enemy was broken, combat elements of the 152nd Infantry pushed north from San Felipe to Palauig Bay and east from Botolan along the Capas Trail cutting the enemy's withdrawal route. The Division moved to the area east of Manila, 1 May, and attacked enemy forces behind the Shimbu Line. By 30 June effective enemy opposition had been broken, although the division remained engaged in active combat operations until 14 August 1945 when President Harry S. Truman announced Japan's acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration and unconditional surrender. As of 14 August 1945, the 38th Infantry Division had completed an unbroken stretch of 198 consecutive days in combat, officially killing 26,469 enemy combatants, and taking 1411 Japanese prisoners. Although officially not "engaged in major combat" after 14 August, elements of the division continued to mop up Japanese stragglers in the Luzon area (who usually resisted to the death), until the signing of the VJ Day surrender documents on 2 September 1945. Even after VJ Day, the division's combat outposts continued to net prisoners until the division was officially relieved on 5 October 1945. In the final tally, the 38th Infantry Division fought against more than 80,000 Japanese, killing 26,732 and ultimately taking more than 13,000 prisoners. For its swift clearing of the Bataan peninsula in 19 days of bloody combat, division commander Major General William C. Chase, ordered that the division would be known as the "Avengers of Bataan", a tribute often attributed to General Douglas MacArthur. Casualties Total battle casualties: 3,464 Killed in action: 645 Wounded in action: 2,814 Missing in action: 5 Post World War After the end of World War II, the 38th Infantry Division briefly remained in the Philippines pending a decision as to whether or not the division would remain on occupation duty. Instead, the division was alerted on 15 September 1945 that it was to return to the United States and demobilize. Major General Irving and key staffers flew from Manila, while the bulk of the division elements sailed from the Philippines beginning in October. The 38th Infantry Division was directed to Camp Anza, California, for final demobilization and inactivation, which was completed on 9 November 1945. For a time, the 38th Infantry Division remained inactivated while debate raged within the federal government as to the size, scope and even the necessity for a separate Army National Guard. In October 1945, the War Department issued directives