Mindanao Force

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Mindanao Force
Hukbong Lakas ng Mindanao
Active	March 17, 1942 – May 9, 1942
Disbanded	May 10, 1942
Country	Commonwealth of the Philippines
Allegiance	United States Army
Branch	United States Army United States Army Air Corps United States Navy Philippine Scouts Philippine Army Philippine Constabulary
Type	Corps
Role	Territorial Defense
Size	35,780
Part of	United States Forces in the Philippines Visayas-Mindanao Force
Garrison/HQ	Del Monte Fields Camp Casisang
Equipment	M1903 Springfield Bolt Action Rifle M1917 Enfield Bolt Action Rifle M1928 Thompson .45 ACP Submachinegun M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle M1917 Browning .30 Caliber Machinegun (Water Cooled) M2 Browning .50 Caliber Heavy Machinegun QF 2.95inch Mountain Guns M1935 37mm Carriage Guns
Engagements	Battle of Davao Battle of Bogo Battle of Tagaloan Battle of Mangayon Canyon Battle of Cotabato Battle of Zamboanga Battle of Malabang
Decorations	US Presidential Unit Citation Philippine President
Battle honours	US Presidential Unit Citation Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Commanders
Notable commanders	Major General William F. Sharp, USA
Aircraft flown
Bomber	B17 Boeing Flying Fortress
Fighter	P40 Curtiss Warhawk P35 Seversky
Transport	C47 Skymaster C46 Commando

Mindanao Force is a corps size military unit defending the island of Mindanao the second largest Island of the Philippines from March 17, 1942, to its surrender on May 9, 1942. The force was already created when the Visayas-Mindanao Force was split into two in March 1942. It was initiated in February 1942 in the headquarters of US Army Forces in the Far East but took effect when General Douglas MacArthur departed for Australia on March 17, 1942.^[1]

Visayas-Mindanao Force (VMF) commander Major General William F. Sharp assumed command of the force since he moved his previous headquarters in January in that year. He retained his staffs from his previous VMF HQ to his Mindanao Force HQ and released Visayan Force to Brigadier General Bradford Chynoweth. Along with Luzon Force and Harbor Defense of Manila and Subic, both headquarters are to report directly to US Forces in the Philippines HQ in Corregidor under Lieutenant General Jonathan Wainwright IV.

Main mission of Mindanao Force is to protect Del Monte Field and construct more air fields around Mindanao so supplies from Australia can be flown in preparation for the relief of the Philippine Garrison by General MacArthur. This was not materialized due to the grip of the Japanese forces in the Philippines and its surrender on May 10, 1942.