Word: mindanao
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...Philippines, the Japanese made a new landing on the Japanese-infested southern island of Mindanao, appeared ready to make their big push on the main island of Luzon...
Meanwhile the Japanese opened up a new sector last week, swinging far to the south in an enveloping action. Off Davao, 600 miles south of Manila on the Moro-inhabited island of Mindanao, the enemy appeared one day with four transports, naval and air support...
Davao had no defenses to compare with those on Luzon. Strategists have long recognized that in a pinch Mindanao might have to be abandoned to the Jap-who would still be far from his objective, with no solid land bridge to the north. Davao's defenders were a comparatively small force headed by a 51-year-old Texan, Lieut. Colonel Roger Hilsman...
Colonel Hilsman's first act when the war began was to throw 1,500 Japanese into the clink. When the Japs struck at Davao, first by an aerial assault and then by landing party, the news from Mindanao thinned out. All Manila could say was that "fighting continues." The Japanese were not fighting a silly, diffused battle for the Philippines. They were playing heavily on the assumption that they could wear down Philippine supply-especially of planes and ammunition-and strike hard before more could come from the mainland. In snatching Davao they were also going after a base...
Aboard her were a few commercial men, headed south for stops in the Visayans and Mindanao, and a great many men, women and children who wanted only to leave Japanese-bombed Manila. Of the 860-odd passengers, hundreds had no tickets, had crowded aboard with only one thought: to get away...