Roger Hilsman

Roger Hilsman

• Roger Hilsman was born on 10 September 1890 in Texas.
• He married Emma Prendergast, daughter of Albert Collins Prendergast and Lillian Lula Conoly, on 15 July 1914 in McLennan County, Texas.
• The following appeared on 8 August 1946 in the Oakland Tribune: Col. Roger Hilsman, who arrived in the Bay area last September with the son who helped rescue him from Jap interment, will return to Oakland to another warm welcome Tuesday as the newly appointed Senior State Instructor, Organized Reserve Corps for California. Heroic commander at the battle of Davao in the Philippines in December, 1941, and an intrepid prisoner of the Japs. . . Colonel Hilsman's rescue by his son, Capt. Roger Hilsman Jr., climaxed an amazing war record. At Davao with a handful of men when the Japs landed, he held for 24 hours, then led a forced march through 150 miles of jungles. He assumed command of the army on Negros, then went to Cebu as chief of staff of the Visayan group. His outnumbered forces were beaten back and again Hilsman marched through the jungle back to the Negros Islands. He was taken prisoner there, and finally was moved to Mukden. His son was in the rescue party that arrived three years later.
• Roger Hilsman died on 23 February 1975 at age 84 in San Francisco County, California.
• His wife Emma Prendergast became a widow at his death.
• The following appeared on 25 February 1975 in the Oakland Tribune: Col. Roger Hilsman Sr., retired infantry officer who commanded the first American troops engaged in combat with the Japanese during World War II, is dead at 84. A military funeral will be held in Arlington National Cemetery. Col. Hilsman, member of a Piedmont family, died Saturday in San Francisco, where he had lived since his retirement from the Army in 1948, ending a 36-year career. Sent to the Philippines in October 1941, he was commanding officer in the battle of Davao on Mindinao the following December -- two weeks after pearl Harbor. His forces were overcome by superior strength, but he and 500 of his men made their way 105 miles to Negros Island, where on Feb. 8, 1942, he assumed command of American troops. Despite his skilled defense, however, he was forced to surrender and was held prisoner for the next 3-1/2 years. His son, Capt. Roger Hilsman Jr., then 25 and an officer in the OSS, went by plane with Kachin's Rangers to liberate his father from internment at Mukden, China. Roger Jr. later became assistant secretary of state for Far Eastern affairs in the Kennedy administration. He is now a professor at Columbia University. Col. Hilsman began his military career with the National Guard in his native Texas just before America's entrance into World War I. He accepted a regular Army commission and went to Europe with the occupation forces. In the next 3-1/2 decadeshe served as an infantry officer and headed the Philippines Military Academy, prior to World War II, ending his service at the Presidio as commander of the Organized Reserves of Northern California. In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife Emma, and four grandchildren.

• Last Edited: 9 Dec 2012