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  Carl R. Thien 1945  Carl R. Thien 1945  Justin Taylan 2005 |
Location Lat 16° 3' 56N Long 120° 40' 0E San Manuel is an inland town located at an elevation of 216' / 65m above sea level in the 6th District (District VI) of Pangasinan Province in the Ilocos Region (Region I) of northern Luzon in the Philippines. To the east is San Nicolas and the start of the Villa Verde Trail. Wartime History During January 1945, the road between San Manuel eastward to San Nicolas was impassible to vehicles. After the January 9, 1945 U.S. Army landing at Lingayen Gulf and advance inland, San Manuel was defended by the Japanese Army "Shigemi Detachment" commanded by Brigadier General Shigemi. This detachment had over 1,000 men, mortars and machine guns and was ordered to counter attack against the American landing. On January 17, 1945 after the Japanese were defeated at the battles in Urdaneta and Binalonan, the remainder of the "Shigemi Detachment" withdrew to San Manuel with forty Type 97 Chi-Ha tanks and five Type 95 Ha Go light tanks supported by infantry. To defend the town, the Japanese dug in forming a fan shaped defensive line with 75 earthen emplacements for thirty tanks dug into the ground as fixed defense and protected by rifle and machine gun pits at key points around the outskirts of the town. The remainder of the tanks force were held in the town as mobile reserves. Also defending was the 2nd Mobile Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion equipped with fifteen 75mm guns, some 47mm anti-tank guns and fifteen mortars. Battle of San Manuel On January 19, 1945 U.S. Army patrols reach San Manuel and the Battle of San Manuel began with a five day U.S. Army artillery bombardment of enemy positions and the town. On January 20, 1945 the U.S. Army, 25th Infantry Division "Tropic Lighting", 27th Infantry Regiment on the right and 161st Infantry Regiment on the left began their drives towards Asingan and San Manuel. On January 23, 1945 the 161st Infantry Regiment supported by M4 Sherman tanks from 716th Tank Battalion captures the hills south of San Manuel in preparation for the main assault against the town. On January 24, 1945 the 1st Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment supported by six M4 Sherman tanks made a first attack but were stopped by a drainage ditch and defending 47mm anti-tank fire. During the first attack, one M4 Sherman was lost and four were disabled and one was immobilized. American casualties were 8 killed and 63 wounded Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment attacked from the south towards town. The first assault was stopped by three Japanese tanks. A second attack gained a foothold in town and destroyed five Japanese tanks. On January 25, 1945 the Americans attacked again reinforced by the 1st Battalion and 3rd Battalion and engaged in difficult house-to-house fighting inside the town. On January 26, 1945 in the morning, a dozen M4 Sherman tanks assaulted the area, firing on the remaining Japanese tanks from a safe distance and destroyed most of them. By January 27, 1945 the remaining Japanese tanks were pushed out of the town into the hills and had no escape route. The remaining Japanese resorted to suicide attacks, a Japanese sapper managed to destroy a M7 Priest using a pole mine and was killed in the blast. On January 28, 1945 at 1:00am the remaining thirteen tanks attempt a suicidal banzai attack. Their attack failed to break the U.S. line and resulted in the loss of ten tanks with the other three retreating into the hills as the 161st Infantry Regiment finished clearing San Manuel. By 1:30pm the last Japanese defenders abandoned San Manuel. Outcome After four days of intense combat San Manuel was liberated by the Americans. The Japanese lost all their armor, heavy weapons and roughly 750 killed including Brigadier General Shigemi and Colonel Maeda. For their gallantry during the Battle of San Manuel, Company E and Cannon Company of the 161st Infantry Regiment earned the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). On January 31, 1945 the 32nd Infantry Division (32nd ID) "Red Arrow Division", 127th Infantry Regiment, less the 3rd battalion transit San Manuel to San Nicolas bound for the Villa Verde Trail. M7 Priest Destroyed January 27, 1945 by Japanese suicide sapper using a mine attached to a pole Type 95 Ha Go Disabled and abandoned in San Manuel at the end of the battle Contribute Information Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated January 3, 2026 |
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