Iliff David Richardson

PT-34 and PT-41 attacked the Japanese cruiser Kuma one night and then separated, PT-34 making its way back to Cebu City, where it was strafed by Japanese planes, setting it on fire. He then helped burn the town just before the Japanese arrived. Richardson then served with the US Army, setting off demolition charges in Cebu City. When the Japanese captured General Chinowitz's headquarters, Richardson headed to Leyte, making it to Tacloban, and the headquarters of Col. Cornell. Making his way to Mindanao, he learned the Japanese had already taken Del Monte Airfield, so he returned to Leyte with 11 other Americans. With 400 pesos out of the 2000 the colonel gave him, Richardson purchased a single-masted banca and sail.

Richardson also attempted to manufacture and sell a single-shot slamfire "Philippine Guerrilla Gun" shotgun through his Richardson Industries in New Haven, Connecticut, that he set up in 1946. With a wide variety of shotguns brought back from Europe and American-manufactured weapons, it did not sell very well. Thomas F. Swearingen noted in his book World's Fighting Shotguns, "The American market would not tolerate such a primitive firearm, even as a curio."

After the liberation of the Philippines, Richardson transcribed his memoirs to Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent and author Ira Wolfert of the North American Newspaper Alliance. Wolfert turned it into a book, An American Guerrilla in the Philippines, which became both a Book-of-the-Month Club selection and a condensed book in the March 1945 Reader's Digest. Darryl F. Zanuck of 20th Century Fox bought the film rights and had Lamar Trotti write a screenplay by August 1945. The end of the war led Zanuck to shelve all films with a World War II theme. It was eventually made five years after the end of the war. The name of the central character was changed to "Chuck Palmer" and he was given a fictional love-interest for dramatic purposes, but based on Richardson's girlfriend "Curly".

On February 1, 1944, Kangleon's forces went on the offensive, which included attacks on Japanese garrisons at Anahawan and Linoan, forcing the Japanese to not venture away from the coastal towns of southern Leyte. Richardson then assisted in the establishment of a weather station, manned by two submarine arrivals, including the son of Walter S. Gamertsfelder. Next, Richardson established a radio station on Samar and plotted the Surigao Strait mine field from Homonhon Island. By September 12, Richardson was operating a radio station near Balangiga, Eastern Samar.

Richardson was a former ham radio operator. He set up a radio station on Leyte, manned by Joseph St. John and Chapman, and a radio station on Samar, manned by Truman Heminway. In November 1943, under orders from Col. Fertig, Kangleon, Richardson, and other guerrilla leaders were in Mindanao to coordinate activities, and meet the submarine USS Narwhal delivering American aid. By Christmas 1943, Richardson had a master radio set operating to communicate with Mindanao. However, by then the Japanese had made the Casa, in Malitbog, their headquarters for southern Leyte.

The summer of 1942 was quiet for Richardson and the other Americans on Mindanao until September, when armed resistance against the Japanese started in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. Richardson headed for Malitbog, the next year, hoping to see his girlfriend "Curly". Col. Morgan was there, working with Col. Wendell Fertig, to unify and organize the guerrillas before General MacArthur would recognize them.

In 1940, he was commissioned an ensign in the US Navy and was posted to the USS Bittern, a minesweeper in the Philippines. He later transferred to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three, commanded by John D. Bulkeley. Richardson was the executive officer of PT 34, under Bob Kelly.

Iliff David "Rich" Richardson (April 9, 1918 – October 10, 2001) was simultaneously a US Navy ensign and a US Army major while fighting with the Philippine resistance against Japan during World War II. He recounted his exploits to author Ira Wolfert, who published them in the book American Guerrilla in the Philippines in 1945. A character based on Richardson was played by Tyrone Power in the 1950 film of the same name.