World War II in Zambales, Philippines The Rebirth Camp Raided Escape to Pampanga Leon Beck



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Major Claude A. Thorpe was captured by the Japanese at Sante Fe, tortured, his eyes extracted, paraded in town and later beheaded to serve as an example to the people.

After Mcguire was beheaded in Botolan, the Guerrilla Movement was silenced for a while until a Lt. Quizon and Lt. Cabasan of the Philippine Scouts arrived in Sawang, San Marcelino, Zambales. They secretly informed the Rodriguez brothers - Venancio (Bansiong) Rodriguez, and Alfredo (Piding) Piga that Colonel Gyles Merrill, the highest-ranking American Military Officer who escaped the Death March in Bataan, was coming. He was to recruit guerrillas to continue the resistance against the Japanese Imperial Army and prepare for the eventual return of Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

Piding got in touch with his brother-in-law, Francisco (Kikoy) Ramos to inform former members and recruit new members for the Movement. Kikoy recruited many others. This is according to Francisco (Frankie) Piga, the son of Piding Piga who was a young boy then and an eyewitness to all that was happening.

At the later part of 1943 Captain Pedro (Pete) Start of the Western Guerilla Forces arrived in Sawang with Col. Gyles Merrill, the S-4 of Gen. Weinwrite. They came with the Bernia brothers and other Filipino soldiers from Pampanga and some American escapees from Bataan. The original American group composed of Col. Gyles Merrill, 0.7402; Lt. Col. Peter D. Calyer, 0-17116; Major George E. Crane, 0-349760; 2nd Lt. W. J. Gardner, 0-890399; Lt. Col. Richard C. Kadel, 0-239912; Major Winston A. Jones, 0-338098; and Roy C. Tuggle, Civilian Employee, a Civil Engineer by profession.

Their order was to re-organize and coordinate the activities of all Guerrilla Units in Luzon; the prevention of friction and conflict between rival leaders in the same or adjacent localities; and propaganda work. Part of their job was to promulgate general policies as to the legal operation of Guerrilla Units and prevent crimes and depredations upon civilians.

The Southern Luzon Guerrilla Forces was re-organized on Feb. 15, 1943, almost a year after the fall of Bataan in April 9, 1942. Col. Gyles Merrill, CAV GSC Commanding Officer, the highest ranking U.S. Officer left in the Islands assumed command of the organized Guerrilla Forces in Luzon of the USAFFE following the capture and death of Lt. Col. Thorpe and Capt. Barket.

Francisco Ramos informed former Guerrilla, recruited and re-organized the guerrilla sectors in San Antonio, San Narciso, San Felipe, Botolan, Iba and Palawig. He adapted the code name Ram and took charge as Chief of the Intelligence of the Zambales Command. Ramon Magsaysay’s code name was Chow. There were only four appointed Captains then from the civilian population - Ramon Magsaysay, Alfredo Piga, Bansiong Rodriguez of San Marcelino and Francisco Ramos, Piga’s brother in law by marriage to Epifania+ (Paning) Ramos.

In San Narciso, Lazaro Cawagas, married to Martha Cawagas, a nurse was appointed Sector Commander. Ricardo (Carding) Aguirre married to Julieta Valdez was one of his lieutenants. Others in San Narciso sector were Tosing Valdez who later owned Zambales Academy as one of their financier - he had a cattle ranch during this time in Ulong Dalag with Addong Tadena as his caretaker, Dr. Guerrero, Dilano, and many others.

Castillejos was under Mr. Francisco. Sixto Cacho was Mayor then. Iba was under Sector Commander Teodoro Montalia, Dr. Castro, Mariano Gonzales, Teofilo Bondag; Palauig under Basilio de la Rosa; and Masinloc under Conrado Estella.

Francisco’s brother Domingo Ramos enlisted with the U.S. Navy before the war with is brother-in-laws Jose Ralutin married to Angela Ramos and Mariano Bustillo married to Emilia Ramos. Nephews and nieces such as Mamerto Galace, Bidoy Galace were also recruits. Their niece, Dr. Conchita Mangalindan served as a doctor with the movement.

Col. Merrill and other American soldiers were protected by 3 layers of defense, 1st by Capt. Bansiong Rodriguez and Capt. Pan Melecia (a native Aeta) and the Bueno brothers were in-charged of Aglao Sector, Capt. Alfredo Piga of San Marcelino Sector with Faustino Corpus, Agustin Famisan, Beltran, Tadeo, Dumayas, Jose and Marcelino Piga, Pedro Arce, Mading Roles, the Delfin Jimenez family and a few others.

The last defense was by the Bernia brothers of Pampanga that was in Buhawin.

They subsisted on sweet potato, cassava, lugaw and other supplies donated by members of the movement.. They have to brave mosquitoes in the wilderness of Zambales. Some of them contracted malaria and for a cure, they boiled barks of the quinine tree, which was abundant in the area and let the victims drink the bitter potion.

Dr. Conchita Ralutin Mangalindan, a young doctor rode a horse from San Narciso to the San Marcelino Guerrilla Camp once a week to treat the sick and give them rations of food, clothing and medicine.

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The Japanese Forces discovered and raided the Guerrilla Camp. There were three layers of defenses but their superior arms and number prevailed. The Bernia brothers were both killed in this battle. Arturo Bernia was taken prisoner and was bayoneted when he could not walk anymore. Vicente Bernia was able to kill 10 Japanese before they got him.

After the raid, the Japs searched every house in Sawang looking for more guerrillas. Although most of the people were members of the movement, they did not show their strength in fear that the Japanese would destroy the whole Barrio and kill the folks including women and children.

The Guerrillas scampered to safety, taking with them their half cooked food. They were forced to eat this and most of them got sick of tapeworm including doctor Conchita Mangalindan.

Francisco Ramos and his family, Captain Pete Start and some American and Filipino Guerrillas evacuated to Pampanga. Some people suggested that it was safer, but when they arrived, there were shelling and fighting everywhere. It was the route of the Japanese Army that landed in Lingayen, Pangasinan on their way to Manila. They left their family truck in a roadside and fled. They were crossing a river by boat one night when cannon shells went overhead all the time. They also saw beheaded people in a banca (outrigger canoe).

Elena Jallorina Ramos just gave birth to Rodel (He was born May 7, 1942 the day Corregidor fell). Because of the raid, Elena’s milk receded and left the baby Rodel without milk. Luckily, Pete Start had a bottle of honey, a complete food by itself. He gave it to Elena and she mixed it with am, a rice broth. It saved me from starvation.

They were able to buy milk only when they reached Pampanga,. From there, they went for Manila and stayed there until rumors of the Americans were coming and the Japanese started to kill civilians. Rodel was baptized in Malate and Pete Start, Asuncion Abiva and Mr. Jose Corpuz of Try-Tran became his godparents. The family took a boat going back to Zambales months before the Americans came.

Pete Start was also responsible for bringing the Ramos family to 54 Domingo Santiago, Sta. Mesa after the war when Ramon Magsaysay became the President of the Philippines. Frank was appointed General Inspector and graft buster in the Board of Liquidators. Pedro Start died recently on July 2, 1999 in Domingo Santiago at the age of 85.

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Pvt. Leon O. Beck ASN G957218 joined the military on Dec. 1, 1941. He was one of those who surrendered in Bataan in April 9, 1942. He escaped the Bataan Death March on April 22, in Barrio San Juan, Guagua, Pampanga.

According to eyewitnesses, they saw Beck laying in rows with the dead in Lubao who were carried to the graves dug by Filipino prisoners supervised by the Japanese. He never showed up in prison camps afterwards, was presumed dead and was declared missing in action.

Leon Beck said he lay there unconscious and some of those guys were in coma and out of their heads. He recovered, laid his head up and looked to see what was going on, and he said the Japs had a detail of Filipinos digging a hole nearby. He watched as they dug this hole, and they took seven guys from the end of the row he was in, throw them into the hole and covered them up. Then they went over and started digging another hole near him. He recovered fairly promptly and got back on his feet and staggered around awhile and joined another march and moved out. Later on, he jumped out of the March and crawled in a culvert in the road and hid out till everybody was all gone and went to the hills.

He escaped to Barrio San Juan, Guagua, Pampanga near a river with six Americans. Capt. George Crane, Col. Peter Kallier and Leon Beck got sick. He stayed in a fishpond for 3 weeks hidden by Ramon & Carding Jinco. Then he moved to Natividad, Guagua. He was reported missing in action 7 May 1942. He stayed in Sapang Bayabas, Florida Blanca, Pampanga for 3 weeks and then found his way to Zambales.

Witley Mayham and Kuankle were both escapees of Bataan Death March died of malaria and dysentery. They were left in the river.

Leon said that he met the Ramoses in the Mountains and walked with them in those treacherous ranges. At one time, Leon threatened to kill a bulky soldier because he refused to help carry their newly born baby. Sometimes he takes turn and was peed upon by me. Leon Beck was assigned sometime in the 1960’s in Manila and had a chance to see Frank and his family. Again, In July of 1996, I traced his whereabouts and was able to pay respect to one of the men who saved my life.

Leon Beck reported that in Jan. 1943, the Japanese beheaded Captain McGuire of the Phil. Constabulary and his head was paraded in town to discourage Filipinos in helping Americans.

Leon Beck later married Veneranda, a lovely lady from Pampanga and had two beautiful daughters. They now live in San Diego, California.