Wendell Fertig

Wendell Fertig
Colonel Wendell Fertig, 1963
Nickname(s)	"Tatay" (the Old Man, Father)
Born	(1900-12-16)December 16, 1900 La Junta, Colorado
Died	March 24, 1975(1975-03-24) (aged 74) Colorado
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1928–1954
Rank	Colonel
Commands held	Commanding Officer, 10th Military District – Mindanao
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Bataan Battle of Corregidor Philippine resistance against Japan Korean War
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal
Alma mater	Colorado School of Mines
Other work	Mining and Civil Engineer businessman

Wendell Fertig (December 16, 1900 – March 24, 1975)^[1] was an American civil engineer, in the American-administered Commonwealth of the Philippines, who organized and commanded an American-Filipino guerrilla force on the Japanese-occupied, southern Philippine island of Mindanao during World War II. Fertig's widely scattered guerrilla force numbered approximately 32,000.^[2] He faced about 50,000 Japanese soldiers, mostly garrison troops in towns and cities.^[3]

Fertig held a U.S. Army reserve commission and was called into military service before the war in the Pacific began. Ordered from Corregidor before its surrender to the Japanese, he was sent to Mindanao to assume command of engineer activities there. Almost as soon as he arrived, the U.S. Army forces on Mindanao surrendered, but Fertig refused to do so.^[4] Fertig used his knowledge of the Filipino people to organize them into a guerrilla army and civilian government. He also used his engineering knowledge to solve problems in supply and construction.^[5]

Fertig led the guerrillas against the Japanese and their collaborators, mostly in hit-and-run raids and vital coast watching activities.^[6] After making contact with U.S. forces in the Pacific, the guerrillas began to receive supplies, but never enough to stage large-scale attacks. More than once, the Japanese made efforts to suppress and destroy elements of Fertig's guerrilla army, committing large numbers of troops for this purpose. At those times, Fertig had his forces retreat and disperse before the Japanese advance and respond with pinprick attacks on small, isolated Japanese units.^[7] This continued until American forces returned to the Philippines in late 1944 and 1945.

After the war, Fertig returned to his civilian engineering career, but retained his reserve commission. He spent four years as commander of the ROTC detachment at the Colorado School of Mines, his Alma mater, and served in a U.S.-based psychological warfare unit during the Korean War.^[8] Leaving active duty in the mid-1950s, he ran a Colorado mining company until his death. During his post-war years he was regarded as a hero by the people of Mindanao, and was a respected figure among the U.S. Special Forces.^[8][9] One authority lists him among the top ten guerrilla leaders in history.^[1] However, several of Fertig's subordinates and contemporaries were critical of his leadership and the literature extolling his wartime activities.