Medal of Honor: Jose Calugas – World War II – Philippines – January 1942
When an artillery position was shattered and its crew silenced, he refused to let the gun die. Crossing open ground under fire, he turned destruction into resistance.
January 16, 2026
Name: Jose Calugas
Rank: Sergeant
Organization: U.S. Army
Unit: Battery B, 88th Field Artillery, Philippine Scouts
Place: Culis, Bataan Province, Philippine Islands
Entered Service At: Fort Stotsenburg, Philippine Islands
Born: Barrio Tagsing, Leon, Iloilo, Philippine Islands
Summary of Action
On 16 January 1942, during the desperate defense of the Bataan Peninsula, Sergeant Jose Calugas was serving as a mess sergeant with a Philippine Scouts artillery unit near Culis. During a fierce Japanese bombardment, an exposed battery gun position was struck repeatedly by enemy artillery and aerial attack. One gun was disabled, and every member of its crew was either killed or wounded.
Without orders and fully aware of the danger, Sgt. Calugas voluntarily ran approximately 1,000 yards across open, shell-swept terrain to reach the shattered gun position. Upon arrival, he found the position devastated and under continued enemy fire. Undeterred, he gathered a group of volunteers, organized them into a functioning gun crew, and directed the effort to place the disabled artillery piece back into operation.
Despite constant and heavy Japanese artillery fire, Sgt. Calugas and his improvised crew brought the gun back into action and fired effectively against the enemy. His decisive leadership and fearless example restored a critical weapon to the defense at a moment when every gun mattered.
Sergeant Calugas’ courage under fire and refusal to abandon a silenced position provided vital resistance during the opening weeks of the war in the Pacific and stood as a powerful example of determination and devotion to duty.
Medal of Honor Citation
