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A Philippines Constabulary Double POW


SARGE
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I noticed a posted topic of an interesting pamphlet on the re-education of Filipino POWs by the Japanese forces.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/282176-interesting-japanese-propaganda-to-philippine-scout-pows/

 

 

One of the comments posted was wondering if anyone believed the re-education propaganda given by the Japanese to induce former Filipino soldiers to serve the new Government in the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. There were such prisoners.

 

This is the uniform of a Captain of the Philippines Constabulary who served honorably before and during the opening stages of World War II. I have the uniform, which consists of wartime and immediate post war locally manufactured insignia, as well as photographs and papers including his 1945 day book (diary). The uniform was manufactured locally and was worn by the Filipino Captain throughout, and after, the war.

 

He led his men faithfully fighting the Japanese and was forced onto Bataan where he was surrendered with the rest of the US and Filipino troops. He was part of the Japanese forced "Death March" to prison camp and was incarcerated for a time as a POW by the Japanese. At some point he was rehabilitated and returned to the Constabulary to serve at his former rank. He was promoted to Major under Japanese occupation and served until combined US and exile Filipino troops ousted the Japanese. He was then incarcerated as a POW once again and his diary coverage from this period is very interesting. He was subsequently returned to duty with the Constabulary but was returned to his pre-war rank of Captain. He continued to serve until his retirement (at the rank of Captain) in the 1950s.

 

An interesting case of a double POW who was not only incarcerated by the Japanese but by the Americans as well.

 

 

Philippine Constabulary uniform.JPG

Philippine Constabulary back.JPG

PC Capt shoulder board.JPG

PC collar insignia.JPG

PC button 2.JPG

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Gorgeous uniform! Thanks for sharing.

 

I did read a story of a Philippine Scout private who was captured by the Japanese and later released. During Japanese Occupation, he worked for the Japanese-run Manila Police Department as a civilian employee. After liberation, the Americans detained him and released him.

 

He shortly returned to the US Army's Philippine Scouts and requested a promotion to Second Lieutenant, AUS. His request was denied because of his involvement with the Japanese-run Manila PD, even though he was just a civilian employee.

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"Gorgeous uniform! Thanks for sharing.

I did read a story of a Philippine Scout private who was captured by the Japanese and later released. During Japanese Occupation, he worked for the Japanese-run Manila Police Department as a civilian employee. After liberation, the Americans detained him and released him.

He shortly returned to the US Army's Philippine Scouts and requested a promotion to Second Lieutenant, AUS. His request was denied because of his involvement with the Japanese-run Manila PD, even though he was just a civilian employee."

Thanks for the kudos gents. :)

Sean, this seems to be the same thing that happened to my man. While he was allowed to return to work at his former pre-war rank he was never promoted after that. In fact, he was effectively reduced in rank one grade. His diary makes clear that his former pre-war Constabulary Officer colleagues were not happy with him nor did they even try to be civil when they interacted with him while he was in his second POW confinement.

BTW, here is a very scarce wartime enlisted belt and buckle from the collaborationist Philippines Constabulary. Note the Japanese floral motif that replaced the pre-war "PC" insignia. This belt is interesting in that I got it from a US pilot veteran who had to bail out near Manila Bay and was picked up by Filipino guerrillas and subsequently returned to US custody. He "picked up" the belt on his trek through the jungle with the partisans.

 

Phil Const Belt.JPG

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