Juan Pajota

Captain Juan Pajota (c.1914 – 1976) was involved in the Raid at Cabanatuan, an action which took place in the Philippines on 30 January 1945 by US Army Rangers and Filipino guerrillas and resulted in the liberation of more than 500 American prisoners of war (POWs) from a Japanese POW camp near Cabanatuan.

World War II
A local from Nueva Ecija, he joined the USAFFE soldiers during the retreat from Bataan. Later he became leader of the guerillas.

Raid at Cabanatuan
Under the command of Captain (later promoted Major) Juan Pajota, who coordinated support, this force was responsible for the roadblock at the Cabu River bridge that totally destroyed the Japanese 359th Independent Infantry Battalion. Without the guerrilla’s support it is unlikely that the raid would have been as successful or even succeeded at all. Pajota, along with the rest of the Filipino guerrillas received Bronze Stars for their role in the raid.

Military tactics
Pajota's intimate knowledge of the enemy's activity, the local people and terrain proved to be crucial to the rescue. He instructed the local villagers to muzzle their dogs to prevent from barking when the American troops will pass was timely and prudent. His recommendation that the mission (Raid at Cabanatuan) be moved back 24 hours to Lt. Col.Henry A. Mucci due to heavy Japanese activities proved to be a wise move. Another great idea of Capt. Pajota was a flyover of an American plane to divert the attentions of the enemies and distract their attention while the troops are moving. His troops held back the advancing Japanese tanks and reinforcements and prevented them from crossing the Cabu Bridge to engaged the rescuers and POWs. He had procured bout 50 carabaos (water buffalo) carts caravan that was used to transport the prisoners to friendly lines that saves the lives of many prisoners.

Post World War II
After World War II, Pajota moved to the United States, where he died in 1976 of a heart attack, before becoming a United States citizen.

Popular culture
Captain Juan Pajota appeared as a character for the 2005 John Dahl film, The Great Raid. He was played by Filipino actor Cesar Montano.