Abucay Hacienda

Actions of MAJ James J O’Donovan on the Abucay Line, Jan 16-Jan 25, 1942

Introduction

Japan’s war in the Philippines was in its fifth week by mid January of 1942, and the Fil-American forces on the Bataan main line of resistance (MLR) were beginning to falter. The situation leading up to this circumstance was summarized by an on-site Associated Press reporter Clark Lee:

"General MacArthur did not have even enough troops to hold an unbroken line across the fifteen-mile wide peninsula, and he had to leave part of the mountainous area in the center undefended. The Japs quickly found that out."

As Clark Lee wrote, the Japanese probed for weakness and found one on the western end of the MLR in the area of Abucay Hacienda-manned by the 51^st division of the Philippine army. Elements of 51^st were driven back allowing an enemy penetration a mile wide and 1/2 mile deep. This exposed the flanks of the adjoining units (41^st Infantry Div PA) also on the line and created a beachhead for the Japanese to expand their territory. In response the 31^st and the 45^thinfantry regiments (about 1600 men each) of the Philippine Division, were commanded to drive back the Japanese and restore the line.

Despite trying, the 45^th infantry lost their way and was unable to support the initial attack on time. The 31^st infantry managed the 15 mile march to Abucay Hacienda (a sugar cane plantation) and was hastily thrown in to the fight. A position formerly defended by a division was now to be retaken by a single regiment . The attack, being uncoordinated, failed to achieve the objective and the next 9 days were spent on the line attacking Japanese Army positions in an effort to restore the line.

It is at Abucay Hacienda where Major O’Donovan’s courage and leadership were to shine most brilliantly. For his actions he was awarded the nation’s second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross. And It is here also that he was twice injured, earning the first of his 2 purple hearts.

15 years after the war Sergeant Edwin Jenson of K Company recalled in a letter:

"I can truthfully say this about Maj. O’Donovan, he was a brave & courageous leader – always out in front with the men – never giving up as long as we had a fighting chance"

After the war, Sergeant Abie Abraham of C Company wrote to Jim's brother Edward to tell him:

"(he was) the bravest fighting soldier I ever met. His bravery inspired many of the young solders to fight on."

James O'Donovan Awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions at Abucay Hacienda

On the Abucay Line - Day 1 - Jan 17

The First day on the Abucay Line began well. At first they advanced with light opposition, eventually recapturing the command post of the 51st division, which had been surrounded by the enemy. As the day progressed the advancing elements began to lose contact with neighboring units, the terrain became steep and woody, and they began to stumble upon enemy positions. In his book Tell MacArthur To Wait, An army surgeon Ralph Hibbs described what he saw there:

"I could see our men charging forward, hitting the ground and crawling. Were they hit? Suddenly, one would jump up and run pell mell straight towards the enemy, spraying lead core with their sub-machine gun or automatic rife, then drop down spreadeagled on his elbows. Another soldier would charge forward. This was what bravery was all about."

The timetable for counter attack was set for 0815 on Jan 17, 1942. 1st and 2nd battalions marched abreast from a line of departure into enemy territory consisting of tall grass and sugar cane and broken at intervals by ravines, mango groves, bamboo and Palm trees. Major Jim O'Donovan was the Executive officer of 2nd Battalion (500 men) and accompanied the advance guard, G Company (100 men) as they approached toward the hidden enemy. Soon they encountered sniper fire and mortars coming out of sugar cane fields. Jim, with a patrol from G Company advanced around the cane fields, dropping into a deep ravine. The book Bataan, Our Last Ditch describes what happened next:

"The battalion executive officer led some of G Company's men up the ravine and to within thirty feet of the enemy. The six Americans spread into a line and prepared to throw grenades. They tossed the grenades, "and then we all started firing," recalled Private First Class Albert Taylor. "I couldn't see the enemy but I could hear them". The Japanese responded with their own grenades, wounding Taylor, Major O'Donovan, and three others. The small party of Americans withdrew, most heading toward the aid station."

Another account of this incident is described in the book The 31st Infantry Regiment as follows:

"Because the terrain in the 2d Battalion’s zone was overgrown with dense vegetation and segmented by ravines and ridges, soldiers became separated from their comrades. In one such incident, Privates Michael J. Campbell, Albert L. Taylor, and George L. Bullock of G Company found themselves isolated when their platoon fell back under enemy mortar and small arms fire. Joining a five-man patrol from an adjacent company, the group advanced deeper into enemy territory, only to be stopped by a sudden outburst of fire that wounded five members of the patrol. Japanese troops advanced on their exposed position, moving in short rushes preceded by grenade attacks. Tenaciously clinging to his position for two hours, Private Campbell and his comrades picked off at least twelve of the enemy trying to overrun them. Campbell withdrew only after the wounded reached safety and after receiving a direct order from his commanding officer (O'Donovan) to withdraw. "

Of that day, Captain Donald G Thompson recalled the event in a letter:

"He went out on patrols seeking information of the Japs. He was fearless and gained much valued information. He was wounded in the arm on one of these patrols, reported to the hospital had his arm fixed and reported back to the Battalion for more duty. All in one day! "

Major O'Donovan was awarded The Purple Heart on that day. The citation reads:

Day 2 - Jan 18

Jim's injury was patched up and he returned to the front lines for more action. On the second day, the second regiment (45th) arrived and plans were made to coordinate their unit into the fight. Plans were made for the following day.

James O'Donovan Awarded the Purple Heart for Injury at Abucay Hacienda

Day 3- Jan 19 - More action and another injury

Jim was leading the attack on the third day of battle at Abucay Hacienda, once again personally taking the fight to the enemy and taking injuries as a result.

Communication was hampered by the absence of radio-communications and the reliance on runners to pass messages. Consequently, the company commanders did not know what their orders were. In response to a runner asking for orders, Jim personally came to the front, issued a general command to attack and personally led 2 platoons against enemy positions. The objective was to clear a mango tree grove of Japanese troops, pushing them back to the Main Line of Resistance. The attack began about 5pm and progressed well into the night. Contact was made with the enemy, a raging firefight ensued and Jim took a gunshot to the head. For the second time in 3 days, Jim was hospitalized.

Captain Pray, G Company Commander recalled the event years later:

"...I sent word back to Battalion. A while later Maj. O'Donovan, Battalion Executive Officer, came back and said "Attack at once." One rifle platoon and the weapons platoon went up Trail #12 with Maj O'Donovan and one platoon went with me up a dry waterfall...We were directly on the flank of the Mango Grove in a draw about 10-15 ft deep and could hear the Japs talking... the frontal group (with Maj O'Donovan) opened up with the 3 Browning Assault Rifles (B.A.R.), 2 light machine guns, and rifle fire...The Japs returned the fire with heavy and light Machine Guns....Several grenades were thrown - some had defective primers and didn't go off. The Japs retaliated with a few, but I don't think they knew exactly where we were. The other group (O'Donovan's) had several casualties, used up their ammunition - two B.A.R.'s and one Machine Gun hit- and they withdrew into the ravine. A runner from Battalion met them and told them to withdraw to their former position. "

In a letter written by Captain Donald G Thompson, commander of L Company to Jim O'Donovan's widow he recalled:

"Upon another patrol Jim was slightly wounded in the head by a Jap sniper. He was down for only 3 days that time."

The 3-day stay in the hospital is corroborated by field hospital records which document his stay in "General Hospital #1, Camp Limay, Bataan, P.I." from Jan 19th- Jan 21st.

A week later Jim's wife received a Western Union Telegram from the Adjutant General Adams stating:

"DEEPLY REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR HUSBAND MAJOR JAMES JOSEPH O'DONOVAN WAS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED IN ACTION IN PHILIPPINE ISLANDS JANUARY NINTEENTH. PROGRESS REPORTS WILL BE FORWARDED AS RECEIVED."

Day 6 - Jan 22 - Return to the field, burning canes, sniper hunting

Jim Returned to the front lines after a 3 day hospital stay, took command of 1st Battalion and commenced very aggressively to seek out and destroy the enemy. At the same time, the Japanese were ramping up attacks . Captain Don Thompson summarized in a letter why, although being injured, he was still put into action:

"Coming back (from the 3 day hospital stay) he was given command of the 1^st Battalion, when the Battalion Commanding Officer was killed. He commanded the 1^st Battalion until the night of the withdrawal from the Abucay positions. "

A Bataan historical website summarized the situation on Jan 22 as:

"Attacks and counterattacks on 22 January 1942 changed nothing on the ground along the Abucay Line. It seemed both sides were merely exchanging casualties in men and losses in equipment without gain....Artillery and air attacks hit the 1st Battalion of the 31st infantry the hardest. The amount of ordnance on the battlefield raised clouds of dust which obscured the approach of the Japanese infantry. Philippine Scouts in L Company, 3rd Infantry Battalion saw a fire start on their right flank in a cane field that covered the position of the 1st Battalion. Under artillery and aerial bombardment, in smoke and flames the situation quickly became chaotic"

The fire mentioned was probably set by Jim, because it is vividly described by PFC Wilburn Snyder in the book Death March: The survivors of Bataan as follows:

"The Sugar cane at the Abucay Hacienda was tall enough to gather. It was also tall enough to hide the Japs who used to infiltrate our lines. So one of our officers, a major, decides to burn down the cane fields and he gets himself some gasoline and starts to burn them down. Now this major was a good officer, he doesn’t say, “Private, you go out there and set the cane field.” Instead, he does it himself. He always wore two .38s. Well, he spreads this gasoline all throughout the cane field so he can really get it burning. Whether he banged two cans together causing a spark or what, I don’t know, but while he’s in the cane field it stars on fire. Huge conflagration. We all knew he was in there, but no one could go in to get him. The fire was so hot. Then, all of a sudden, he steps out of the flame and all he’s wearing are those two .38s. He done had all his clothes burnt off. Man, we ran up to him and said, “Major, we’ve got to get you back to the hospital.” “Hospital?” he said. “All I need is some new clothes.”

Another version of this story was told after the war by Author, Sgt Abie Abraham who recalled in his book Ghost of Bataan:

"I saw many of my close friends die... Major James O'Donovan, a tough fighter and a brave one. He had gone with three of us into a sugar cane field in Bataan, set it on fire and driven the Japanese out."

In a personal letter to the Jim's family after the war, Sgt Abraham recounted the story again:

"One time he asked me can we drive the Japs from the sugar cane field? I said “why go after the Japs, let’s set the cane field on fire”. This we did. We drove the few Japs out and the scouts caught them going into the jungle and wiped them out ."

Finally, in a video interview years after the war, Richard M. Gordon described the event:

@T=16:00 “We had a Major Donovan, and he found a way to get rid of them. He circled the sugar cane field and set it on fire. And Japanese came out of there in a hurry. And it was sort of a duck shoot at that point in time. “

This day as well as many days on the Abucay Line snipers were an ever present danger. In the book Bataan Uncensored , by Col E.B. Miller, it states:

"They would watch particularly for officers and non commissioned officers, and would pick them off. ..The situation grew so bad, that it became necessary to form combat patrols with the express mission of clearing out snipers."

MAJ O'Donovan was known to lead missions to hunt snipers. Indeed MAJ Bill Miner wrote in his book Surrender on Cebu:

"When the war did come, (Jim) was a battalion commander in the 31st infantry and made a wonderful record for himself with his men. I am told he wore two guns and had several snipers to his credit."

Jim was leading from the front and making a name for himself for aggressiveness and courage under fire. On that day Army Medical surgeon Ralph Hibbs recalled seeing MAJ O'Donovan , writing about it in his book Tell MacArthur to Wait:

"About the sixth day of our offensive, a Capt. O'Donovan from the 1st Battalion showed up. He had a sub-machine gun with bandoleers of .45 shells draped across both shoulders. Excitedly he chided the men along our lines, including the officers "Come with me and you'll get medals; lets bell the cat"

REF

Legacy of Heroes: The Story of Bataan and Corregidor

Day 9 - Jan 25 - Withdrawal from Abucay Line - Commanding the Shell

On this day, Major O'Donovan commanded the protective shell of 3 Companies of the 31st whose task it was to stay behind and fight, while 3/4 of the Regiment withdrew. At the appointed time, the shell would fall back beyond a place where tanks would be positioned to cover their retreat. This mission was very dangerous but essential to the successful withdrawal of the regiment. Years later Dr Ralph Hibbs stated in his book:

"Our machine guns clattered incessantly. Our protective shell was holding. Thank God for the brave and determined men who remained behind."

About the withdrawal on the last night, Captain Don G. Thompson wrote to Jim's wife after the war:

"I was with Jim throughout that long, terrible, night. Fighting Japs continuously until 7:00 in the next morning! He was an inspiration to me, as well as all the men in the covering force for his fearlessness, his good judgement and his superior commanding ability. How we got out of that action that night I’ll never know, but Jim O'Donovan had a great deal to do with it!"

The following text is snipped from an after action report by MAJ Everett Mead, 31st Infantry, written in 1947:

"On 25 January, at 1430, the regimental C.O. 31st Infantry (US) received orders to withdraw that evening starting at 2030. One company from each battalion was to act as covering shell for the rest of the regiment. The route of the withdrawal was down the trail to Abucay on the main North-South road, then south on the main road to a barrio near Wawa."

"Just as the regiment was preparing to withdraw, the Japs seemed to sense it, and launched a terrific night attack. After that attack, Japs were piled high in front of machine gun emplacements almost too high to fire over. They almost reached our lines this time, due to the reduced strength of the companies and the lack of fire power. After the attack was repulsed, the withdrawal was continued as ordered. As the troops came out of the line, marching slowly and laboriously, they looked like walking dead men. They had a blank stare in their eyes and there faces, covered with beards, lacked and semblance of expression. They hadn't been able to wash or shave for nine days; their clothes were in shreds-- they looked like anything but and efficient fighting force, and little wonder, considering the days just past and their state of malnutrition."

"The covering shell was to withdraw at 0300, 26 January 1942. As they started to withdraw, the Japs again launched an attack. The covering shell was forced to fight a delaying action until they were screened by the tanks that were serving as movable pill boxes... As the covering shell passed behind the screen of waiting tanks and SPs (self propelled guns), they were followed quite closely by Japanese in force. The Japanese either did not see the waiting tanks or plain didn't care...after the tanks were finished with them, there was approximately 1000 less Japs for the Emperor to count, or count on for further service."