Wendell Fertig

66

Wendell Fertig : biography

16 December 1900 – 24 March 1975

Promoted twice by April 1942, Fertig—by then a lieutenant colonel—was sent from Bataan (on Luzon) to Mindanao by General Edward P. King (Luzon Force Commander) to assist General William F. Sharp (Mindanao Force Commander) in the construction of airfields. In They Fought Alone, the author states that Lt. Colonel Fertig was ordered off Corregidor to join General Douglas MacArthur’s headquarters in Australia. However, since he was not known to members of MacArthur’s headquarters in Australia, it is probably correct that he was ordered to Mindanao to assist American forces there. Fertig arrived on Mindanao on 30 April 1942, and was assigned to supervise the demolition of main roads and bridges to prevent their use by the Japanese.Schmidt 1982, p. 85.

Avoiding capture

After the U.S. forces in and around the island of Luzon surrendered in May 1942, Fertig decided not to give himself up to the Japanese. When another fleeing officer accompanying him asked what they were going to do, Fertig replied, "Any damn thing but surrender."Keats 1965, p. 10. During his movement from Corregidor to Mindanao, Fertig survived or avoided a number of airplane crashes.Keats 1965, p. 110. As a result, he felt that he was destined for something special. Later, after organizing the guerrilla forces on Mindanao, he wrote in this diary,

I am called on to lead a resistance movement against an implacable enemy under conditions that make victory barely possible even under the best circumstances. But I feel that I am indeed a Man of Destiny, that my course is charted and that only success lies at the end of the trail. I do not envision failure; it is obvious that the odds are against us and we will not consistently win, but if we are to win only part of the time and gain a little each time, in the end we will be successful.Keats 1965, p. 109.

Upon learning of the surrender of the American forces under General Wainwright, Fertig spent weeks crossing the mountains and jungles in an attempt to contact General Sharp. Upon learning that Sharp had surrendered his forces to the Japanese on 10 May 1942,Schmidt 1982, p. 85. Fertig then spent more weeks considering his options. Realizing that to gain face and authority, he had to wait until guerrillas contacted him.Schmidt 1982, p. 87. Fertig monitored the military and political situation in Mindanao, by means of the "jungle telegraph." Fertig also grew a red goatee, believing that it would make him look older and wiser among a people who believed that age brought wisdom.Keats 1965, p. 82.Schmidt 1982, p. 86. To the Filipinos, Fertig would become known simply as "Tatay" (the Old Man).Keats 1965, pp. 295, 382, 393, 445.

Many of the emerging guerrilla forces at that time were simply bandit groups pretending to fight the Japanese, but really using the collapse of the American-supported government to set themselves up as rulers of local areas. These groups competed with each other for territory and authority.Schmidt 1982, pp. 79–80.Keats, 1965, p. 78. On 12 September 1942,Schmidt 1982, p. 89. the leader of one strong group approached Fertig, hoping to use him as a front (i.e. representing American military forces) to assume authority over the entire island.Keats 1965, pp. 87–93. Fertig consented, but then used his knowledge of the Filipino people and the current situation in Mindanao to eventually take over the command of that group and then others.Keats 1965, p. 101. Recognizing that he needed a higher rank, so he would be taken seriously by potential recruits to his struggle, including the leaders of other existing guerrilla bands, Fertig promoted himself to brigadier general.Keats 1965, p. 91. This self-promotion to "brigadier general" did not endear him to General MacArthur or his staff,Keats 1965, p.196–197. but MacArthur did send logistical support to Fertig throughout 1943 and 1944.Schmidt 1982, p. 173.

Organizing the resistance

Japanese bombings, destruction by retreating American troops, deprivations by bandit "guerrilla" bands, and hoarding by civilians had significantly reduced available war supplies, as well as those items necessary to run an effective government. Fertig used his engineering skills and the skills of other escaped Americans and resisting Filipinos to create many supplies from scratch. For example, tuba was brewed from coconut palms to provide alcohol to fuel gasoline vehicles, batteries were recharged by soaking them in tuba, soda bottles and fence wire were used to create a telegraph to enhance communications, curtain rods were cut into pieces and shaped to provide ammunition for .30 caliber rifles, steel was shaved from automobile springs and curled to make recoiling springs for rifles, money was printed in both English and the local language using wooden blocks, and fisherman towed Japanese mines ashore to secure the explosive amatol so it could be used to make gunpowder. Soap was made from coconut oil and wood ashes. Then the soap was traded for sugar which was then used to make alcohol for fuel.Keats 1965. pp. 159–161.