The Belangiga Massacre and Bells-- Part 1: What Was It?

In the last post I wrote about two of the Belangiga Bells of the Philippines being at Francis Warren AFB in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and being returned a few years ago.  I'd never heard of this, so....

From Wikipedia.

Date September  29, 1901

Place:  Belangiga, Samor, Philippines

Result:  Filipino victory

Also called the Belangiga Incident and Belangiga Conflict.  Took place during the Philippine-American War.

About 49 members of the U.S. 9th Infantry killed by the townspeople, allegedly aided by Filipino guerrillas.

It has been described as the worst massacre of U.S. troops since  the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876.

--Cooter

Francis Warren AFB-- Part 3: Fort Russel and "Black Jack" Pershing

In 1906, Secretary of War  William Howard Taft recommended an expansion for Fort Russell to brigade-size and by 1910, there were a lot more buildings.  Artillery units were assigned to the fort as well.

From 1913-1916, during the Mexican Revolution, artillery units were stationed along the border to keep the struggle from  coming to U.S. territory. During World War I, the fort served as a mobilization point and training facility for field artillery and cavalry units.

When the war began, Fort Russell became one of the largest stateside Army posts.

Quarters No. 2 at the post were for the second in command and  at one time the family of John J. "Black Jack" Pershing lived there.  He later led U.S. Forces in World War I.    He had married the daughter of Francis E. Warren.  Within two years of his marriage to Helen Frances Warren in 1905, Pershing was raised four ranks from captain to brigadier general.  Something unheard of in those days.

It is suspected that being married to the daughter of a very powerful U.S. senator and a personal favorite of Theodore Roosevelt had something to do with it.

For the post's role in World War II, go to my Tattooed On Your Soul:  World War II blog.

--Cooter

Francis E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, Wyoming-- Part 2: Fort Russell

The Air Force base was originally named Fort D.A. Russell when it was established in 1867 to protect workers on the Union Pacific Railroad.   In 1930, the fort's name was changed to Fort Francis E. Warren. In 1949, it became Francis E. Warren Air Force Base.

It was the home of three black regiments, the famed Buffalo soldiers, for much of the late 19th century.  By 1900, Fort Russell was one of the largest cavalry bases in the United States.

In 1898, the Spanish-American War renewed the importance of the post.    Soon afterwards, the 8th Cavalry  left for Cuba.    Later that year, the Wyoming National Guard mustered in at Fort Russell.  In the Battle of Manila, the Wyoming National Guard were the first to reach the city and raise the flag.

In 1901, troops from Fort Russell returned to the Philippines  to put down the insurrection for independence during the Philippine-American War.  They returned with a Queen Mary Tudor cannon forged in 1557 and two of the three Belangiga bells, which had been used by the insurrectionists as a signal to launch an ambush on American troops.

The bells were returned to the Philippines in 2018.  The seven-foot cannon,  the only one of its kind in the U.S. is on display near the base flagpole.

--Cooter