. ▁This ▁number ed ▁approximately ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁men ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Battalion , ▁and ▁half ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion . ▁The ▁invasion ▁force ▁was ▁supported ▁by ▁a ▁fl ot illa ▁of ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Navy ▁led ▁by ▁Vice ▁Admir al ▁Sho ji ▁N ish im ura , ▁consisting ▁of ▁the ▁light ▁cru iser ▁, ▁ ▁the ▁destroy ers ▁, ▁, ▁, ▁, ▁, ▁, ▁, ▁six ▁mines we ep ers , ▁nine ▁anti - sub marine ▁craft ▁and ▁six ▁trans ports ▁The ▁fleet ▁deployed ▁from ▁M ako ▁in ▁the ▁P esc adores ▁and ▁arrived ▁at ▁V igan ▁before ▁dawn ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁December . ▁The ▁landing ▁operation ▁was ▁covered ▁by ▁aircraft ▁of ▁the ▁I J A AF ▁ 2 4 th ▁and ▁ 5 0 th ▁F ighter ▁Reg iments ▁launched ▁from ▁the ▁air field ▁at ▁Bat an ▁Island ▁captured ▁the ▁day ▁before . ▁ ▁Land ing ▁and ▁after math ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁as ▁the ▁landing ▁operation ▁at ▁A par ri , ▁the ▁K anno ▁Det achment ▁dis emb ark ed ▁at ▁V igan ▁faced ▁no ▁opposition ▁from ▁American ▁forces ; ▁however , ▁reports ▁of ▁the ▁landing ▁was ▁convey ed ▁to ▁General ▁Mac Ar thur ’ s ▁headquarters ▁in ▁Man ila ▁by ▁a ▁reconna issance ▁Curt iss ▁P - 4 0 ▁War h awk , ▁and ▁the ▁Far ▁East ▁Air ▁Force ▁launched ▁a ▁response ▁consisting ▁of ▁five ▁Bo eing ▁B - 1 7 ▁F lying ▁Fort ress es ▁and ▁esc ort ing ▁P - 4