The
California Military Museum
- Preserving California's Military Heritage
- Camp
San Luis Obispo
- Bataan Memorial
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- At a Roadblock
on the Road to Bataan
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- LUZON, PHILIPPINE
ISLANDS, DECEMBER 26, 1941
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- While the main attention
of the beleaguered United States. forces in the Philippines was
focused on Japanese Columns streaming inland from the Lingayen
Gulf in the west, another enemy force came ashore on the east
coast of Luzon at Lamon Bay. Company C 194th Tank Battalion from
Salinas, California, was attached to a Filipino army regiment
near the town of Lucban. The 2d platoon was ordered to make a
show of force that would take it down a narrow trail. As the
tank, commanded by SSgt. Emil C. Morello, rounded a sharp curve
it came face-to-face with an enemy roadblock. Without any hesitation,
the tank smashed into the roadblock and the Japanese gun behind
it. Before being hit, Morello's tank fired on other gun positions.
After pretending to be dead, Morello and his crew escaped the
next morning only to be either killed or captured, along with
the other members of the 192d and 194th Tank Battalions, at Bataan.
These two battalions were National Guard units with companies
from California, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
For their gallantry in action, both units were awarded three
Presidential Unit Citations. Today's lst Battalion, 149th Armor,
California Army National Guard carries on the gallant traditions
of the 194th Tank Battalion.
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