Japanese invasion of Cotabato

Japanese invasion of Cotabato City
Part of Sakaguchi Landings
Date April 29, 1941 – May 12, 1942 Location Cotabato, Cotabato Result Japanese victory
Belligerents
United States of America  Commonwealth of the Philippines	Empire of Japan
Commanders and leaders
William F. Sharp Joseph P. Vachon Russell J. Nelson William Baldwin Paul Schultz Calixto Duque Francisco Donesa	Kawaguchi Kiyotake
Units involved
"""Ground Units:"""" Mindanao Force 101st Infantry Division 102nd Infantry Regiment 2nd Battalion 104th Infantry Regiment 2nd Battalion 103rd Infantry Regiment 3rd Battalion 101st Field Artillery 2nd Battalion Philippine Constabulary 3rd PC Infantry Regiment Air units: US Army Air Corps 28th US Bombardment Squadron	"""Ground units:""" Kawaguchi Detachment 9th Infantry Brigade Armored Detachment Artillery Detachment
Strength
4,600 Troops 2x QF 2.95inch Guns	3,560 Troops 4 Destroyers 18 Armored Vehicles Artillery Guns

Japanese invasion of Cotabato is one of the three landings made by Japanese Army during their

sieged of Mindanao. The landings in west coast of Mindanao took place in Zamboanga City in Zamboanga Province, Malabang in Lanao Province, and in towns Cotabato and Parang of Cotabato Province. Kawaguchi Detachment objective was to move towards Kabacan and link up with Muira Detachment who was driving west from Digos, Davao to control Sayre Highway from the southern terminus of it, which under the area of responsibility of 101st Infantry Division assigned in Cotabato-Davao Sector.^[1]

Japanese was able to reached their objective on May 3, 1942, which created confusion among the troops of the Filipino and Americans defending the area due to sudden infiltration of the Japanese in Pikit town just few miles from Kabacan. The landing further inland in Pikit gave more complications on the Cotabato subsector forces forcing the Digos subsector to retreat to Kabacan.^[2]