MOTORCYCLE
MESSENGER CATNAPPING |
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The withdrawal of the American and
Philippine troops south of Manila began at the same time that General
Wainwright's forces evacuated the D-1 line. At about 1000, 24 December,
General Parker had turned over command of the South Luzon Force to
General Jones and left for Bataan. Jones, who retained command of the
51st Division (PA), inherited four American officers from Parker's
staff. It was fortunate that he did, for there were none on his division
staff.1
Jones' orders when he assumed command of
the South Luzon Force were to "block the enemy advance" and, "when
forced to do so," withdraw past the open city of Manila and join
Wainwright's forces north of the city.2
While USAFFE orders directed General Jones to "harass and delay to the
utmost the advance of the enemy," they made clear that his primary
mission was to get his troops out of south Luzon and into Bataan.3
The force under General Jones's command
was much smaller than Wainwright's North Luzon Force. It consisted
primarily of the 1st Infantry of the 1st Division (PA) and the
inadequately trained and poorly equipped 51st Division (PA), which had
for its artillery component only one battalion of eight British 75's.
The 42d Infantry, 41st Division (PA), was assigned to beach defense on
the west side of the island. The rest of the division had gone with
General Parker to Bataan. Artillery support for the South Luzon Force
was provided by the three batteries of 155-mm. GPF's of the 86th Field
Artillery, defending the beaches in southwest Luzon, and three batteries
of 75-mm. guns (SPM) organized into the 2d Provisional Group.4
Armored support was limited to one company-Company C of the 194th Tank
Battalion-detached from the parent organization with the North Luzon
Force.