Philippine Scouts

Philippine Scouts
Philippine Scouts shoulder sleeve insignia from 1921–1947 was the head of the carabao (water buffalo) which symbolized the Philippines. The colors red and gold represented the islands' Spanish colonial roots.
Active1901–1948
Country United States
 Philippines
Allegiance United States (1901–1946)  Republic of the Philippines
(1946–1948)
Branch United States Army

Philippine Division
24th Field Artillery Regiment
25th Field Artillery Regiment
26th Cavalry Regiment (PS)
31st Infantry Regiment
43d Infantry Regiment (PS)
44th Infantry Regiment
45th Infantry Regiment (PS)
57th Infantry Regiment (PS)
91st Coast Artillery

92nd Coast Artillery Regiment
Colorsred and gold
Mascot(s)Carabao
EngagementsPhilippine–American War
Moro Rebellion
Palawan Uprising
World War II
Philippine Scouts at Fort William McKinley firing a 37mm anti-tank gun in training.

The Philippine Scouts (Filipino: Maghahanap ng Pilipinas/Hukbong Maghahanap ng Pilipinas) was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 until after the end of World War II. These troops were generally Filipinos and Filipino-Americans assigned to the United States Army Philippine Department, under the command of American commissioned officers (though a handful of Filipino Americans received commissions from the United States Military Academy). Philippine Scout units were given the suffix "(PS)", to distinguish them from other U.S. Army units.

The first Scout companies were organized by the U.S. in 1901 to combat the Philippine Revolutionary Army led at that time by General Emilio Aguinaldo. In 1919–1920, the PS companies were grouped into regiments as part of the United States Army and redesignated the 43d, 44th, 45th, and 57th Infantry Regiments, plus the 24th and 25th Field Artillery Regiments, the 26th Cavalry Regiment (PS) and the 91st and 92nd Coast Artillery Regiments. Service and support formations were also organized as engineer, medical, quartermaster and military police units. The infantry and field artillery regiments were grouped together with the U.S. 31st Infantry Regiment to form the U.S. Army's Philippine Division. At this point, the Scouts became the U.S. Army's front line troops in the Pacific.

The Philippine Department assigned the Scouts to subdue the Moro tribes on the island of Mindanao (see Moro rebellion), and to establish tranquility throughout the islands. In the 1930s, Philippine Scouts, along with the 31st Infantry Regiment, saw action at Jolo, Palawan.

Philippine Scout regiments became the first United States Army units to be in combat during World War II, until the surrender of USAFFE in May 1942. Even after that some individual soldiers and units refused to surrender and became beginning elements of the resistance to the Japanese occupation. Later paroled POWs would also join the resistance.