What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 4pm Tuesday 9am - 4pm Wednesday 9am - 4pm Thursday 9am - 4pm Friday 9am - 4pm Saturday 9am - 4pm Sunday 1pm - 3pm

バンバン博物館

Home
Philippines
Bamban
バンバン博物館

バンバン歴史博物館は、フィリピンRhonie C.デラクルスが、私財を投じて日本軍の遺骨収集や遺品収集を行い鎮魂につとめ、教育や平和的理解を目的としてとして戦争博物館を設立しました。入場料はなく運営は全て無料で運営されています。皆様の浄財をお願い申し上げます。

16/05/2026

© 2026 Rhonie C. Dela Cruz
Bamban WWII Museum/Historical Society
Bamban Center for Pacific War Studies
WWII Remembrance Network – Hell Ships Memorial
WWII Remembrance Network – Hell Ships Memorial
PGT - Tarlac Provincial Tourism Office
Bamban Tourism Office

Museum Visitors
AMERICANS, JAPANESE AND LOCAL GUESTS AND DESCENDANTS OF WWII VETERANS

Aside from the main group of museum visitors led by TV reporter and journalist Dominic Almelor, we had Americans, Japanese and other nationalities including families of WWII veterans who went tour WWII Museum the recent week.

Some groups were led by Tour Guides and Operators from local and Manila-based entities.

12/05/2026

© 2026 Rhonie C. Dela Cruz
Bamban WWII Museum/Historical Society
Bamban Center for Pacific War Studies
WWII Remembrance Network – Hell Ships Memorial
WWII Remembrance Network – Hell Ships Memorial
PGT - Tarlac Provincial Tourism Office
Bamban Tourism Office

Project Discovery Japanese WWII Tunnels:
DOMINIC ALMELOR's "NATION ON THE MOVE" TV DOCUMENTARY SHOOT INSIDE THE JAPANESE TUNNELS OF BAMBAN HILLS

Another day, another journey in WWII History activities with TV Journalist Dominic Almelor on the documentary shoot of Bamban's WWII Tunnels.

This time, 3 tunnels where visited and filmed, to be featured in the upcoming documentary "Nation on the Move", on WWII History along with the Bamban WWII Museum.

Yours truly as the resource person, sharing historical insights on these network of tunnels that became part of WWII History in the Bamban-Clark Campaign 1945.

09/05/2026

© 2026 Rhonie C. Dela Cruz
Bamban WWII Museum/Historical Society
Bamban Center for Pacific War Studies
WWII Remembrance Network – Hell Ships Memorial
PGT - Tarlac Provincial Tourism Office
Bamban Tourism Office

PROJECT DISCOVERY OF JAPANESE WWII TUNNELS: THE LOST TUNNELS OF HIGUCHI BUTAI - CLARK FIELD

Late October 1944, the Imperial Japanese Navy's A6M Zero (Zero-sen) were taking off at the air strip of Clark North Airfield. Behind the airfield to the east rise the Japanese called M201 Granite Hill, or what is now Lilly Hill. Major Higuchi commanded his 31st Airfield Battalion, in charge of security and maintenance of the air strip.

Corporal Mizaguchi and his unit of Air Transport was attached to the 31st Airfield Battalion, 10th Air Sector, 4th Air Division at Clark North Airfield. Adjacent to the air strip was Lilly Hill, or M201 Granite Hill, where the southwestern slope was curved the volcanic rocks to be used as natural aircraft revetments and hiding them from American aerial bombardments. Numerous tunnels were also curved on the slopes of M201 Granite Hill by men of Major Higuchi's 31st Airfield Battalion.

Imperial Japanese Army's Construction Unit under the 4th Air Division was responsible in the construction and maintenance of Japanese Army facilities at Clark, its Settetai Construction and Labor personnel provided the much-needed labor workforce in the construction of tunnels.
Corporal Mizaguchi saw many of the young Japanese Navy pilots on su***de missions (Kamikaze), taking off from the air strip near Lilly Hill; never to come back.

By early January 1945, the last of the Japanese Navy's Kamikaze A6M Zero took off on the 6th nearby Mabalacat Airfield. The Imperial Japanese Army's Fugaku Unit of the Special Attack Corps moved to Clark North Airfield in December 1944, and used Lilly Hill, with the tunnels as shelter and headquarters.

With the attack of American forces in late January 1945 by the 129th Infantry, 37th Division at Lilly Hill, Major Higuchi defended the hill, until it became untenable and the 31st Airfield Bn moved further to the rear, in the vicinity of Top of the World (present D'Heights, Clark), for the final stand at Clark Field (proper).

With the post-WWII rehabilitation of Clark Field, the tunnels and curved-out revetments of Lilly Hill were closed, the latter were bulldozed. A couple of decades later, the remaining tunnels were hidden with the growth of vegetation, as trees, bananas and shrubberies had taken the former Japanese fortress.
In the 1980's survivors of Major Higuchi's 31st Airfield Battalion made several visits to the former airfield and at Lilly Hill, collecting remains of their comrades and conducting memorial service to the Japanese War Dead.

Pete Zetteck, a good friend of mine who worked during the 1980s at Clark Field as an U.S. Air Force personnel, personally witnessed these Japanese memorial services to the War Dead. The photographs he took shows the ceremony and the remaining Japanese WWII tunnels at Lilly Hill.
These tunnels were constructed with iron gates to prevent locals from coming inside and control the collecting of WWII-era bombs, grenades and bullets that posed danger to public safety.

With the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo and the closure of Clark Air Base in 1991-1992, the few remaining Japanese tunnels of M201 Granite Hill were permanently closed. Clark Development Corporation took over the management of the former American base in the aftermath.

The Japanese WWII Tunnels, sealed in the passage of time, forgotten in memory and waiting to be discovered.

Citation:
(1) Hiroyuki Mizaguchi, Jungle of No Mercy.
(2) Organization of the IJA 4th Air Army – 1944.

21/04/2026

© 2026 Rhonie C. Dela Cruz
Bamban WWII Museum/Historical Society
Bamban Center for Pacific War Studies
WWII Remembrance Network – Hell Ships Memorial
PGT - Tarlac Provincial Tourism Office

Museum Guests

AMERICAN AND JAPANESE VISITORS INCLUDING DESCENDANTS OF VETERANS

A sunny Tuesday morning greeted us with groups of American and Japanese. A growing number of individuals, families and groups finding their way to our WWII Museum, is now the trend that keeps on improving.

The stories of WWII and the men and woman who are part of this History has becoming popular.

Our exhibits and collections of artifacts keep on growing too, on a monthly basis.

One important guests this morning are the descendants of American WWII Veteran from the 640th Tank Destroyer Battalion, the soldier fought in the Liberation of Bamban and Battle of Bamban Hills 1945.

I gave a comprehensive narratives of their grandfather's combat operations with the 640th Tank Destroyer Battalion, from the fighting in the town, to the slopes of the Grotto and Rotary Hill and to the gigh grounds and hill-mass of Bamban Hills.

The family promised to send copies of photographs and possible mementos for display at our museum.

11/04/2026

© 2026 Rhonie C. Dela Cruz
Bamban WWII Museum/Historical Society
Bamban Center for Pacific War Studies
WWII Remembrance Network – Hell Ships Memorial
PGT - Tarlac Provincial Tourism Office
Bamban LGU - Bamban Tourism Office

Bamban WWII Battlefield Study & Tours
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES - VISAYAS (UPV)

Dr. Randy Madrid, an Associate Professor in History and Social Studies Education, is an acquaintance and fellow speaker on WWII History on National and International Conferences hosted by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in 2017 and 2018.

We were glad when he informed me on their plan to visit Bamban with our WWII Museum, war memorial and Japanese WWII tunnels.

Accompanied by his students in History and Social Studies, I was glad to have met him and his delegation from University of the Philippines - Visayas at our WWII Museum. It is our pride to showcase our museum, Bamban WWII Memorial and the Japanese tunnel installations used during WWII by the Japanese Kembu Group composite division, the Hoshino 137th Airfield Battalion (reinforced), holed on the Center Force of the Takayama Detachment's Asahiyama defensive (OPLR) line in January 1945.

The Battlefield Tour is a guided tour on the former battlefields, where Major Hoshino of the battalion defended fiercely his Central Sector from American 160th Infantry 40th Division under relentless barrage of mortar, machine gun, tanks and artillery fire at the beginning of the Battle of Bamban Hills 1945.

Join us on our journey in WWII Battlefield History at the Bamban.

26/03/2026

© 2026 Rhonie C. Dela Cruz
Bamban WWII Museum/Historical Society
Bamban Center for Pacific War Studies
WWII Remembrance Network – Hell Ships Memorial
PGT - Tarlac Provincial Tourism Office
Bamban LGU - Bamban Tourism Office

U.S. MILITARY HISTORY MUSEUM STUDY:
YANKS AIR MUSEUM
Location: Chino, California

Our Museum Recon Team (me, Hope and Aaron Ridenour) had a good time the whole day visiting Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California near Riverside. Although, we missed visiting Planes of Fame Air Museum, which is just nearby Yanks, our visit to this Air Museum is worth the trip for a very personal reason; the F6F-5 Grumman Hellcat in display was partly used by Lt. Alexander Vraciu (VF-20, USS Lexington, Task Force 38.3, Third Fleet), an American naval ace pilot that took part in the air campaign in late 1944 at Japanese-held Clark Air Center including Bamban Airfield.

Lt. Vraciu, piloting another Grumman F6F-5 with another ace pilot; Lt. David Baker, conducted an early morning fighter sweep on December 14, 1945 around Clark Air Center and proceeded to the Bamban, strafing Japanese A6M Zeros and parked Hayabusa, when Japanese anti-aircraft gunners took hit of the VF-20's Grummans including Lt. Vraciu's Grumman. Fortunately, he was able to bailed out of his stricken Grumman, and was rescued by the local guerrillas from Capas Battalion led by Lt. Ramos, where he became an ace guerrilla with a rank of Captain.

There were other WWII-era aircraft to include B24 Liberator, P40 Warhawk, Douglas C-47 Skytrain, GM FM-2 Wildcat, Bell P-39 Aeracobra, Lockheed P-38L Lightning (Photo recon version), Douglas SBD Dauntles, SB2C Helldiver and YP-47-1 Thunderbolt.

Another important display at the Yank is the Japanese Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka rocket-powered human-guided Kamikaze attack aircraft, a rare collection.

Post WWII and Cold War era aircraft and fighter jets included Lockheed Constellation C-121, Bell AH- 1 Cobra, Bell UH-1H Huey, Douglas A4 Skyhawk, Grumman A6E Intruder, GD F-16B Fighting Falcon, McDonnell Douglas F4C Phantom, MD F15A Eagle, MD F-18A Hornet; to cite a few.

Being personally to see, touch and stand beside these aircraft, especially those who were used in air operations around Clark Field, is an experience worthy to be always remembering and pondering.

Maybe, Planes of Fame Air Museum will be our target in our future military history museum survey.

Our special thanks to our friend Aaron Ridenour and staff of Yanks Air Museum for making this tour, a complete success.

20/03/2026

2026 Copyright Rhonie Dela Cruz
Bamban WWII Museum
Bamban Historical Society
Tarlac Provincial Tourism Office
Bamban LGU - Bamban Tourism Office

Museum Visitors:
LOCAL AND FOREIGN GUESTS AT BAMBAN WWII MUSEUM

In the past couple of weeks, our museum received its steady flow of guests consisted of groups and individuals, both local and foreigners.

Most of the foreigners were Americans, Japanese, Australians and British tourists and expatriates. Many of them are descendants of WWII veterans.

Our sincere appreciation for the continued patronage and support of out guests for our WWII Museum.

12/03/2026

© 2026 Rhonie C. Dela Cruz
Bamban WWII Museum/Historical Society
Bamban Center for Pacific War Studies
WWII Remembrance Network – Hell Ships Memorial
PGT - Tarlac Provincial Tourism Office
Bamban LGU - Bamban Tourism Office

U.S. MILITARY HISTORY MUSEUM STUDY:
March Field Air Museum (Indoors)
Riverside, CA

Since March Field Air Museum is mostly about the Air Corps and Air Force, there are many artifacts related to uniforms, gears and artifacts in displays pertaining to airmen and aviators.

One notable section of the exhibits inside the museum (in a hangar) is the Mexico's 201st Fighter Squadron (Aztecs Eagle), who was deployed in Porac Airfield (Porac, Pampanga) in 1945 with its Republic P47 Thunderbolts in support of combat operations in Luzon.

The original part of a Japanese aircraft aluminum wing with the painting of the squadron mascot, a Jeep reconnaissance or service vehicle, some mementos and artifacts are in permanent display.

There are Japanese artifacts and relics too; Senninbari, Type 98 Shingunto, Arisaka rifles, helmets and uniforms in exhibit.

The hangar museum complex is big enough to cover extensive collections of pre-WWII, WWII and post WWII artifacts; an envy to us since our museum needs bigger space.

March Field Air Museum is a must to visit as part of our study of Military History museums in California.

09/03/2026

© 2026 Rhonie C. Dela Cruz
Bamban WWII Museum/Historical Society
Bamban Center for Pacific War Studies
WWII Remembrance Network – Hell Ships Memorial
PGT - Tarlac Provincial Tourism Office
Bamban LGU - Bamban Tourism Office

Bamban WWII Museum Re-Enactment Group:
IMPRESSIONS ON FILIPINO, AETA NEGRITO WARRIORS, AMERICANS AND JAPANESE SOLDIERS AND PILOTS IN THE CLARK-BAMBAN AREA

Our Museum Volunteers Group members consisting of descendants of WWII veterans are the core of our Museum's WWII Re-enactment Group that provide presentation on WWII living history in our area.

Last February 15, 2026, the Group participated in the WWII Tours for our visitors from the National WWII Museum and Philippine WWII Memorial Foundation.

We will be adding WWII soldiers impressions in the near future, to include soldier from Bamban belonging to 21st Division, Philippine Army.

05/03/2026

2026 Copyright Rhonie Dela Cruz
Bamban WWII Museum
Bamban Historical Society
Bamban Center for Pacific War Studies
WWII Remembrance Network – Hell Ships Memorial
PGT - Tarlac Provincial Tourism Office
Bamban LGU - Bamban Tourism Office

Museum Guests:
DESCENDANTS OF WWII VETERANS, LOCALS AND FOREIGN TOURISTS

Marking our very own Bamban WWII Museum as an important historical facility that tourism destination in the region can be proven with the continuing visits of locals, foreign tourists, Balikbayans and descendants of WWII veterans.

Here are some of our visitors undertaken museum tours by our professional historian and curator.

Always thankful of the continuing support from our guests and the public.

04/03/2026

2026 Copyright Rhonie Dela Cruz
Bamban WWII Museum/Bamban Historical Society
Bamban Center for Pacific War Studies
WWII Remembrance Network – Hell Ships Memorial
PGT - Tarlac Provincial Tourism Office
Bamban LGU - Bamban Tourism Office

INVESTIGATING WWII HISTORY:
THE FORMER BATTLEFIELDS OF THE BAMBAN HILLS

The Bamban Hills rested on the north and west of Clark Field, one of the biggest aerodrome and air center the Japanese held during WWII. With the dawn of the air war beginning September 21, 1944, Clark Field and its satellite airfields at Bamban, Mabalacat, Dau 9Mabalacat), Angeles and Clark proper, and to include that of Porac and Floridablanca became the center of air operations from both the Japanese Army and Navy. By mid-January 1945, most of the Japanese air tactical units were destroyed and its remaining aircraft retreated to Formosa (Taiwan) and Japan.

The thousands of aircrews, mechanics and air force personnel were left behind the Clark Air Center, with airfield battalions and surviving navy sailors were combined together for the defense of Clark Field area. Additionally, elements of the 2nd Tank Division; the Takayama Detachment mobile infantry, the tanks of Iwash*ta Company, another unit (battalion) from the mobile infantry from the 2nd Tank Division, and the paratroopers from the Takaya Detachment and the deployed Japanese raiding unit were formed the Japanese combined Army and Navy forces known as “Ran”, or the KEMBU GROUP composite division.

Organization begun as early as December 1944 until deployment to designated sectors from north of Bamban, to the west behind Clark Field. Major General Rikichi Tsukada was designated as the commander while Vice-Admiral Kazumae Kondo and Real Admiral Ushie Sugimoto led the navy personnel, most of them from the air force units of the 1st and 2nd Air Fleet.

The fighting begun in late January 1945 with the arrival of the American 40th Division striking from the north at Bamban and hitting the Takayama Detachment, while the 37th Division coming from the east, strike Clark Field proper defended by the Eguchi Detachment, with the Yanagimoto Sh*tai in support of operations.

Clark Field was captured by the 37th Division and elements of the 40th Division (108th Infantry) by end of January 1945. It was just the beginning of the Battle of Bamban Hills, where the main forces of the Kembu Group retreated to the mountain positions fortified with tunnel defense system, machine gun, mortar, automatic cannons, aircraft machine guns and artillery guns.

It was one of the fiercest fights in Luzon! General Tsukada retreated his Headquarters from Clak (Top of the World) to Honmaru – General Mountain. As the American Divisions from 43rd to the 38th continued frontal and flanking attack on Kembu Group naval last stand positions behind Clark Field, General Tsukada retreated further on the mountain path along the General Mountain, the Funaki Pass; until finally reaching Mt. Pinatubo; where he made his final stand.

General Tsukada ordered the dissolution of the main body of his tactical units and converted to guerrilla war in order to survive; with avenue of retreat to the north in Tarlac and to the west on the shores of Zambales.

By the end of the war, the Kembu Group original 40,000 Army and Navy troops were reduced to 1,500 survivors; the greatest number of casualties of General Yamash*ta’s forces in Luzon in 1945.

The photograph shows the former battlefields behind Clark Field, identified with the local names, American and Japanese based on various sources compiled by the Bamban Historical Society. From among the slopes and crevices of these mountains and ridges, thousands of Japanese died in the course of the battles between the American divisions and the Kembu Group. Filipino guerrillas and Aeta Negrito warriors from Pampanga and south Tarlac aided American combat operations, where casualties were also reported.

The Bamban Hills became an open grave to the Japanese war dead, and the Americans crawled, bled and died too in this rough, high ground overlooking Clark Field.

May they all rest in eternal peace.

Rhonie Dela Cruz
Bamban WWII Museum

Address

Compound, Rizal Avenue (Old MacArthur Highway), Lourdes
Bamban
C2317

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 4pm
Tuesday	9am - 4pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	9am - 4pm
Friday	9am - 4pm
Saturday	9am - 4pm
Sunday	1pm - 3pm

Telephone

+639630861513

Website

https://bambanmuseum.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when バンバン博物館 posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to バンバン博物館:

Shortcuts

Address
Telephone
Opening Hours
Alerts
Contact The Museum
Claim ownership or report listing

Want your museum to be the top-listed Museum in Bamban?