down as the dry season ended, but the nights were cool and there was even the bracing

smell of pine trees as the Division fought its way up onto the knife-like ridges of the Caraballo Mountains. It

was a stimulating change from the steaming jungle damp of Buna, Saidor, Aitape, and Leyte.

But there was no comparable encouraging change in the enemy’s resistance. On the contrary, his fanatic will to

fight to the death even seemed to increase as the overall war situation grew more and more hopeless for the

Japanese Empire.

Tactically the forces opposing the 32

D had many advantages. They not only had better observation from the

higher ground they occupied, but they were thoroughly familiar with the terrain over which the Red Arrow

Infantry had to advance. As an interior division in the I Corps attack, the 32D was largely limited to frontal

attacks along routes which the enemy was well prepared to defend from dug in positions covered by mines,

small arms fire, and bands of machine gun fire, and further supported by registered mortar and artillery fire.

The enemy’s main defenses were reached early in March. They were generally astride Villa Verde Trail about

four miles west of Imugan, and covered the passes.

Sixth Army had by now split the enemy forces on Luzon into three main groups. By far the largest of these,

numbering probably over 110,000, was that in northern Luzon. It was under vigorous personal command of

General Yamashita, and he was still believed capable of reinforcing the Balete Pass-Santa Fe-Imugan area. On

the other hand, the smaller enemy groups in western Luzon and southern Luzon were each practically isolated

and that had largely lost the ability to maneuver. They were incapable of aiding one another or of escaping to

join the northern group.

As the operations progressed, it was evident that Yamashita was going to defend at all costs the mountain

positions dominating the passes into the great and fertile Cagayan Valley of northern Luzon.

On 6 March, I Corps was ordered by General Krueger to make determined efforts to secure the vital Balete

Pass-Santa Fe-Imugan area at an early date.

The next few weeks were marked by some of the hardest fighting in the 32D Division’s history. Not only were

units of the Division restricted by the terrain and the tactical situation to costly frontal attacks, but the enemy

made many vigorous counterattacks.

As the attack progressed, positions that could not be readily reduced were by passed, kept ineffective by air

attacks and continued artillery fire, and later eliminated when surrounded and cut off from supplies and

reinforcements. Antiaircraft guns, little needed for defense against the now almost impotent Japanese air forces,

were in some cases used to hit cave strongpoints with their high velocity shells.

By 3 April the 126TH

Infantry had largely completed its missions of probing the river valleys to the west of the

Villa Verde Trail area. The final major action had been the clearing of the enemy from the horseshoe ridge

around the headwaters of the Arboredo River by the 1ST

Battalion of the Regiment during the time from 10

March to 3 April. By Corps orders, the 126TH

was relieved in its zone of action by the 130TH

Infantry of the

33D Division.

Aerial view of Villa Verde Trail area

Soldiers cross the Arboredo River on northern Luzon on 25 February 1945

Soldiers entrenched atop Hill 504 along the Villa Verde Trail on 1 April 1945.

On 6 April the 126TH

Infantry was committed to the Villa Verde Trail fight with the mission of attacking east in

a zone north of that of the 128TH

Infantry. Its objective was the high ground north and east of the trail.

The final push for Salacsac Pass No. 2 now began. The 128TH

was on the right and the 126TH

on the left and

they were advancing in a generally easterly direction although battalions and companies were often attacking

south or north, and sometimes even in a westerly direction, as they forced the enemy into pockets of resistance.

The Salacsac Pass No. 2 position was captured after bitter fighting on 10 April, according to Division records,

but not until 16 April by other accounts. The discrepancy is probably explained by the fact that the “position”

was not an isolated one but part of the whole main enemy position and the fighting continued with no well-

defined break to mark the completion of the Pass No. 2 action from the attack to capture Pass No. 1.

The 128

TH Infantry was by now very much down in strength. The 127

TH Infantry, in Division reserve, had

enjoyed nearly three weeks near Asingan. Gen. Gill now ordered it to take over from the 128TH

. It accomplished

the relief on 17-18 April

The 128TH

was assembled near Asingan, the last elements closing into the area on 19 April. This much-needed

period for rest, rehabilitation, and the absorption of replacements was to continue until 4 May, and it would

have a marked effect on the future successful action of the Division.

In the meantime, the 126TH

, north of Villa Verde Trail, and the 127TH

, astride the trail, continued the pressure

against the enemy positions

The 127TH

Infantry got one company onto the crest of Hill 515 south of Pass No. 1 on 26 April. On the night of

29-30 April, 250 to 300 Japanese launched a vigorous counterattack from three directions against the hill. In the

morning 109 bodies were counted around the perimeter of the company’s position. Another small attack the

following night was also successfully repelled.

During the period 6-9 May the 126TH

Infantry was relieved by the 128TH

, and assembled in a rest area near

Santa Maria.

At the same time, the 127TH

began a coordinated and somewhat complicated drive to clear the Pass No. 1 area.

The 1ST

Battalion made a two pronged attack eastward mostly south of Villa Verde Trail. The 3D, from a

position north of the trail and slightly ahead of the 1ST

Battalion, attacked southward toward the trail. The 2D

Battalion, south of the trail, and considerably ahead of the 1ST

Battalion, attacked westward back toward the 1ST

,

and kept pressure at the same time to the east to protect the rear of his attack.

Fighting continued throughout most of May with a final assault being launched on 23 May against the Japanese

position sometimes called the Kongo Fortress and apparently regarded by them as impregnable. Nevertheless,

the Division overcame the enemy’s resistance and completely eliminated all organized resistance in the area on

27 May.

Although the final assaults in the Division’s zone of action were made by the 127TH

and 128TH

Infantry

Regiments, the 126TH

also had a part in the climax of the Villa Verde Trail operation. On 23 May, in

accordance with I Corps orders, the 126TH

, with supporting units attached to make a combat team, arrived in the

Digdig area in the zone of the 25TH

Infantry Division. That division, suffering heavy losses, had fought its way

northward through Balete Pass and on 23 May was within about five hundred yards of Santa Fe in the south,

about 1,000 yards in the southeast, and about 1,700 yards in the southwest.

I Corps passed these orders on to the 32D with additional missions and details of time and method. Although a

few Japanese positions remained in the Villa Verde Trail area, the seizure of Santa Fe and the activities of the

37TH

Division as it pushed north would cut off the enemy’s supplies. Not only could these isolated Japanese

units be controlled by a small force, but the supply of the Division by way of the Trail was rapidly becoming

almost impossible. The heavy downpours and fogs of the rainy season made movements of vehicles very

difficult. Washouts and landslides were frequent.

The withdrawal of the Division began on 30 May with the movement of the 128TH

Infantry, less its 2D

Battalion, to the vicinity of Aringay. The following day, the 127TH

, less detachments, began moving to the

vicinity of Bauang, and the remainder of the Division, less the 126TH

RCT, following during the ensuing week.

The 2D Battalion of the 128

TH Infantry, reinforced, called Holden Force from the name of the battalion

commander (LTC Maurice B. Holden), took over the task of cleaning up and controlling what had been the

Division’s zone of action. Companies F and G, plus the mortar platoon of Company H, 127TH

Infantry, and

Battery A, 121ST

Field Artillery Battalion, were attached to Volckmann’s force, the Philippine guerrilla

command operating in North Luzon.

The 126TH

RCT remained attached to the 25TH

Infantry Division, and was used primarily to mop up the Santa

Fe – Imugan area.

During the period 4 to 30 June, the bulk of the 32D Division was located in the Bauang-Naguilian – Caba –

Aringay area engaged in rest, rehabilitation and training, plus security missions in its area. The daily routine

pattern was training in the morning, recreation and athletics in the afternoon, and daily motor patrols throughout

the area for which the Division was responsible.

On 30 June elements of the Division began to move to the south end of Cagayan Valley. At midnight of that

day, the Division passed to control of XIV Corps (LG Oscar W. Griswold). At the same time, the responsibility

for all remaining combat missions on Luzon passed from General Krueger to the Commanding General, Eighth

Army (LG Robert L. Eichelberger). Sixth Army was to get its troops ready for Operation Olympic, the assault

of Kyushu, southernmost island of Japan. Eighth, Tenth and First Armies (the last redeployed from Europe)

were scheduled to attack the main Japanese island of Honshu in the early spring of 1946.

The officers and men of the 32D, as indicated by General Gill’s phrase, “I look forward to your continued

success into the heart of Tokyo” in his general order at the end of the Villa Verde Trail operation, expected to

be in the final assault on the heart of Japan, but in the meantime they had a job of mopping up to do.

The Luzon Campaign had, in some degree at least, officially come to an end, but it was, in fact, far from

concluded. General Eichelberger, in his book, criticizes General MacArthur or “his immediate assistants” for

announcing victories too early. He is particularly bitter about the phrase “mopping up.” “If there is another

war,” he says, “I recommend that the military, and the correspondents, and everyone else concerned, drop

the phrase ‘mopping up’ from their vocabularies. It is not a good enough phrase to die for.”

Actually, 30 June 1945 was only the date of the changeover of command on Luzon. Later, the War Department

set 4 July as the termination date for the battle credit, Luzon. But the 32D Division and other units continued

active operations against opposition until 15 August it was some time after that before Yamashita surrendered.

Photograph at left depicting General Tomoyuki

Yamashita, Supreme Commander of Japanese Imperial

Forces, Philippines, coming out of the mountains to

surrender to the 32D ‘Red Arrow’ Infantry Division

near Kiangan, Luzon, on 2 Sep. 1945.

At 0800 hours on 2 September 1945 General Yamashita, accompanied by a small staff, walked out of the

mountains of northern Luzon and surrendered himself to the 32D Infantry Division on a hilltop near Kiangan,

Luzon. He was met by a 24-man detachment commanded by 1LT Russell Bauman, from Company I, 128TH

Infantry (commanded by CPT Roy A. Glisson). 1LT Bauman was from Glenbeulah, Wisconsin. Many

considered it very appropriate and symbolic that Gen. Yamashita would be met by a ‘Red Arrow’ man from

either Wisconsin or Michigan, the home states of the 32D Infantry Division when it was activated from National

Guard status at the start of WWII.

The battle casualties of the 32nd

Division for the Luzon Campaign up to midnight, 30 June 1945, were as

follows:

Officers Enlisted Men

Killed in action 41 720

Died of wounds 10 145

Wounded in action 111 2,162

Injured in action 6 234

Missing in action 1 3

Non-battle casualties 153 4,808

Most of the battle casualties occurred in the four month period from 1 February to 31 May 1945.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_Campaign_(1944%E2%80%9345)

Casualties - U.S. Army and Army Air Forces

Location Killed Wounded Total

Leyte 3,593 11,991 15,584

Luzon 8,310 29,560 37,870

Central and Southern Philippines 2,070 6,990 9,060

Total 13,973 48,541 62,514

Casualties Japanese

Location Killed Captured Total

Leyte 80,557 828 81,385

Luzon 205,535 9,050 214,585

Central and Southern Philippines 50,260 2,695 52,955

Total 336,352 12,573 348,925

Jack - T/5 Tech 5

PROMOTED TO TECH 4 T/4

U.S. ARMY - Technician Fourth Grade

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technician_Fourth_Grade

Technician Fourth Grade (officially abbreviated as T/4) was one of three United States Army technician ranks established on January 8, 1942 during World War II. Those who held this rank were often addressed as Sergeant. Technicians possessed specialized skills that were rewarded with a higher pay grade. These skills could be directly related to combat, such as those skills possessed by a tank driver or combat engineer. [ ...] Depending on his or her function, he or she might be called upon by an officer to command a group of men for a specific task. They were non-commissioned officers, as were sergeants. Initially, they shared the same insignia but on September 4, 1942, the three technician ranks were distinguished by a block "T" imprinted below the standard chevrons.

About April 1944

John Hooper Gabbott WWII Campaign Ribbons & Medals

TOP - LEFT TO RIGHT

1- Purple Heart

For woundes received on 24 May 1945, Luzon campaign

2- Good Conduct

3- American Theater Ribbon

BOTTOM - LEFT TO RIGHT

4- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon

With two (2) Bronze stars for: Participation in

a) So. Phillippines (Leyte) Campaign 4 Aug. 1945

b) Luzon Campaign - 10 Sept. 1945

5- Philippine Liberation Ribbon

With one (1) Bronze Star 5 Feb. 1945

6- World War II Victory Medal

NOT SURE BUT BELIEVE THIS IS A MEETING OF

VETERANS FROM 32ND

INFANTRY DIVISION

JOHN H. GABBOTT