Battle of Bacsil Ridge
Battle of Bacsil Ridge
The Battle of Bacsil Ridge happened from March 19 to March 23, 1945, as part of the 1944–1945 Philippines Campaign in World War II. The fighting took place around San Fernando, La Union, in the Philippines.
Who fought
- Allied side: Filipino soldiers from the 121st Infantry Regiment, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFIP-NL, commanded by Russell W. Volckmann and George Milton Barnett.
- Japanese side: Imperial Japanese Army forces under General Tomoyuki Yamashita and Toshio Hayashi, from the 14th Area Army.
What happened
- The battle ended with an Allied victory. The Allies captured San Fernando on March 23, 1945, which opened the way toward Bacnotan, La Union, after about two months of fighting with guerrilla forces.
Strength and casualties
- Allied strength: about 3,000 armed troops plus about 2,000 unarmed support personnel.
- Japanese strength: not specified in the summary.
- Casualties: Allied casualties around 877. Japanese losses were about 3,322 killed and 407 captured.
Significance
- The victory helped push Japanese forces out of the La Union area and contributed to the broader effort to liberate Luzon.
This page was last edited on 1 February 2026, at 20:14 (CET).