Robert Lapham
Encyclopedia
Robert Lapham was a reserve Lieutenant in the US Army in World War II
.
He served in the Philippines
attached to the 45th Infantry (Philippine Scouts
), evaded capture in the spring of 1942, and organized a guerrilla regiment
in the Central Plains of the northern island of Luzon
. He was promoted to Major by war's end, age 28, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
by General Douglas MacArthur
. Lapham was the third person, after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and MacArthur, to receive the Philippine Legion of Honor
.
A graduate of the University of Iowa
, Lapham worked for the Chicago
branch of the Burroughs Corporation when, as a 2nd lieutenant of infantry in the US Officers Reserve Corps, he was assigned to active duty in the Philippines
and sailed from San Francisco on June 5, 1941.
After MacArthur was evacuated to Australia
, Gen. Jonathan Wainwright was given command of the Philippine defense force. As talk of surrender began, Lapham sneaked through the lines. In his 1996 book, Lapham’s Raiders: Guerrillas in the Philippines, 1942–45, he explained why he headed to the jungles to fight: "Somehow, I didn’t like the idea of surrendering. I felt I had better chances on the outside than in a Japanese prison camp."
He initially was assigned to Lt. Col. Claude Thorp's infiltration party, where he was placed in charge of recruiting guerrillas in Western Tarlac and Pangasinan
provinces. When Thorp was captured, Lapham kept his own guerrilla organization intact and independent, later joined by Ray Hunt, Al Hendrickson, Henry A. Mucci and others. When Major Russell W. Volckmann
claimed command over him, Lapham told MacArthur's headquarters that he reported to Major Bernard Anderson
's Kalayaan Command.
The estimated 10,000 Filipinos
under Lapham's command became known as the Luzon Guerrilla Armed Forces (LGAF), more informally Lapham’s Raiders. They launched a guerrilla campaign of freedom fighting and sabotage
against the occupying Japanese
soldiers, yomping large amounts of equipment by hand over rugged terrain. The Japanese army put a $1 million bounty on his head.
Lapham is credited for bring the perilous situation of the 500 allied POWs and internees remaining in the Cabanatuan POW camp to the attention of the American forces then fighting their way across Luzon towards Manila in January 1945. The POWs, captured after the fall of Corregidor and Bataan in 1942, were those the Japanese had not to be shipped to Japan as they were considered too ill or unfit. Lapham's was concerned the POWs would be executed before the allied forces liberated the camp. His concerns were well justified given the August 1944 Japanese War Ministry directive to commandants of POW camps outlining the final disposition of prisoners (known as the "August 1 Kill-All Order") and the killing of 144 American POWs by the Japanese at Palawan
, Philippines on 14 Dec 1944. Lapham's efforts lead to the mission by 121 members of the US Army's 6th Ranger Battalion to march 30 miles behind emeny lines, eliminate the Japanese forces securing the camp, liberate its 513 prisoners and return them American lines. This raid is described in Hampton Sides book, "Ghost Soldiers."
Lapham returned to Burroughs (now Unisys
) after the war. In 1975, he retired as vice president for industrial relations, in Detroit.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He served in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
attached to the 45th Infantry (Philippine Scouts
Philippine Scouts
The Philippine Scouts was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 until the end of World War II. Made up of native Filipinos assigned to the United States Army Philippine Department, these troops were generally enlisted and under the command of American officers, however, a...
), evaded capture in the spring of 1942, and organized a guerrilla regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
in the Central Plains of the northern island of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
. He was promoted to Major by war's end, age 28, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
by General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
. Lapham was the third person, after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and MacArthur, to receive the Philippine Legion of Honor
Philippine Legion of Honor
The Philippine Legion of Honor was established by President Manuel Roxas, through Philippine Army Circular No. 60 dated July 3, 1947. The Philippine Legion of Honor was patterned after the Legion of Merit of the United States of America, and was meant to honor both civilians and members of the...
.
A graduate of the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
, Lapham worked for the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
branch of the Burroughs Corporation when, as a 2nd lieutenant of infantry in the US Officers Reserve Corps, he was assigned to active duty in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and sailed from San Francisco on June 5, 1941.
After MacArthur was evacuated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Gen. Jonathan Wainwright was given command of the Philippine defense force. As talk of surrender began, Lapham sneaked through the lines. In his 1996 book, Lapham’s Raiders: Guerrillas in the Philippines, 1942–45, he explained why he headed to the jungles to fight: "Somehow, I didn’t like the idea of surrendering. I felt I had better chances on the outside than in a Japanese prison camp."
He initially was assigned to Lt. Col. Claude Thorp's infiltration party, where he was placed in charge of recruiting guerrillas in Western Tarlac and Pangasinan
Pangasinan
Pangasinan is a province of the Republic of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Lingayen. Pangasinan is located on the west central and peripheral area of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, with the total land area being 5,368.82 square kilometers . According to the latest census,...
provinces. When Thorp was captured, Lapham kept his own guerrilla organization intact and independent, later joined by Ray Hunt, Al Hendrickson, Henry A. Mucci and others. When Major Russell W. Volckmann
Russell W. Volckmann
Russell W. Volckmann was a West Point graduate and a leader of guerilla resistance to the Japanese in the Philippines during World War II. After the fall of Bataan in 1942, he retreated into the hills and organized a resistance force among the Ilocanos...
claimed command over him, Lapham told MacArthur's headquarters that he reported to Major Bernard Anderson
Bernard Anderson
Bernard Hartwell "Step-Buddy" Anderson was an American jazz trumpeter from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Having studied music at school under Zelia Breaux, Anderson was a professional musician by 1934, playing with the Ted Armstrong band in Clinton, Oklahoma...
's Kalayaan Command.
The estimated 10,000 Filipinos
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
under Lapham's command became known as the Luzon Guerrilla Armed Forces (LGAF), more informally Lapham’s Raiders. They launched a guerrilla campaign of freedom fighting and sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
against the occupying Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
soldiers, yomping large amounts of equipment by hand over rugged terrain. The Japanese army put a $1 million bounty on his head.
Lapham is credited for bring the perilous situation of the 500 allied POWs and internees remaining in the Cabanatuan POW camp to the attention of the American forces then fighting their way across Luzon towards Manila in January 1945. The POWs, captured after the fall of Corregidor and Bataan in 1942, were those the Japanese had not to be shipped to Japan as they were considered too ill or unfit. Lapham's was concerned the POWs would be executed before the allied forces liberated the camp. His concerns were well justified given the August 1944 Japanese War Ministry directive to commandants of POW camps outlining the final disposition of prisoners (known as the "August 1 Kill-All Order") and the killing of 144 American POWs by the Japanese at Palawan
Palawan Massacre
During World War II, in order to prevent the rescue of prisoners of war by the advancing allies, on 14 December 1944, units of the Japanese Fourteenth Area Army brought the POWs back to their camp and when an air raid warning was called the remaining 150 prisoners of war at Puerto Princesa dove...
, Philippines on 14 Dec 1944. Lapham's efforts lead to the mission by 121 members of the US Army's 6th Ranger Battalion to march 30 miles behind emeny lines, eliminate the Japanese forces securing the camp, liberate its 513 prisoners and return them American lines. This raid is described in Hampton Sides book, "Ghost Soldiers."
Lapham returned to Burroughs (now Unisys
Unisys
Unisys Corporation , headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, United States, and incorporated in Delaware, is a long established business whose core products now involves computing and networking.-History:...
) after the war. In 1975, he retired as vice president for industrial relations, in Detroit.