Vicente Lim
Encyclopedia
Brigadier General Vicente Lim (1888–1944) was an Filipino General in the Philippine Army who served during the Second World War.
, Laguna, on the 24th of February, 1888, the third of Jose Ayala Lim-Yaoco’s four children. His father was a full-blooded Chinese who braided his hair in a queue. His mother, Antonia Podico, was a Chinese mistiza. But Vicente and the other Lim children, Joaquin, Olympia and Basilisa, like many of the offsprings of Filipino-Chinese marriages, grew up identifying themselves with the Filipino rather than the Chinese community. Among the friends of Jose and Antonia was the family of Jose Rizal, later recognized as the country’s national hero.
The Lim Family, like the Rizal Family, leased land owned by the Dominican Order: rice lands in Barrios Lecheria and Real and sugarland in Barrio Barandal. In 1891, recurring disputes between the Spanish administrators of the Dominican estate and the tenants over rental rates and conditions came to a head and resulted in the eviction of many tenants from their lands. Among the victims were the families Lim and Rizal.
graduate of the United States Military Academy
(Class of 1914) at West Point, Lim graduated 77th in a class of 107, and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant under the Philippine Scouts. He quickly rose in rank with the Philippine Scouts. By 1940, he was appointed to the post of Chief of Staff of the Philippine Army
.
On the 21st of December, 1935 Commonwealth Act. No. 1 created the Army of the Philippines, a force completely separate from that of the United States. The bill simultaneously decreed the dissolution of the Constabulary as an insular police force. On June 30, 1936, Lim retired from the United States Army with a rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was admitted into the Philippine Army with a rank of brigadier general and appointed chief of the War Plans Division of the Central General Staff.
When the Philippine Army was incorporated into the American Armed Forces
on July 16, 1941, Lim became the top–ranking Filipino under General Douglas MacArthur
, placed in command of the 41st Philippine Division
, tasked with the defense of southern Luzon
. On April 9, 1942, the 41st surrendered on Bataan
, along with all American and Filipino forces, to the Japanese 14th Army of General Homma
.
Lim survived the Bataan Death March
, and on June 6, 1942 was admitted to the Philippine General Hospital
for treatment of injuries sustained at Bataan (where he had led the bloody rear guard action against the Japanese in Abucay, Bataan
). He recovered quickly, but with the help of his brother–in–law, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez, he concealed this fact. With the Japanese convinced of his incapacitation, he led the guerilla resistance forces of Luzon
. Basically, he conducted secret guerrilla activities while pretending to be confined at the Philippine General Hospital
.
In 1944 he was ordered to rejoin General Douglas MacArthur in Australia
. He attempted the journey but was captured en route by the Japanese. He was held for months at Fort Santiago
and the Bilibid prison
before being beheaded
, along with Colonel Antonio Escoda, shortly before the liberation.
"Lim believed that this nation's strength depends on its national character, that patriotism is a moral quality that must be possessed by all, and that the will to fight makes every citizen a true soldier." — Remarks delivered by then U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Joseph A. Mussomeli
for the Opening of Military Exercise Balikatan 2005 – February 21, 2005
On 1908, Vicente completed his 2-year program in teacher education at the Philippine Normal School
. The following year, however, he returned to the Philippine Normal School for further studies. His academic performance and athletic build impressed one of the supervisory teachers who encouraged him to take the entrance examination for the United States Military Academy at West Point which the Bureau of Civil Service would administer. He came out second but cleared the federal requirements as the first choice for the place at the Academy.
He claimed that he got the appointment not through the English portion, but rather the math portion of the exam, which he topped; he could hardly speak English that time.
At West Point, Lim became known as the “Cannibal” because of his dark complexion, imperfect command of English, his origins as a colonial and because of his general ignorance of his classmates about the Philippines. Vicente Lim was one of the 133 cadets who entered the Academy in 1910, but only 107 survived the course, with Lim occupying the 77th place. Upon his graduation on 12 June 1914 (Lim received a commission as a second lieutenant in the Philippine Constabulary), Manuel Quezon, then Resident Commissioner in Washington, advised Lim to stop by Europe on the way home to study the European armies. Lim was in Russia in August 1914, when World War I broke out. He managed to make his way back to the Far East via the Trans Siberian Railway.
Vicente Lim was a good bridge player, which he learned at West Point. In 1914, when Philippine High Commissioner Manuel Quezon visited him, he spent time touring the main square doing punishment tours for playing too much bridge.
In 1916, Lim was assigned to the faculty of the Philippine Constabulary School (later on Camp Allen) at Baguio City. Lim taught courses in Military Art, Military Law and Topography and also handled Equitation and Athletics.
Maj. Vicente Lim commanded the 45th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Scouts, that was based on Fort McKinley (now Fort Bonifacio).
For some time, Vicente Lim commanded the ROTC of San Juan de Letran.
American Prejudice Towards Filipinos
From his student days at West Point, Lim had always shown a sensitiveness to any form of racial discrimination. He was reflective enough, however, to recognize his tendency to regard any slur on the Philippines and the Filipinos as a personal insult and to respond in personal – and often physical – way. He was completely intolerant of American enlisted men failing to salute Filipino officers. In 1918, in behalf of the 11 Filipinos in the Philippine Scouts, he presented to Quezon a case of for uniform retirement and pension policies for the institution. Lim pointed out the inequity and asked that the laws covering disabled Americans also apply to the Filipinos.
In 1922, he clashed for the first time with American General Douglas MacArthur, then, in command of the Philippine Scout Brigade. Lim rejected a reassignment from Fort McKinley to Corregidor
when it became apparent that the reason for the order was to free living quarters at the for incoming American officers. MacArthur relented and allowed Lim to remain in McKinley.
and the Purple Heart
posthumously.
In addition to his military service, he also authored, To inspire and to lead: The letters of General Vicente Lim, 1938–1942 and was, in 1936, a charter member of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines
.
In recognition of his services to the Filipino people, General Lim appears on the Philippine 1,000 Peso banknote
in 2010.
The former Camp Paciano Rizal was renamed to Camp Vicente Lim, located in Laguna, pursuant to GO Nr. 457, GHQ, AFP in honor of Brig. General Vicente P Lim who commanded the 41st Infantry Division. Camp Vicente Lim used to be a vast track of land in the early 1937. It became training ground during the mobilization period sometime in 1937, when American forces started to call able bodied young men to go on military training due to the outbreak of war in the western hemisphere. On September 1, 1941, the 41st filed Artillery Regiment Philippine Army was mobilized in this camp. On September 8, 1946, it became the Headquarters of the 4th Military district which covers the whole southern Luzon.
Pilar Hidalgo-Lim
, was a founder of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines
. She was the Centro Escolar University
's third president after the death of Carmen de Luna. She steered the university during the reconstruction and normalization of school operations after World War II
. The General and Mrs. Lim had six children: Luis, Roberto, Vicente Jr., Patricio, Eulalia, and Maria.
"No matter how crooked, how weak the next President is... as long as the army is strong, honest, and free from politics, the nation will stand. The Army has always been the backbone of all nations, barring none in the world."
Early life
He was born in the town of CalambaCalamba
Calamba may refer to:* Calamba City, Laguna, Philippines* Calamba, Misamis Occidental, Philippines...
, Laguna, on the 24th of February, 1888, the third of Jose Ayala Lim-Yaoco’s four children. His father was a full-blooded Chinese who braided his hair in a queue. His mother, Antonia Podico, was a Chinese mistiza. But Vicente and the other Lim children, Joaquin, Olympia and Basilisa, like many of the offsprings of Filipino-Chinese marriages, grew up identifying themselves with the Filipino rather than the Chinese community. Among the friends of Jose and Antonia was the family of Jose Rizal, later recognized as the country’s national hero.
The Lim Family, like the Rizal Family, leased land owned by the Dominican Order: rice lands in Barrios Lecheria and Real and sugarland in Barrio Barandal. In 1891, recurring disputes between the Spanish administrators of the Dominican estate and the tenants over rental rates and conditions came to a head and resulted in the eviction of many tenants from their lands. Among the victims were the families Lim and Rizal.
Education and Military Service
Lim is the first FilipinoFilipino 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 ....
graduate of the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
(Class of 1914) at West Point, Lim graduated 77th in a class of 107, and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant under the Philippine Scouts. He quickly rose in rank with the Philippine Scouts. By 1940, he was appointed to the post of Chief of Staff of the Philippine Army
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines is composed of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force...
.
On the 21st of December, 1935 Commonwealth Act. No. 1 created the Army of the Philippines, a force completely separate from that of the United States. The bill simultaneously decreed the dissolution of the Constabulary as an insular police force. On June 30, 1936, Lim retired from the United States Army with a rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was admitted into the Philippine Army with a rank of brigadier general and appointed chief of the War Plans Division of the Central General Staff.
When the Philippine Army was incorporated into the American Armed Forces
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
on July 16, 1941, Lim became the top–ranking Filipino under 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...
, placed in command of the 41st Philippine Division
Philippine Department
The Philippine Department was a regular US Army unit, defeated in the Philippines, during World War II. The mission of the Philippine Department was to defend the Philippine Islands and train the Philippine Army...
, tasked with the defense of southern 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...
. On April 9, 1942, the 41st surrendered on Bataan
Bataan
Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...
, along with all American and Filipino forces, to the Japanese 14th Army of General Homma
Masaharu Homma
was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. He is noteworthy for his role in the invasion and occupation of the Philippines during World War II. Homma, who was an amateur painter and playwright, was also known as the Poet General.-Biography:...
.
Lim survived the Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer, by the Imperial Japanese Army, of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of prisoners.The march was characterized by...
, and on June 6, 1942 was admitted to the Philippine General Hospital
Philippine General Hospital
The Philippine General Hospital is a tertiary state-owned hospital administered and operated by the University of the Philippines Manila, the University of the Philippines System's Health Sciences Center. It is the largest government hospital administered by the university, and is designated as...
for treatment of injuries sustained at Bataan (where he had led the bloody rear guard action against the Japanese in Abucay, Bataan
Bataan
Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...
). He recovered quickly, but with the help of his brother–in–law, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez, he concealed this fact. With the Japanese convinced of his incapacitation, he led the guerilla resistance forces 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...
. Basically, he conducted secret guerrilla activities while pretending to be confined at the Philippine General Hospital
Philippine General Hospital
The Philippine General Hospital is a tertiary state-owned hospital administered and operated by the University of the Philippines Manila, the University of the Philippines System's Health Sciences Center. It is the largest government hospital administered by the university, and is designated as...
.
In 1944 he was ordered to rejoin General Douglas MacArthur in 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...
. He attempted the journey but was captured en route by the Japanese. He was held for months at Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago is a defense fortress built for Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi. The fort is part of the structures of the walled city of Intramuros, in Manila, Philippines. José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, was imprisoned in the fort before his execution in 1896...
and the Bilibid prison
New Bilibid Prison
The New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, Philippines, is the main insular penitentiary designed to house the prison population of the Philippines. It is maintained by the Bureau of Corrections under the Philippine Department of Justice. As of October 2004, it has an inmate population of 16,747....
before being beheaded
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
, along with Colonel Antonio Escoda, shortly before the liberation.
Death
General Lim died 31 December 1944 and is listed among the Tablets of the Missing at Manila National Cemetery."Lim believed that this nation's strength depends on its national character, that patriotism is a moral quality that must be possessed by all, and that the will to fight makes every citizen a true soldier." — Remarks delivered by then U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Joseph A. Mussomeli
Joseph A. Mussomeli
Ambassador Joseph Adamo Mussomeli is an employee of the U.S. Department of State and is currently the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia.-Early life:...
for the Opening of Military Exercise Balikatan 2005 – February 21, 2005
Early Life and Other Career Details
Too young to get involved in the Philippine-American war, the fourteen-year old Vicente was reputed to have organized the children his age to serve as couriers for the forces of General Malvar operating in the Calamba area.On 1908, Vicente completed his 2-year program in teacher education at the Philippine Normal School
Philippine Normal University
The Philippine Normal University is a public national university in the Philippines established during the early days of American rule of the Philippine Islands. Pursuant to a law passed by the Philippine Congress, Republic Act No...
. The following year, however, he returned to the Philippine Normal School for further studies. His academic performance and athletic build impressed one of the supervisory teachers who encouraged him to take the entrance examination for the United States Military Academy at West Point which the Bureau of Civil Service would administer. He came out second but cleared the federal requirements as the first choice for the place at the Academy.
He claimed that he got the appointment not through the English portion, but rather the math portion of the exam, which he topped; he could hardly speak English that time.
At West Point, Lim became known as the “Cannibal” because of his dark complexion, imperfect command of English, his origins as a colonial and because of his general ignorance of his classmates about the Philippines. Vicente Lim was one of the 133 cadets who entered the Academy in 1910, but only 107 survived the course, with Lim occupying the 77th place. Upon his graduation on 12 June 1914 (Lim received a commission as a second lieutenant in the Philippine Constabulary), Manuel Quezon, then Resident Commissioner in Washington, advised Lim to stop by Europe on the way home to study the European armies. Lim was in Russia in August 1914, when World War I broke out. He managed to make his way back to the Far East via the Trans Siberian Railway.
Vicente Lim was a good bridge player, which he learned at West Point. In 1914, when Philippine High Commissioner Manuel Quezon visited him, he spent time touring the main square doing punishment tours for playing too much bridge.
In 1916, Lim was assigned to the faculty of the Philippine Constabulary School (later on Camp Allen) at Baguio City. Lim taught courses in Military Art, Military Law and Topography and also handled Equitation and Athletics.
Maj. Vicente Lim commanded the 45th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Scouts, that was based on Fort McKinley (now Fort Bonifacio).
For some time, Vicente Lim commanded the ROTC of San Juan de Letran.
American Prejudice Towards Filipinos
From his student days at West Point, Lim had always shown a sensitiveness to any form of racial discrimination. He was reflective enough, however, to recognize his tendency to regard any slur on the Philippines and the Filipinos as a personal insult and to respond in personal – and often physical – way. He was completely intolerant of American enlisted men failing to salute Filipino officers. In 1918, in behalf of the 11 Filipinos in the Philippine Scouts, he presented to Quezon a case of for uniform retirement and pension policies for the institution. Lim pointed out the inequity and asked that the laws covering disabled Americans also apply to the Filipinos.
In 1922, he clashed for the first time with American General Douglas MacArthur, then, in command of the Philippine Scout Brigade. Lim rejected a reassignment from Fort McKinley to Corregidor
Corregidor
Corregidor Island, locally called Isla ng Corregidor, is a lofty island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in southwestern part of Luzon Island in the Philippines. Due to this location, Corregidor was fortified with several coastal artillery and ammunition magazines to defend the entrance of...
when it became apparent that the reason for the order was to free living quarters at the for incoming American officers. MacArthur relented and allowed Lim to remain in McKinley.
Accomplishments and Recognitions
For his military service he received the Legion of MeritLegion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
and the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
posthumously.
In addition to his military service, he also authored, To inspire and to lead: The letters of General Vicente Lim, 1938–1942 and was, in 1936, a charter member of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines
Boy Scouts of the Philippines
The Boy Scouts of the Philippines is the national Scout organization of the Philippines. Its mission is to imbue in the youth the love of God, country, and fellow men; to train young people to become responsible leaders; and to contribute in nation-building.The BSP was chartered under...
.
In recognition of his services to the Filipino people, General Lim appears on the Philippine 1,000 Peso banknote
Philippine one thousand peso bill
The Philippine one thousand-peso bill is a denomination of Philippine currency. José Abad Santos, Vicente Lim, and Josefa Llanes Escoda are currently featured on the front side of the bill, while the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and the South Sea pearl are featured on the reverse...
in 2010.
The former Camp Paciano Rizal was renamed to Camp Vicente Lim, located in Laguna, pursuant to GO Nr. 457, GHQ, AFP in honor of Brig. General Vicente P Lim who commanded the 41st Infantry Division. Camp Vicente Lim used to be a vast track of land in the early 1937. It became training ground during the mobilization period sometime in 1937, when American forces started to call able bodied young men to go on military training due to the outbreak of war in the western hemisphere. On September 1, 1941, the 41st filed Artillery Regiment Philippine Army was mobilized in this camp. On September 8, 1946, it became the Headquarters of the 4th Military district which covers the whole southern Luzon.
Pilar Hidalgo–Lim
In Baguio, Pilar Hidalgo was spending the summer at the Holy Family College, quite close to the Constabulary School. It was an opportunity for Lim to renew his acquaintance with Pilar, who had gained distinction as one of the country’s female mathematician (also an instructor of Mathematics in University of the Philippines). The two met each other for the second time in April, 1917. The American declaration of war forced Lim to press for a quick engagement and an early wedding. The military wedding was on the 12th of August 1917 at the Quiapo Catholic Cathedral.Pilar Hidalgo-Lim
Pilar Hidalgo-lim
Pilar Hidalgo-Lim was a Filipino educator and civic leader. She was married to Brig. General Vicente Lim, World War II hero.-Early career and pre-war years:...
, was a founder of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines
Girl Scouts of the Philippines
The Girl Scouts of the Philippines is the national Guiding association for girls and young women of the Philippines. Its mission is "to help girls and young women realize the ideals of womanhood and prepare themselves for their responsibilities in the home, and to the nation, and the world...
. She was the Centro Escolar University
Centro Escolar University
Centro Escolar University is a private university in the Philippines. It was founded on June 3, 1907 by two women, Librada Avelino and Carmen de Luna, and was originally called Centro Escolar de Señoritas. It became a university in 1933...
's third president after the death of Carmen de Luna. She steered the university during the reconstruction and normalization of school operations after World War II
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...
. The General and Mrs. Lim had six children: Luis, Roberto, Vicente Jr., Patricio, Eulalia, and Maria.
Quotation
"A man can be led, although I admit it to be rather difficult and tedious, in the right direction through sound reasoning and confidence in the leaders.”"No matter how crooked, how weak the next President is... as long as the army is strong, honest, and free from politics, the nation will stand. The Army has always been the backbone of all nations, barring none in the world."