Bacsil Ridge

Bacsil Ridge is a historical site in San Fernando City, La Union, Philippines. It was the scene of a fierce battle between the Filipino-American forces and the Japanese invaders during World War II. Here are some facts that I found from the web:

• Bacsil Ridge is located in Barangay Bacsil, about 10 kilometers east of the city proper. It is a mountainous terrain that was the border of the Japanese Line established in mid-January 1945.

• The battle of Bacsil Ridge was fought on March 19, 1945 by the joint 121st Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the United States Army Forces in the Philippines-Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL), under the command of Colonel Russell W. Volckmann, and the Japanese Imperial forces under General Tomoyuki Yamashita.

• The Filipino-American forces launched a surprise attack on the Japanese positions, using artillery, mortars, and machine guns. They managed to break through the enemy lines and capture the ridge after a fierce hand-to-hand combat. The battle resulted in the death of about 500 Japanese soldiers and 40 Filipino-American soldiers.

• The capture of Bacsil Ridge paved the way for the liberation of San Fernando City on March 23, 1945 and Bacnotan on May 15, 1945. It was one of the major victories of the Filipino-American forces in the Philippines Campaign.

• A monument stands on the ridge to commemorate the brave soldiers who fought and died in the battle. It was erected by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in 2016. The monument features a bronze sculpture of a soldier holding a rifle and a flag, surrounded by plaques that tell the story of the battle.