United States of America William F. Sharp Guy O. Fort Eugene T. Mitchell Robert H. Vessey Jay Navin Albert Price Calixto Duque Busnan Kalaw Ground units: Philippine Commonwealth Army Philippine Constabulary Ground units: Japanese Fourteenth Army 6,500 Filipino-American Troops 600 Killed 500 Captured 400 Killed Japanese Invasion of Malabang (Filipino: Paglusob ng mga Hapones sa Malabang) was part of the Japanese landings on the western coast of Mindanao that began on April 29, 1942.

Kawaguchi Detachment landed in three important points in west coast of Mindanao including Malabang in then undivided Lanao Province.

[1] Kawaguchi's naval convoy was soon spotted in the Zamboanga sector and reported to Mindanao Force HQ on April 27, 1942, at which time Fort warned his troops of the imminent invasion from his command post at Camp Kiethley.

Attached to the 61st was a two-gun battery of QF 2.95 inch Mountain Guns commanded by Captain Albert Price and a PC Company based in Momungan.

[1] Mitchell reported to General Fort that a convoy of more than 20 trucks full of Japanese soldiers with tanks and scout cars left from Parang, Cotabato to Malabang.

[2] General Fort's confidence in the Moro battalions was validated when they ambushed a battalion-sized Japanese force travelling from Ganassi to Lumbatan.

[citation needed] Fort ordered Lieutenant Colonel Robert H. Vessey to move down one of his battalions in Bacolod to support Mitchell.

[1] Vessey was able to return to Gannasi and appointed Commander Robert Strong, USN as his executive officer, thinking that Tisdale and his driver had been killed during the ambush.

[1] Fort ordered Lieutenant Colonel Naidas of the Philippine Constabulary to establish a line from Tamparan to Taloan Hill using whatever troops he could find, and deny the Japanese entry into the east coast of the lake.

Direct fire from Captain Price's detachment caught the leading tank and put it out of commission, confusing the Japanese column.