U.S. Military Operation: Raid at Cabanatuan

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Raid at Cabanatuan: U.S. Military Operation

The ROF (Raid at Cabanatuan) is a military operation aimed to rescue American and Allied (POWs) prisoner of wars from the Japanese camp very close to Cabanatuan City in Philippines. The rescue was carried out by 6th Ranger Battalion and reinforced by Filipino and Alamo Scouts guerillas, which had liberated 511 American and Allied prisoners, was the most complex and difficult operation ever carried out by Rangers during the Second World War. (King,1985).However, the rescue was one of the most successful operations.

Objective of this paper is to evaluate the MDMP (The Military Decision Making Process) regarding the rescue operation carried out by the 6th Ranger Battalion. The paper discusses the running estimate to develop a competent movement that LTC (Lieutenant Colonel) Mucci and his staff would employ to analyze and develop a course of action.

#1:Running Estimate

The running estimate provides the strategy and complete movement that LTC Mucci and his personnel will develop to rescue the 511 American prisoner of war and its allied. The running estimate also discusses and analyzes various course actions to use in carrying out the rescue operations. One of the best strategies that can be used to carry out the rescue operation is to secretly evaluate the complete picture of the Japanese camp where Americans and allied are being held as prisoners. Typically, the U.S. military force should send one of the top and experienced military men to the location and collect as much information as possible about the camp. This operation should be treated with top secret so that the military personnel will be successful in carrying out the operation. In the present day rapid development of technology, the American intelligent unit can use satellite to collect information from the camp. However, this paper is discussing about the event that takes place during the World War II where the development of technology is still in its rudimentary form. As being discussed previously, the information that must be collected include number of military guards in the camp. The report that should be collected must also involve the total Japanese soldiers at the camp. More important, it is very important to take important pictures of the strategy locations of the camps which include the entrance of the camp. It is also very critical to locate where the prisoners are being kept because the major objective of the operation is to liberate all the Americans and allied held in the Japanese camp. However, this paper suggests that the U.S. intelligent unit should use a surveillance plane to take the pictures of the images. The images that will be taken will assist in estimating the number of Japanese force within the camp. The picture will also estimate the number of Japanese force within the Cabanatuan City. (King,1985).

Nevertheless, the paper estimates that the Japanese force in the camp should be between 100 and 300 soldiers guiding the camp. The paper also estimates that there will be 1,000 Japanese soldiers across the Cabu River, which is located at the northern part of the camp. More importantly, there are up 5,000 soldiers within the Cabanatuan city. The best time to carry out the operation should be on January 29 at UTC+8 (17:30 PST). After collecting all the necessary information about the camp from the air reconnaissance photos, the next step is to develop a planning strategy to rescue the prisoners. The information collected is precise. The stockade is at the southern part of the Cabanatuan highway, which is measured 600 by 800 yards. The stockade is fenced with three barbed wires. The main entrance is secured with heavy lock. In essence, it is believed that 73 Japanese soldiers are on guard, however, there are 153 additional troop. The prisoners are housed in a building in the northwest part of the compound. Based on the information collected, the activity in the building appears to be normal. From a complete strategic information collected, the best time to make an attack should be at dusk. Thus, all men should thoroughly briefed and must be assigned with their mission and instructed to carry out their responsibilities.

The first step was to use 10 Scouts that would make of two team to leave for the camp 24 hours ahead of the major force in order to survey the camp, the strategy would assist the main force to be equipped with the necessary information to be used in launching the rescue operations.

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In essence, the main force should consist of 30 Ranger from F. Company and 90 Rangers C. Company. The major task of these Rangers is to surround the camp and match 30 miles behind the Japanese lines and kill the camps in order to rescue and escort the Americans and Allied prisoners back to the American lines. The 80 Filipino guerillas will also be used to serve as guides and will assist in the

Each Scout should be armed with a rifle, one .45 pistol, three hand grenades, a knife, MI carbine as well as extra ammunition. The scout should be linked with the Filipino guerillas units within the village, which 3.2-kilometer at the north of the camp. The Rangers should be armed with the assorted, M1 Garand rifles, Thompson submachine guns, BARs, grenades, knives, extra ammunition pistols, and bazookas. Additionally, four combat photographers can volunteer to accompany the Rangers and Scout to record the events of the operations and document the raids after the rescue operation. Each photographers should be armed with a pistol. Handful of medical personnel should accompany the Scout and Ranges. It is advisable to allow the medical personnel to be armed with pistols and carbines based on the complexity of the operations. Although, the Geneva Convention restricts medical personnel to be armed, however, the paper suggests that it is essential for the medical personnel to be armed based on the complexity of the operations. (Black,2004, U.S. Marine Corps, 2007).

The appropriate time for the Rangers to enter the Platero should be at dusk. Moreover, it essential to convert one-story building into an emergence hospital. The recommendation of this paper is that the American airplane should buzz the compound before the attack. The information collected reveals that almost all the Japanese soldiers raise up their heads to watch the American plane flying. Using this strategy, the American plane will assist in distracting the attention of Japanese when the Rangers and the Scouts are creeping into the camp.

#2:The Problem

One of the primary problems facing Lieutenant Colonel Mucci is to enter the Cabanatuan City and reaching the camp without raising suspicion based on the flatness of the countryside. It is essential to realize that Japanese maintains the terrain very clear and the vegetation is very low to ensure that the Japanese soldiers see an approaching guerilla. Moreover, the terrain is cleared to spot an escaping prisoner. It is very important to integrate in the planning operation not to raise the suspicion of Japanese soldiers when the Rangers are crawling to the camp. The Japanese should not to spot any of the American Rangers and Scout before reaching the camp for fear of Japanese killing any of the prisoners. Thus, this problems is very critical and it has to be solved to assist in carrying out a successful operation. Another problem facing LCT Mucci is the strategy of liberating all prisoners without being killed. The main objective of the operation is to liberate the prisoners and if all the prisoners are killed before being liberated, the operation will fail and will not be successful. Other problem facing Mucci is the strategy of not raising suspicion of local inhabitants because some local inhabitants may be loyal to the Japanese force and they may alert the Japanese before the Rangers reaching the camp. Moreover, Mucci faces the problem of how to distract the attention of the camps' guard and other Japanese soldiers so that the Rangers can successfully crawl into the camp without being seen. LTC Mucci understands that Rangers are to crawl with their bellies through an along open field and this should be carried out under the watching eyes of the Japanese guards. In the Cabanatuan City, a full darkness is only more than one hour because the sun is set below the horizon where the moon rises afterward. The time zone of the city will present the possibility of Japanese guards noticing the movement of Rangers during the full moon. The only alternative facing LTC Mucci is that if the Japanese soldiers notice the Rangers crawling towards the camp, the Rangers should immediately stand up and quickly rush to the camp. Although, Rangers have one advantage, the Japanese does not install the searchlights to illuminate the vast perimeter. More problem facing LTC Mucci is the strategy to employ in evacuating the wooded soldiers from the combat zone. Mucci decides that it is very critical to quickly evacuate the wooded.....

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