Originally Posted on 09:23:30 10/08/03

I am now back in Falls Church, VA, after spending the fall semester at VMI, teaching a seminar on Counterproliferation and National Security. I pretty much could let the daily news set my lesson plans.

Attached is a photo of C Company, 14th Engineers (PS), taken on the parade ground at Fort William McKinley in October 1937. My father, the CO, retired from the Army in 1964 as a Major General after, inter alia, tours as Asst Chief of Engineers for Military Operations, CG of Fort Belvoir, and as the first Chief the Office of Personnel Operations for the Army. He later joined Radio Free Europe as Director of Budget and Finance.

The Company XO, Jack Graham, also retired as a General, and then headed the building of the Washington, DC, Metro system.

I hadn't noticed, until I enlarged the picture, that in typical Engineer fashion, there are strings laid on the ground to ensure straight lines!

Read Hanmer, Col. USA (Ret.)

Editor's Note: A photo of C Company, a panorama of the whole Battalion and other photos are available from the history page of our website--click on "see photos" in the black margin.)

I have been provided with a list of the 82 NCO's of the Bn. as of 9/30/41.  They were divided fairly evenly between the Headquarters Service Company, and the six combat engineer Companies "A" through "F".  As this was slightly over two months before WWII broke out, this listing should be accurate for the beginning of hostilities.  Editor

Renee,

I noticed this name is also enter on the Scout web site and you have several replies there.  I am sure you know of this and am "just giving a courtesy answer here",

Regards,

Tom McGeeney

Colonel Hanmer,

      Do you happen to have documents or location describing the participation of the 14th Engineer Regiment during the battle of Bataan.  
      Did they fight the enemy as infantrymen?  If so, were they awarded the Combat Infantryman badge in accordance with guidelines solely pertaining to the time period of service?

Robert E. Johnson

According to the Department of the Army Panphlet 672-1. the 14th Engineer Regiment earned the Distinguished Unit Citation (Presientail Unit Citation).
All recipients of the PUC during the battles are entitled the Bronze Star Medal.
Furthermore, the unit earned the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.
Since he lost his life, he is entitled the Purple Heart among other awards and decorations.
If you are interested to pursue posthumous awards and decorations, I woild be happy to assist.

Robert

ladyrt007 wrote on May 27^th, 2006, 9:52pm:

I heard a story from my mom that her father, TSgt. Dionisio Villarta ordered them to leave the place (San Clemente, Tarlac) because they would demolish the bridge to delay the advancement of the Japanese forces. My grandfather was a Philippine Scouts of the Headquarters and Service Company, 14th Engineer Regiment. Could this be the photo? The one standing and holding a reel of blasting wire could be my grandfather?

I posted a full body photo of him at the Scouts topic.

scotisle wrote on Jun 13^th, 2012, 10:19pm:

Thanks Cedric for sharing this panoramic photo of the 14th Engineering Regiment. This time they had their hats on. Is it possible that you could positively identify my grandfather from that panoramic pic? He was from the Headquarters and Service Company. You can verify from the photo I posted at the forum Scouts.......TSgt. Dionisio Villarta. Thanks.

OK. Thanks Cedric.

During the withdrawal into Bataan various engineer groups/unit were involved in demolitions of critical bridges, airfields, piers & other structures.  Attached is picture of a map showing all the principal demolition sites in red. These groups of engineers were under the command & control of USAFFE Engineer, COL Hugh Casey. These groups included personnel from the Commonwealth Bureau of Public Works, Philippine Scout & Philippine Army Engineers, Manila Rail Road employees, Civilian mining engineers from Baguio, to mention a few. Does anyone know of specific demolition work involving 14th Eng (PS) personnel?

Roel,

Yes, I did see your earlier post. I see from the engineer demolition map that San Clemente, Tarlac (#52 on map) was one of the bridges destroyed by demolition. I notice in the picture some railroad lines on the bridge, therefore closest railroad bridges to San Clemente would have been Ouo-Wawa #54, Baka River #55, and Tarlac #61.

Do you know when and who else was with your grandfather during the bridge demolition in San Clemente, Tarlac?

Cedric

Cedric