Just off the road to the pass next to the bronze statue.

The memorial includes a monument with three historical markers attached to the front

June 14 every year is Bessang Pass Day by virtue of Proclamation No. 515 of President Carlos P. Garcia in 1958. The day was designated to impress upon all Filipinos, particularly the young, the significance of Bessang Pass in Philippine history.

The capture of Bessang Pass on June 14, 1945, was one of the glorious achievements of the Filipino and American officers and men of the U.S. Army Forces in the Philippines, North Luzon (USAFIP, NL), a force of over 20,000 officers and men under the overall command of Colonel Russell W. Volckmann, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and a veteran of the Battle of Bataan.

All the five (5) infantry regiments of the USAFIP, NL - the 121st, 15th, 66th, 11th and 14th - and their supporting engineer, signal, quartermaster, ordinance, and medical units contributed to the victory in Bessang Pass.

It was the 121st Infantry however, which had the most number of troops engaged in the operation. One of its units, the "L" company under the command of Lt. Emilio Narcise, continuously operated around the Bessang Pass area from January to June 14, 1945. After participating in the battle which resulted in the liberation of San Fernando, the capital town of La Union, on March 23, 1945. All the three battalions of the 121st were employed in the operations to capture Bessang Pass. 

The Makeup of United States Army Forces of Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL)

Comprised of both American and Filipino soldiers and guerrillas. The organized task force was led and commanded by General Russel W. Volckmann.   USAFIP-NL served as a military force that numbered more than 8000 infantrymen that  hailed from the 11th, 14th, 15th, 66th, and the 121st Infantry Regiments.  The Filipino guerrillas under Volckmann’s  leadership were made up of various Filipino ethnic minorities from the northern cordilleras/mountain passes and ranges.  The northern guerrillas’ knowledge of the mountainous terrain were crucial in helping to eliminate the last stronghold of the Japanese military out of Northern Luzon.

Source:https://pvao.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Battle-for-Bessang-Pass.pdf

 The center Historical Plaque reads:

THE BATTLE OF BESSANG PASS

BEGAN WITH THE ASSAULT ON THE JAPANESE LINE AT BITALAG, TAGUDIN, ILOCOS SUR, BY THE UNITED STATES ARMY FORCES IN THE PHILIPPINES, NORTH LUZON (USAFIP, NL), 8 JANUARY 1945, FOLLOWED BY THE SEIZURE OF ENEMY STRONGHOLDS ALONG HIGHWAY 4 AND THE DEFEAT OF THE JAPANESE DEFENDERS OF THE PASS, 14 JUNE 1945. THE BATTLE SPEARHEADED BY THE 121ST INFANTRY, USAFIP, NL, WAS CONCEDED BY AMERICAN MILITARY AUTHORITIES AS “ONE OF THE MOST TERRIBLE AND INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT BATTLE OF THE ENTIRE WAR.” HASTENED THE SURRENDER OF THE JAPANESE IMPERAL FORCES UNDER GENERAL TOMOYUKI YAMASHITA.

THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED IN HONOR OF THE 3,400 MEN KILLED AND WOUNDED WHO FOUGHT GALLANTLY FOR FREEDOM AND PEACE.

Left Side Historic Marker:

PHILIPPINE ARMY UNITS

11^TH INFANTRY, USAFIL-NP

14^TH INFANTRY, USAFIL-NL

15^TH INFANTRY, USAFIL-NL

121st INFANTRY, USAFIL-NL

FIELD ARTILLERY BN

USAFIL-NL

ENGINEERS COMBAT BN

USAFIL-NL

MILITARY POLICE BN

USAFIL-NL

QUARTERMASTER BN

USAFIL-NL

REPLACEMENT AND CASUALTY BN

USAFIL-NL

Right side historic marker:

SUPPORTING

AMERICAN UNITS

308^TH BOMBARDMENT WING,

FIFTH US AIR FORCE

309^TH BOMBARDMENT WING,

FIFTH US AIR FORCE

310^TH BOMBARDMENT WING,

FIFTH US AIR FORCE

2^ND SUPPORT AIRCRAFT PARTY

FIFTH US AIR FORCE

24^TH MARINE AIR GROUP

US MARINE CORPS

122^ND FIELD ARTILLERY BN

33^RD  DIV, US ARMY

1^ST BN, 123^RD INFANTRY

33^RD  DIV, US ARMY

AND OTHER ATTACHED

SIXTH US ARMY UNITS