This set of documents originates from the United States Forces in the Philippines (USFIP), 7th Military District, which oversaw organized Filipino and American guerrilla resistance on the islands of Negros and Siquijor during the Japanese Occupation of World War II. The records span from August to December 1944, a critical period leading up to the final liberation campaigns. The two Casualty Reports on Private First Class Guillermo Semeroso (killed after capture and torture in Dumaguete) and Sergeant Vicente Diac (killed in action at Sibulan) provide stark, personalized evidence of the human cost and brutality of the anti-Japanese resistance in Negros Oriental. They are primary records of the Filipino military contribution, serving in US-organized units like the 72nd Infantry. The third document, a December 1944 administrative letter from Major Jaime V. Presbiero of the HQ 73rd Provisional Division to the Adjutant General (Captain I. D. Tate), concerns the bureaucratic need for "latest efficiency report" forms and clarification on reporting periods. This administrative correspondence is significant as it demonstrates the transition of the USFIP from an isolated guerrilla force to a more formally organized military entity preparing for or supporting the American liberation forces' return. Collectively, the documents highlight the simultaneous nature of combat, administration, and supreme sacrifice within the local resistance movement on Negros Island.
USFIP 7th Military District: World War II Casualty and Administrative Reports from Negros Oriental, 1944