Fidel Ventura Segundo (24 April 1894 – 6 January 1945) was a

Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

hero. He commanded the 1st Regular Division (Philippines) during the invasion by Japan and then survived the

Bataan Death March The Bataan Death March (Filipino: ''Martsa ng Kamatayan sa Bataan''; Spanish: ''Marcha de la muerte de Bataán'' ; Kapampangan: ''Martsa ning Kematayan quing Bataan''; Japanese: バターン死の行進, Hepburn: ''Batān Shi no Kōshin'') was ...

. Paroled from prison, Segundo was later executed for aiding the Filipino resistance forces.

Early life and education

Segundo was born in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, the son of Luciano Segundo and Paula Ventura. After completing primary school in Laoag, he attended Manila High School. Segundo then enrolled at the

University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 200 ...

as a pre-med student. Appointed to the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

, he graduated in August 1917. Segundo attended the Air Service Observation School from September 1920 to January 1921. He later graduated from the Field Artillery School battery officers' course in August 1925 and the Cavalry School troop officers' course in June 1926. Segundo married Angela G. Agcaoili in 1919. They had three sons and a daughter.

Military career

Segundo was commissioned in the

Philippine Scouts The Philippine Scouts (Filipino: ''Maghahanap ng Pilipinas'' or ''Hukbong Maghahanap ng Pilipinas'') was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 until after the end of World War II. These troops were generally Filipinos an ...

and briefly served as a temporary major during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. He commanded an artillery battery at

Camp Stotsenburg Fort Stotsenburg, during the World War II era, was the location of the Philippine Department's 26th Cavalry Regiment, 86th Field Artillery Battalion, and 88th Field Artillery Regiment; along with the Philippine Division's 23rd and 24th Fie ...

from January 1919 to September 1920 and served as a battery commander with the 24th Field Artillery from September 1926 to May 1929. Segundo was promoted to captain in November 1926 and major in June 1936. He taught military science and tactics at the University of the Philippines from 1929 to 1936. Appointed colonel in the newly created Philippine Army in 1936, Segundo led the establishment and training of its field artillery branch. Retaining his U.S. Army commission, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in August 1940. Colonel Segundo assumed command of the 2nd Infantry Regiment (Philippines) in July 1940. He was subsequently appointed superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy in August 1941 and served in that post until directed to evacuate

Baguio Baguio ( , ), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...

in December 1941. Segundo was then promoted to brigadier general in the Philippine Army and assumed command of the 1st Regular Division on 19 December 1941. Despite limited training and armament, his division participated in the defense of southern

Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...

and then fought at Bataan until the April 1942 surrender. As a native Filipino, Segundo was imprisoned at the Capas Concentration Camp. Paroled to Manila, he became an advisor to the underground resistance to the Japanese occupation. Segundo and his son Fidel Jr. were arrested by the Japanese military police on 19 December 1944. After several weeks of harsh interrogation, he was executed in early January 1945 and buried in an unmarked common grave.

Legacy

The segment of the Pan-Philippine Highway immediately north of his hometown of Laoag is named Gen. Fidel V. Segundo Avenue. In December 1969, a historical marker was erected in Laoag to commemorate him.

External links

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Segundo, Fidel 1894 births 1945 deaths People from Laoag University of the Philippines alumni United States Military Academy alumni Academic staff of the University of the Philippines Filipino military personnel of World War II Philippine Army generals of World War II Filipino generals Filipino prisoners of war World War II prisoners of war held by Japan Bataan Death March prisoners Filipino military personnel killed in World War II People executed by Japanese occupation forces Segundo, Fidel