| Original caption: “The Tapel Massacre. Picture shows Pedro Cerono (???? – ????), the man who discovered a group of eight skulls of Filipinos killed by the Japanese.” About 0100 hours on July 1, 1945, 23 Japanese soldiers and 1 Japanese Officer, a Captain Yushida (???? – ????) [possibly Sergeant T. Yoshida, who perpetrated many atrocities in the Philippines], entered the home of Zacarias Palatao (???? – 1945) in Mission, Buguey, Cagayan, Luzon, and bayonetted to death 2 male occupants. The remaining 16 occupants were then led away and all of them were bayonetted many times. Only 1 young girl survived, but she suffered several bayonet wounds. About 0600 hours on the same day, Japanese soldiers moved into Tapel, Gonzaga, Cagayan, about 9 miles (15 kilometers) east of Santa Teresita Mission. Tapel was the evacuation center at which residents of nearby towns had been concentrated by the Japanese to prevent their escape towards the American troops advancing from the west side of the Cagayan river. Approximately 30,000 Filipinos were in or near Tapel. 3 or 4 small boats containing Filipinos who were trying to escape by sea were fired upon by the Japanese with rifles and machine guns. 3 of the occupants were killed and 2 were wounded. The Japanese surrounded the nipa huts scattered along the beach, and when the Filipino civilians began to run, they machine gunned and bayonetted them. 2 were seen bayoneted to death. 1 of another group of 3 Filipinos was beheaded and his 2 companions were killed with rifle shots. 4 other Filipinos had their hands tied behind them and were then bayonetted to death and their bodies thrown into an old well. 4 others were killed in like manner. 10 Filipinos were captured as they prepared to escape by boat, and the Japanese killed all of them with bayonets except 1 who was severely wounded. The dead bodies of 3 other Filipinos, 1 of whom had been beheaded, were found near a small bridge leading to the village. 8 others were found beheaded. The next day survivors saw more than 100 dead bodies in Tapel and much later many skulls and bones were found tied with ropes. Technician 5th Grade Lewis D. Klein (December 30, 1923 – April 8, 1984) photographed Cerono with the skulls, and also with women’s hair in the destroyed nipa huts on the beach. He also photographed the small bridge that led to Tapel. Klein was an architect after the war in Dayton, Ohio. He entered photography contests for former servicemen. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1659.jpg |
| Image Size | 1.08 MB |
| Image Dimensions | 2900 x 2267 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Army Signal Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | January 1, 1945 |
| Location | |
| City | Tapel |
| State or Province | Luzon |
| Country | Philippines |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-111-SC-227909 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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