12th Medical Regiment, Philippine Scouts

History

Formation

• The Army authorized the 12th Medical Regiment on December 7, 1921 (paragraph 51, General Order (G.O.) 39, HQ, Philippine Department)

  • “These units will be composed of American personnel until further orders.”

  • The orders converted Ambulance Company 54 into an animal drawn company and Hospital Company 56 into a motorized one.

• Redesignated as a Philippine Scout unit on July 17, 1922.

• On August 26, 1922, G.O. 31 of the Philippine Department reorganized the 12th Medical Regiment and staffed it with Philippine Scouts.

A study of the personnel records of these Scouts would indicate that practically every Scout organization of the Philippine Division had furnished personnel. Within the Philippine Division, the largest number were transferred from the 45th Infantry (PS). Also, many different groups were represented. Only one company, the 35th Ambulance Company, had a fairly homogeneous composition. It was made up mostly of Macabebe Scouts.

All non-commissioned officers were transferred in grade to the Medical Department. Regimental Strength was 220 enlisted men. The companies were:

• "HQ and Service, "A" (Collecting)

• "E" (Ambulance)

• "G" (Hospital)

• Veterinary Companies [2]

Interwar

Scarcely had the regiment been formed when it was directed by G.O. No 6, HQ Philippine Division (HPD) to send the Medical Laboratory Section No.12 and the Sanitary Company No. 34 to Ft. Stotsenburg for station. Following this, Headquarters, Philippine Division directed that Ambulance Company No. 55 (organized 1 September 1922) be transferred to Sternberg General Hospital in Manila, effective 16 September, 1922. It moved on 18 September. However, neither company functioned at its new station. The ambulance company was relieved from Sternberg and returned to Ft. Wm McKinley on 1 April, 1923 and on the same date Ambulance Co. No. 55 was moved back from Ft. Stotsenburg.

The companies of the regiment were billeted in wooden barracks near the Post Hospital. The families of the married non-commissioned officers were assigned quarters in a nearby area that was designated the 12 Medical Barrio.

Further changes were made by G.O. No. 145, HPD on 30 June, 1923, when the enlisted personnel of the Laboratory Section and Sanitary Company were assigned permanently to the Station Hospital, Ft. Stotsenburg. At the same time "sufficient number of enlisted men were shipped from Ft. Mills to reorganize Sanitary Company No. 34 and the Laboratory Section, so that on 1 July, 1923, practically for the first time, the regiment was assembled at Fort Wm McKinley for training purposes."

Nevertheless, only the Medical Supply Section, 34th Ambulance Company and 12th Veterinary Company had officers who could devote their entire time to their organizations. The 34th Sanitary, the Ambulance, the 56th Hospital Companies and the Laboratory Section were assigned sufficient officers. On 31 July, 1923 the companies were formally designated the Service Company (PS); 12th Veterinary Company (PS); 34th Collecting Company (PS); 34th Hospital Company (PS) (former 56th) and the 35th Ambulance Company (PS) (former 54th [animal drawn] and 55th [motor]). These changes were in compliance with G.O. 10, Hq Phil Div, dated 31 July, 1923.

The regiment had its first review as a part of the Philippine Division on 30 September, 1922. In early 1923 it took to the field, making a march to Camp Stotsenburg. The return was made at a leisurely pace during which time team work and development of SOPs were stressed. Two ambulances each were allotted to the 45th and 57th Infantry Regiments (PS). The remainder of the regiment moved as part of the Division Trains.

By 1924, the regiment was well shaken down and participated every year thereafter in the annual division maneuvers. . Much of the details of the medical aspects of these exercises have been lost. While little of the records from the 1926 maneuver has been saved, it is interesting to note that the bulk of the transportation was animal. The 12th Veterinary Co. (PS) had 8 horses and 2 mules. The 34th Ambulance had 15 horses and 27 mules. The 34th Collecting Co. (PS) with 1 officer, 42 men had two sections. One contained 2 trucks. The other relied on mules and wagons.

The 1924 Army List and Directory showed the regiment as composed of the:

• Regimental Headquarters

• Medical Supply Section No. 12

• Sanitary Company No. 34

• Medical Lab Section No. 12

• Ambulance Company No. 34

• Ambulance Company No. 35

• Veterinary Company No. 12

• Hospital Company No. 34

The medical regiment, in addition to performing routine medical functions in the Post Hospital at Ft. Wm. McKinley, also did its share of field duty. Thus, the officers and men kept themselves versed in the medical aspects of duty in the jungles and mountains where diseases such as malaria, dengue, dysentery and poisonous bugs and other insects, as well as fruits, caused problems for the unwary young Scouts. The annual maneuvers required the maximum turnout of the medics.

The Diary of 14 December, 1926, reports that the 34th Collection Co. (PS) (1 officer and 42 men) was attached to the 23rd Infantry Brigade for field exercises. It moved out in two sections. The first departed at 02:30 A.M. and Section II, which was the company less 2 vehicles with trailers, 1 motorcycle w/side car and 9 men, followed an hour later. The objective was the barrio of Alabang. The march was 17.25 miles and took seven hours. One casualty, of unknown cause, was reported.

On 30 September, 1929, the 34th Ambulance Co. (PS) and the enlisted portion of Detachment, 12th Medical Regiment (PS) (Attached to the Division’s Surgeon's Office) were rendered inactive. The enlisted members were transferred to different units of the regiment.

In the 1933 US Army Directory, the regiment is shown constituted as follows:

• Regimental Headquarters & Band

• Service Company

• 12th Veterinary Company

• HQ, Collecting Battalion

  • 34th, 35th, and 36th Collecting Companies

• HQ, Ambulance Battalion

  • 34th, 35th, and 36th Ambulance Companies

• HQ, Hospital Battalion

  • 34th, 35th, and 36th Hospital Companies

By 1941, the enlisted personnel were very familiar with the terrain from Lingayen Gulf to the foot of the Bataan Peninsula. Along this route, many sites for setting up appropriate medical facilities had been selected and frequently occupied.

When the Philippine Division was converted from the Square Division organization to the new Triangular Division, the medical regiment was redesignated a battalion and increased by 170 men from 220 to 390. It consisted of headquarters and service company, three collecting companies and a clearing company. Companies "A," "B" and "C," each with a strength of 110, were designated as the collecting companies that were part of Combat Teams 31, 45 and 57 respectively. Each collecting company "having elements of hospital, ambulance and collecting platoons," was able to provide the combat team with pick up and evacuation of all wounded to the Combat Team Collecting Point. There they received emergency aid and then were transported by ambulances of the clearing company to the nearest field hospital. Company "D" became the clearing company. The Veterinary Company became the 4th Veterinary Company and was transferred to the Philippine Department. The companies of the regiment began performing their responsibilities in all subsequent combat team or Philippine Division exercises or maneuvers that were held thereafter. The combat teams were activated on 10 December, 1941 and remained in effect until the infantry regiments were put either under the Corps or USAFFE after they reached Bataan.

Another task was placed on the 12th in August when the Philippine Army was brought into the Federal Service. This was the training of the medical personnel of the newly activated divisions. A medical service school was set up at Fort William McKinley under the direction of Major Joseph Weaver, MC. [4]

In addition to the 12th Medical Regiment (PS), there was a Philippine Scout Medical Detachment at the Station Hospital, Ft. Mills on Corregidor. This consisted of a 1st sergeant, a staff sergeant, six sergeants, two corporals and 12 privates first class.

The last commander of the regiment was Colonel McMurdo. The commander of the 12th Medical Battalion (PS) at the outbreak of war was Lt. Col. Harold Glattly. [5]

World War II

The 12th Medical Regiment (PS) roster of October-November 1941 can be seen here.

On December 8, 1941, the 12th Medics followed their alert procedure and were ready to depart the Post that morning. They did treat a few casualties from the Japanese bombing of the 9th and 10th. On the latter day, the three collecting companies left for the north with their combat teams. The Battalion (minus) departed the morning of the 11th and reached its new bivouac area in the woods north of Dinalupihan, Bataan. Company "C" was located at Lubao, Pampanga, Co. "B" was near Olongapo, Zambales; and Co. "A" at Orani, Bataan.

With the Japanese closing on the Fil-American Covering Force position south of Layac Junction, the Battalion, (minus the collecting companies) was moved to the junction of Trail 10 and the East Road. In the fierce shelling at Layac Junction "A" Company became over taxed by the casualties. Fortunately, "C," which had moved to the refectory of the church in Abucay, was able to process a number of patients from the front. "B," meanwhile, had accompanied the 45th RCT to near Bagac. The Battalion had moved forward to Limay and utilized the buildings of the camp that had been occupied by the First Bn, 45th Inf (PS). With the threatened collapsed of the Abucay Line, the Battalion (minus) moved on the 23rd to a bivouac 1 mile north of Rodriguez Parkat approximately KP 136.5.

In anticipation of heavy casualties when the Japanese made their final thrust, according to Captain Paul Ashton, he established what he described as the "...first WWII MASH units behind the 33rd and 51st Infantry, P.A. on Mt. Samat." "The 12th Medical Battalion established and operated advance emergency hospitals within the subsector (immediate evacuation for sub-sector troops being impossible due to the absence of roads trails) and continued to evacuate all troops of the Philippine Division and all American troops in the II Corps".

Shortly after the USAFFE forces withdrew to Bataan, the 12th Medical was faced with the problem of treating, not only numerous battle casualties, but victims of disease and malnutrition. These would increase in number until by the time of the surrender it was estimated that over ten thousand men were in the medical channels. Fortunately, because of their training, better physical conditioning and leadership at all levels, the Philippine Scout losses were lower than any other units. But even these factors could not forestall the weakness that stemmed from the debilitation that came from the starvation diet that the personnel were on after early January.

On 25 or 26 March, the 12th Medical Battalion (PS) (less Companies "A", "B" and "C" Collecting) was removed from control of Headquarters, Philippine Division and SubSector D Force. This did not entail any immediate move of the battalion or change of its functions. It remained at KM 155.5 East Road and continued to be under the Headquarters, Luzon Force until the end of the fighting on Bataan. Small detachments from the battalion remained with the Advance Command Post of the Philippine Division and with the Division Headquarters at KM 148.9 East Road.

When the collapse came, most of the officers and men of the three line companies were near their respective regiments and were ordered to surrender where they were. Many of the enlisted men accepted the opportunity offered to them by their officers and attempted to get back to their barrios. Some were successful; others were swept into the lines of marchers that headed out of Bataan. Some of the officers were accompanying ambulances which had seriously wounded. They reached Hospitals One or Two. The majority remained with the combat unit they were supporting and made the march to Camp O'Donnell.

Post war records show that officers were killed on Bataan. Of the enlisted men died from wounds; fell along the March; died in Camp O'Donnell and were killed or died from the treatment that they suffered at Camp O'Donnell after they were released. As described in the history of the 57th Infantry (PS), were ruthlessly slaughtered by the Japanese in Fort Santiago in late 1944.

The eager, dedicated and professional rendering of medical treatment by the men of the 12th Medical Battalion (PS) saved the lives of many of their officers and fellow enlisted men. Their disregard of their own safety in treating and evacuating the wounded marked them as truly worthy of the Motto of the Medical Corps in the "conservation of manpower." [5]

Post-WWII

The 12th Medical Battalion was reorganized in 1946 as part of the 12th Infantry Division (PS). The Army inactivated the unit on April 30, 1947.

Regimental Commanders [1]

Insignia and Coat of Arms

Bibliography

[1] “12th Medical Regiment (PS).” US Army Order of Battle, 1919-1941, by Steven E. Clay, vol. 4, Combat Studies Institute Press, 2010, pp. 2215–2216.

[2] “12th Medical Regiment (PS).” The Philippine Scouts, by John Olson, Philippine Scouts Heritage Society, 1996, p. 241.

[3] “Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register.” Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, The Army, 1961, p. 55.

[4] Olson, 242.

[5] Olson, 243.