Liberation of Davao

The Davao region was engulfed with multiple battles on the month of May 1945. Guerrillas under the
10th Military District engaged Japanese defenders throughout the region as the troops under the US 24 th
Infantry Division made their push from the southern area of Davao city. Davao is defended by the 100 th
Division under Lieutenant General Jiro Harada who commanded a division with mixed regular and
provisional battalions. His forces were supplemented by troops from the 32 nd Naval Special Base Force
and the Air Force Hosono unit’s service personnel. A large factor that decided the fate of the battle was
the composition of the 100th Division as third of the division are Koreans, who do not share the same
zeal as to their Japanese counterparts. The road to Davao was filled with Japanese roadblocks. Starting
from 30 April, the 19th Infantry begun its advance towards the city and was able to proceed to Talomo
on the south western outskirt of the city. On the following day, Allied forces were able to capture Hill
550 overlooking the city. By May 2, Allied forces commenced heavy artillery bombardment to cover the
river crossing of the 19 th Infantry towards the interior of the city while the 21 st Infantry advanced in the
Northwest sector of the city’s outskirt to capture Libby airfield and advance to Mintal. By nightfall
enemy counterattacks commenced in the Mintal sector supported by the Japanese artillery in ridges
surrounding the city. The counterattack was repulsed, and Allied artillery were able to silence the enemy
guns thru counterbattery fires. Throughout May 3, the 19 th Infantry supported by the 34th Infantry
pushed eastwards, capturing commanding ground in a reservoir and proceeded to house to house
fighting which was met by sniper and mortar fire from the Japanese in addition to the booby traps laid
by the defenders. By afternoon, the capture of the city was complete, while the fighting on the outskirts
of the city will proceed until the first weeks of June when the remnants of the 100 th Division withdraw to
the mountains. Davao city was the last major city held by the Japanese in the Philippines.