Department of the Philippines

Philippine Department
Philippine Command Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Active	13 January 1911 – 9 April 1942
Country	United States
Part of	War Department
Garrison/HQ	Fort Santiago, Manila, Luzon
March	World War II

The Philippine Department (Filipino: Kagawaran ng Pilipinas/Hukbong Kagawaran ng Pilipinas) was a regular United States Army unit whose mission was to defend the Philippine Islands and train the Philippine Army. On 9 April 1942, during World War II, the unit surrendered to the Japanese. The Department and its sub-units were predominantly under the command of American officers, including an American general, while the majority of the troops were enlisted Filipinos, known as the Philippine Scouts (PS). The primary force of this Department was the Philippine Division. Of the 22,532 troops, 10,473 were members of the Philippine Division itself.

All units of the Department wore the Philippine Department shoulder sleeve insignia, with the exception of the Philippine Division, which wore their own patch: a golden carabao on a red shield.

Officially, the Philippine Department’s insignia featured the Philippine Sea Lion, in white, superimposed on a blue oval with a height of 2.5 inches. The Sea Lion is derived from the coat of arms of Manila. The Philippine Department and Philippine Division insignia were both approved on 8 July 1922.

This unit was formally organized in 1913 and, on 26 July 1941, was attached to US Army Forces – Far East (USAFFE). Following the creation of USAFFE, the Philippine Department became, in effect, a corps area service command. Tactical command was thenceforth under USAFFE's control.

At the time of USAFFE's formation the unit consisted of 22,532 troops. Of the 1,340 officers, 775 were reservists. 7,293 troops were assigned to the infantry and 4,967 were assigned to the Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. ~2,500 troops served in a service or supply position, mainly quartermaster or medical units. The majority of the department's troops were stationed on Luzon.