The Raid at Cabanatuan, also known as the Great Raid, was one of the most daring and successful rescue missions of World War II. The mission, which took place on 30 January 1945, involved a small force of United States Army Rangers, Alamo Scouts, and Filipino guerrillas who traveled over thirty miles behind Japanese lines to liberate over 500 American and other Allied prisoners of war and civilians from the Cabanatuan prison camp in Nueva Ecija, Philippines.In a daring and heroic mission during World War II, the U.S. Army's 6th Ranger Battalion, C Company, commanded by Captain Robert Prince and reinforced with F Company's platoon, accompanied by Lt. Colonel Henry Mucci, set out to rescue 511 prisoners of war from deep behind Japanese lines in the Philippines. The Rangers were supported by Alamo Scouts and Filipino guerrillas who offered reconnaissance and flank protection. This mission was a high-stakes operation, and the Rangers' success depended on the collaboration, discipline, and bravery of all involved.

Lt. Colonel Mucci was assigned to lead the mission to rescue the prisoners of war in Cabanatuan. Mucci started working on his plan in December 1944, which was to carry out a raid that would catch the Japanese army in Cabanatuan off guard. The plan involved sending a small group of highly trained soldiers, the 6th Ranger Battalion, through enemy lines to reach the prison camp. Once they had located and freed the prisoners, they would guide them to safety using an escape route that had been carefully planned and marked.

The events leading up to the raid began with the surrender of tens of thousands of American troops during the Battle of Bataan, many of whom were sent to the Cabanatuan prison camp after enduring the infamous Bataan Death March. The prisoners faced brutal conditions, including torture, malnourishment, and disease, while fearing they would be executed by their captors before the arrival of General Douglas MacArthur and his American forces returning to Luzon. In late January 1945, a daring plan was made by Sixth Army leaders and Filipino guerrillas to send a small force to rescue the prisoners, knowing that time was running out for the prisoners and that their chances of survival were slim.

The mission involved over 100 Rangers and scouts and 200 guerrillas, who traveled 30 miles behind Japanese lines to reach the camp. The raid took place under the cover of darkness and with distraction by a P-61 Black Widow night fighter, which provided essential cover and disorientation to the Japanese forces around the camp. The raiding party surprised the Japanese, who were in disarray as their bases were rapidly falling, resulting in a coordinated attack that saw hundreds of Japanese troops killed within 30 minutes.

Top photo: Philippines, 1945: Soldiers of the  U.S. Army's 6th Ranger Battalion. Source: In the Public Domain, click to enlarge.

Middle photo: Philippines, 1945: The Alamo Scouts after the Raid at Cabanautan. Top row left to right: Gil Cox, Wilbert Wismer, Harold Hard, Andy Smith, and Francis Laquier. Bottom row left to right: Galen Kittleson, Rufo Vaquilar, Bill Nellist, Tom Rounsaville, and Frank Fox. Source: In the Public Domain, click to enlarge.

Bottom photo: Poster to the 2005 movie The Great Raid starring James Franco and Benjamin Bratt. Source: In the Public Domain, click to enlarge.

The planners of the mission knew they needed a diversion to distract the Japanese forces and create an opening for the Rangers and guerrillas to sneak into the camp unnoticed. It was then that they hit upon a brilliant idea–-why not use a P-61 Black Widow to create an aerial deception. The P-61 Black Widow was fitted with powerful engines and advanced radar systems that enabled it to operate effectively at night. Its stealth capabilities made it a formidable weapon against enemy aircraft, and its ability to carry a range of bombs and rockets made it a valuable asset in ground attacks. However, the P-61's most significant strength was its ability to fly low to the ground, almost invisibly, making it the perfect vehicle for the mission.

The pilots assigned to the task were Captain Kenneth Schrieber and 1st Lt. Bonnie Rucks, who had trained in low-altitude flying and were skilled in aerobatic maneuvers. Their mission was simple–-fly over the prison camp, make a lot of noise to attract the Japanese's attention, and give the impression that their aircraft had crashed. To maintain the deception, Schrieber and Rucks repeated the fake crashes several times, keeping the Japanese on edge and giving the rescuers valuable time to complete their mission.

The plan worked. Schrieber cut the power to the plane's left engine and repeated the procedure twice more, making it look like the plane was about to crash. As the plane flew closer, the Japanese observers watched, waiting for the inevitable explosion. Schrieber continued the ruse, dropping the plane's altitude to just 200 feet, while performing spectacular aerobatic maneuvers that left the Japanese bewildered.

The Rangers, scouts, and guerrillas moved quickly, escorting the POWs back to American lines, safely out of range of the Japanese forces. The rescue allowed the prisoners to tell of the Bataan and Corregidor atrocities that they had been subjected to, which sparked a newfound resolve for the war against Japan. The rescuers were awarded commendations by MacArthur, and recognition from President Roosevelt, with bonds drive tours of the United States to spread the word about the raid and the atrocities suffered by the POWs. For their heroism, Mucci and Prince were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, while all officers involved received the Silver Star and all enlisted men the Bronze Star.

The raid was considered a tremendous success, with 489 POWs and 33 civilians liberated, including 492 Americans and 29 others from various nationalities. Estimates of the Japanese soldiers killed during the assault ranged from 530 to 1,000. The estimates include the 73 guards and approximately 150 traveling Japanese who stayed in the camp that night, as well as those killed by Pajota's men attempting to cross the Cabu River. The rescue of the prisoners helped to provide essential intelligence about Japan's treatment of POWs, which helped shape the efforts of the Allies towards the end of the war and its outcome.

Numerous films have retold the story of the Raid at Cabanatuan, featuring actual footage of the liberated prisoners. Edward Dmytryk's 1945 film Back to Bataan, led by John Wayne, commences with a narration of the raid's events, incorporating authentic footage of the rescued survivors. In addition, PBS produced a documentary in July 2003, titled Bataan Rescue, running for an hour and providing a comprehensive account of the operation. The 2005 John Dahl film The Great Raid is another cinematic portrayal of the rescue operation, starring Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, Connie Nielsen, Marton Csokas, and Joseph Fiennes. The movie is based on the books, The Great Raid on Cabanatuan and Ghost Soldiers, with Raid veteran Robert Prince serving as a consultant to achieve accuracy in depicting the rescue.

Bibliography

Krivdo, Dr. Michael E. "75th Anniversary of the Deactivation of the 6th Ranger Battalion." Www.army.mil. Accessed December 21, 2023. https://www.army.mil/article/242208/75th_anniversary_of_the_deactivation_of_the_6th_ranger_battalion.

Lapham, Major Robert. "U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) History Department: Rescue at Cabanatuan." Homepage of the U.S. Army Special Operations History Office. Accessed December 22, 2023. https://arsof-history.org/articles/v14n2_cabanatuan_page_1.html.

"Prince Robert W." Home. Accessed December 23, 2023. https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/people_details.php?PeopleID=25040.

Robson, Seth. "Vets Remember Daring Raid That Liberated 500 POWs in the Philippines." Stars and Stripes. Last modified September 24, 2018. https://www.stripes.com/news/vets-remember-daring-raid-that-liberated-500-pows-in-the-philippines-1.548905.