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The little known hero of the Philippines… When General Douglas MacArthur left the Philippines during World War II on 9 January 1945, he famously promised, “I shall return.” But in the aftermath of his departure, a different hero rose to lead the fight. Enter Russell Volckmann, an early architect of American guerrilla warfare. Stranded in the Philippines after the Japanese occupation, Volckmann refused to surrender. Instead, he vanished into the jungles, organizing a fierce resistance force of over 20,000 Filipino and American guerrillas. His efforts disrupted enemy supply lines, gathered critical intelligence, and kept the fight alive until MacArthur’s eventual return. Volckmann’s resilience laid the foundation for modern U.S. Army Special Forces, and in 1951 Volckmann authored FM 31-20: Operations Against Guerilla Forces, the seminal doctrinal foundation for U.S. Army unconventional operations. Volckmann is a legacy reminder of the indomitable spirit of U.S. Special Operations, and a lesson in the usefulness of unconventional warfare’s utility on conflict as a force multiplier. The above photo (courtesy of the U. S. Army) is the shoulder sleeve insignia of the U.S. Armed Forces in the Phillippines, North Luzon, which Volckmann commanded. #WWII #GuerrillaWarfare #Volckmann #SpecialForces #UnconventionalWarfare #Philippines #History