6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division
Encyclopedia
The 6th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, was founded on October 24, 1987 Camp BGen Gonzalo H. Siongco in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, known officially as the Kampilan Division, is one of the Philippine Army's Infantry units in Central Mindanao.
During World War II under the Japanese Occupation, the 6th Infantry Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army was reestablished from 1942 to 1946 at the military general headquarters and military camps and garrisoned in Panay Island in the west and Mindanao and Sulu in the south was the assigned to combat the armed forces of the Japanese Imperial military insurgency in Central and Southern Philippines. Before the Post-Japanese Invasion to the liberation of the Philippines and beginning the Anti-Japanese military operations in Central and Southern Philippines and liberated in Mindanao, Camiguin and Sulu from 1942 to 1945, the 6th Infantry Division was tasked in helping the local recognized Christian and Muslim guerrilla groups. They fought with the units of the U.S. 10th Military district, which was under the command of Colonel Wendell Fertig
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The Philippine Commonwealth Army 6th Infantry Division helped the U.S. troops in liberating the provinces of Antique (now Aklan and Antique), Capiz and Iloilo in Panay Island, and Romblon. Many members of this unit were guerrilla groups under by Colonel Macario Peralta of 6th Military District, who fought against the Japanese Imperial forces.
The Signal unit of the 6th Military Division, manned by 2Lt Ludovico Arroyo Bañas
, was responsible in successfully making the first radio contact with the US War Department through the USAFFE command in Australia, months after the United States Armed Forces was disbanded in the Philippines. This first radio contact affirmed the continuous existence of Filipino resistance forces against the Japanese, thereby providing the US and Philippine Commonwealth Forces important data for the liberation of the Philippines. This enabled the forwarding of intelligence regarding Japanese forces in the Philippines to SWPA command as well as consolidating the once sporadic guerrilla activities and allowing the guerrillas to help in the war effort.
After the World War II, the 6th Infantry Division was incorporated with the Philippine Army
's Infantry
units in Central Mindanao. It was later given the official name as the Kampilan Division.
6th Infantry Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army during World War II Under the Japanese Occupation
6th Infantry Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army in Western Visayas and MindanaoDuring World War II under the Japanese Occupation, the 6th Infantry Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army was reestablished from 1942 to 1946 at the military general headquarters and military camps and garrisoned in Panay Island in the west and Mindanao and Sulu in the south was the assigned to combat the armed forces of the Japanese Imperial military insurgency in Central and Southern Philippines. Before the Post-Japanese Invasion to the liberation of the Philippines and beginning the Anti-Japanese military operations in Central and Southern Philippines and liberated in Mindanao, Camiguin and Sulu from 1942 to 1945, the 6th Infantry Division was tasked in helping the local recognized Christian and Muslim guerrilla groups. They fought with the units of the U.S. 10th Military district, which was under the command of Colonel Wendell Fertig
Wendell Fertig
Wendell Fertig was an American civil engineer, in the American-administered Commonwealth of the Philippines, who organized and commanded an American-Filipino guerrilla force on the Japanese-occupied, southern Philippine island of Mindanao during World War II.Fertig held a U.S...
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The Philippine Commonwealth Army 6th Infantry Division helped the U.S. troops in liberating the provinces of Antique (now Aklan and Antique), Capiz and Iloilo in Panay Island, and Romblon. Many members of this unit were guerrilla groups under by Colonel Macario Peralta of 6th Military District, who fought against the Japanese Imperial forces.
The Signal unit of the 6th Military Division, manned by 2Lt Ludovico Arroyo Bañas
Ludovico Arroyo Bañas
Ludovico Arroyo Bañas was one of the pioneers in the history of Telecommunications in the Philippines who, through his professional specialization and expertise, made an important contribution in the liberation of the Philippines during the World War II, in the field of communications.-Service in...
, was responsible in successfully making the first radio contact with the US War Department through the USAFFE command in Australia, months after the United States Armed Forces was disbanded in the Philippines. This first radio contact affirmed the continuous existence of Filipino resistance forces against the Japanese, thereby providing the US and Philippine Commonwealth Forces important data for the liberation of the Philippines. This enabled the forwarding of intelligence regarding Japanese forces in the Philippines to SWPA command as well as consolidating the once sporadic guerrilla activities and allowing the guerrillas to help in the war effort.
6th Infantry Division, Philippine Army during the Post-War Era
On September 15, 1945, after the liberation of the Philippines by the combined American and Philippine Commonwealth military forces, the 6th Infantry Division, Philippine Army was deactivated.After the World War II, the 6th Infantry Division was incorporated with the Philippine Army
Philippine Army
The Philippine Army is the ground arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Tagalog is Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas. On July 23, 2010, President Benigno Aquino III appointed Maj. Gen...
's Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
units in Central Mindanao. It was later given the official name as the Kampilan Division.
Operations
- Anti-guerrilla operations against the New People's ArmyNew People's ArmyThe New People's Army is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines. It was formed on March 29, 1969. The Maoist NPA conducts its armed guerrilla struggle based on the strategical line of 'protracted people's war'.The NPA exacts so called "revolutionary taxes" from business owners...
, and MILFMoro Islamic Liberation FrontThe Moro Islamic Liberation Front is an Islamist group located in the southern Philippines. It is one of two Islamic militant groups, the other being the Abu Sayyaf, that are fighting against Government of the Philippines...
. - Counter-terrorism operations against the ASG and the JI.