1. Robert Lapham was a reserve lieutenant in the US Army in World War II.
30 Facts About Robert Lapham
1. 2.
Robert Lapham served in the Philippines attached to the 45th Infantry, evaded capture in the spring of 1942, and organized and led one of the largest and most successful guerrilla armies on the central plains of the northern island of Luzon.
3.
Robert Lapham was promoted to major by war's end, age 28, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by General Douglas MacArthur.
4.
The US Guerrilla Affairs Division commended Robert Lapham for having the best-disciplined guerrilla organization.
5.
Robert Lapham volunteered to serve in the Philippines, arrived in Manila on June 25,1941, and was stationed at Fort William McKinley.
6.
On January 27,1942, along with Thorp and a dozen others, Robert Lapham slipped through Japanese lines and headed north into the Zambales Mountains.
7.
Robert Lapham left Short and Estipana there and went on with Lumyeb ten miles north to establish another camp in Umingan, Pangasinan.
8.
In exchange for local support, Robert Lapham promised that, to avoid Japanese reprisals, he would not fight near his bases and that he would control the bands of outlaws and former soldiers who were ravaging the area.
9.
Robert Lapham credited the desire of Filipinos to resist the Japanese for making him decide to become a guerrilla leader.
10.
Robert Lapham said that only a few of the hundreds of American soldiers who escaped capture at Bataan became guerrillas.
11.
Robert Lapham was not a professional soldier and in the beginning had little concept of how to fight a guerrilla war.
12.
Robert Lapham received little guidance from more experienced superiors with whom his communication was sporadic and difficult.
13.
Robert Lapham said that it was much easier to obtain food and recruits on the plains than in more isolated areas.
14.
Robert Lapham compared his role in his region of operation to that of a medieval aristocrat.
15.
Robert Lapham refused to submit to attempts by Volckmann to unite northern Luzon guerrilla units into a single command with Volckmann himself as the commander.
16.
Robert Lapham's opinion was that the guerrilla units were scattered, communications were difficult, the guerrillas were too weak even in concert to take on the Japanese until near the end of the war, and that the challenges each guerrilla leader faced were different.
17.
Robert Lapham was clean shaven, attempted to dress neatly in semi-military clothing, and avoided liaisons with Filipina women.
18.
Robert Lapham expressed admiration for the same woman, a guerrilla named Herminia "Minanga" Dizon, and admiration for Hunt.
19.
Hunt said that Robert Lapham was reasonable, a fighter, and not ambitious.
20.
Robert Lapham had coast watcher units at Baler Bay, Caranglan and Pantabangan, and a combat unit of southwest Pampanga under the command of Emilio and Tony Hernandez.
21.
Robert Lapham managed to evacuate Captain Wilbur Lage and other Americans to Australia via submarine.
22.
On January 26,1945, Robert Lapham made an emergency visit to US forces near Lingayen Gulf, warning that the 513 American prisoners of war in the Cabanatuan camp might be executed by the Japanese.
23.
Robert Lapham was concerned the POWs would be executed before the camp could be liberated.
24.
Robert Lapham's concerns were justified given the August 1944 Japanese War Ministry directive to commandants of POW camps outlining the final disposition of prisoners, and the killing of 139 American POWs by the Japanese at Palawan on December 14,1944.
25.
Robert Lapham's efforts led to the Raid at Cabanatuan on January 30,1945, by US army Rangers, Alamo Scouts, and 400 of Robert Lapham's guerrillas commanded by Eduardo Joson and Juan Pajota.
26.
Robert Lapham left the Philippines to return to the US in 1945 and left the army in 1946.
27.
Robert Lapham married Scharlott Junge and returned to his old job with Burroughs.
28.
In 1947, Robert Lapham returned to the Philippines for five months as a consultant to the US on the subject of compensation to Filipinos who had served as guerrillas during the war.
29.
Robert Lapham recognized 79 squadrons of guerrillas under his command with a total of 809 officers and 13,382 men.
30.
Robert Lapham believed that most of his men were treated fairly, but was critical of US policy toward the Philippines after the war.