US History: The Cabanatuan Prison Raid

Examples of perfectly planned and executed battles are few and far between in U.S. history. However, the Cabanatuan Prison Raid in the Philippines still serves today as close to an ideal illustration of planning, coordination, and effective command. LTC Henry Mucci of the U.S. Army’s 6th Ranger Battalion decisively adhered to the principles of mission command. He built a cohesive team through mutual trust, created a shared understanding, and took prudent risk to succeed. The raid was conducted at a Japanese-run Prisoner of War (POW) camp beside the small town of Pangatian; it is now more commonly referenced by its proximity the larger Cabanatuan city, in central Luzon. The following events took place during World War II, from planning on
He implored the Sixth Army for an organized rescue of the Cabanatuan POWs. While MAJ Lapham ended up not tasked in the raid, his report influenced Sixth Army’s LTG Walter Kreuger’s decision to dispatch forces from the 6th Ranger Battalion. Kreuger tasked LTC Mucci to be mission commander, whereas he selected C Company under CPT Robert Prince, augmented with F Company’s 2nd platoon. Mucci was also given command of four combat photographers from the 832nd Signal Service Battalion and two Alamo Scouts teams - special units designated by LTG Kreuger to conduct reconnaissance and missions behind enemy lines. U.S. forces under LTC Mucci’s command tallied up to about 140. During the operation, U.S. forces would ally themselves with Philippine guerilla fighters under Captains Eduardo Joson and Juan Pajota. Joson would dedicate 100 men, while Pajota allocated another 1,100 men, although Mucci himself was only situationally-aware of about 730 of these fighters. Together, they would eventually engage with Japanese forces comprised of the 75 prison guards, 175 soldiers of the transient Kinpeidan Headquarters (HQ) unit, and approximately 800-strong 359th Independent Infantry Battalion under Captain Oyanu