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Sergeant · U.S. Army

Jose Calugas

Sergeant Jose Calugas, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on January 16, 1942 in Culis, Bataan Province, Luzon, Philippine Islands during World War II.

World War II January 16, 1942Born in Philippines

Sergeant Jose Calugas, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on January 16, 1942 in Culis, Bataan Province, Luzon, Philippine Islands during World War II. At the time he was serving with Philippine Scouts, Battery B, 1st Battalion, 88th Field Artillery, 23d Division. Calugas was 34 years old.

The medal was presented on April 30, 1945, 3 years after the action. Pampanga, Camp Olivas, Philippine Islands, presented by Maj. Gen. Richard Marshall. He later rose to the rank of Captain.

Calugas was born on December 29, 1907 in Leon, Iloilo, Panay, Philippine Islands — one of 6 recipients born in Philippines. His Medal of Honor is credited to Fort Stotsenburg, Luzon, Philippine Islands. Calugas died on January 18, 1998 in Tacoma, Washington, at the age of 90. He is buried at Mountain View Memorial Park in Tacoma, Washington. His medal is held by Fort Sam Houston Museum, San Antonio, TX.

Calugas is one of 474 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II.

Official Medal of Honor citation

The action for which the award was made took place near Culis, Bataan Province, Philippine Islands, on 16 January 1942. A battery gun position was bombed and shelled by the enemy until one gun was put out of commission and all the cannoneers were killed or wounded. Sgt. Calugas, a mess sergeant of another battery, voluntarily and without orders ran 1,000 yards across the shell-swept area to the gun position. There he organized a volunteer squad which placed the gun back in commission and fired effectively against the enemy, although the position remained under constant and heavy Japanese artillery fire.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: World War II.

Life beyond the battlefield

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Leon — map
  • Died: Tacoma — map
  • Buried: Mountain View Memorial Park — map

Timeline

  1. December 29, 1907
    Born in Leon, Iloilo, Panay, Philippine Islands
  2. January 16, 1942
    Act of valor — Culis, Bataan Province, Luzon, Philippine Islands
    Age 34. Philippine Scouts, Battery B, 1st Battalion, 88th Field Artillery, 23d Division
  3. April 30, 1945
    Medal of Honor presented
    Pampanga, Camp Olivas, Philippine Islands, presented by Maj. Gen. Richard Marshall
  4. January 18, 1998
    Died in Tacoma, Washington
    Age 90.
  5. Resting place
    Mountain View Memorial Park
    Tacoma, Washington

Biography

Jose Cabalfin Calugas (December 29, 1907 – January 18, 1998) was a member of the Philippine Scouts during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Battle of Bataan. At the age of 23, Calugas joined the Philippine Scouts of the United States Army and completed training as an artilleryman and served with different artillery batteries of the Philippine Scouts until his unit was mobilized to fight in World War II. After noticing one of his unit's gun batteries had been put out of commission and its crew killed, he gathered several members of his unit together, dug in and attempted to defend the line.

From the Wikipedia article “Jose Calugas”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Further reading

Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.