Location
Lat 16° 3' 0N Long 120° 34' 60E Potpot is a barangay west of Binalonan located at an elevation of 147' / 44m above sea level in the 5th District (District V) of Pangisanan Province in the Ilocos Region (Region I) of northern Luzon in the Philippines. Connected by the east to west by the Binalonan-Manaoag Road. To the east is Binalonan, to the west is Laoac.
Wartime History
On January 16, 1945 two reinforced companies of 3d Battalion, 103d Infantry, reach barrio Potpot, roughly a mile west of Binalonan on the Binalonan-Manaoag Road. The companies scarcely had time to set up defenses by dusk. Around midnight, they were attacked by Japanese Army tanks from 7th Tank Regiment from Pozorrubio to Potpot and caught the American by surprise. During the engagement, two tanks were able to drive through the perimeter spraying machine gun fire in all directions before disappearing down the road toward Manaoag. A third Japanese tank was knocked out east of the perimeter, but others, accompanied by infantry, continued to attack. After a two hour fire fight, the Japanese withdrew.
On January 17, 1945 at dawn the two tanks that had broken through earlier came roaring back down the road from Manaoag and were destroyed. In total, the Japanese lost 11 tanks and at least 50 soldiers killed in the battle. The U.S. Army lost 2 killed and 10 wounded. Also destroyed was a 37mm antitank gun, a jeep, and an M8 scout car. Damaged was another tank, jeep, and another M8 scout car.
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Last Updated
January 19, 2025
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