Jose Calugas

Jose Calugas

Jose 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.

Calugus was born on December 29, 1907 in Barrio Tagsing, Leon, Iloilo, Philippines.

Calugas was a Sergeant in Battery B of the 88th Field Artillery of the Philippine Scouts when he was awarded the medal on January 6, 1942 at Culis in the Bataan Province. When he witnessed that a nearby Scout gun position was put out of commission due to heavy Japanese bombing, Calugas ran over a 1000 yards across open field, gathered a volunteer squad and put the gun back into commission once again rendering the gun position as an effective means to repulse the oncoming Japanese units.

Calugas eventually retired from the army with the rank of Captain and settled in the U.S. at Tacoma, Washington. He died in Tacoma in February 1998 at age 90.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Battery B, 88th Field Artillery, Philippine Scouts. Place and date: At Culis, Bataan Province, Philippine Islands, 16 January 1942. Entered service at: Fort Stotsenburg, Philippine Islands. Born: 29 December 1907, Barrio Tagsing, Leon, %Iloilo, Philippine Islands. G.O. No.: 10, 24 February 1942.

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 1 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.