▁Lu zon , ▁about ▁ 2 2 0 ▁miles ▁north ▁of ▁Man ila ▁on ▁the ▁coast al ▁Route ▁ 3 . ▁It ▁is ▁border ed ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁by ▁the ▁Cord ill era ▁Mountains ▁which ▁separate ▁it ▁from ▁the ▁C ag ay an ▁Valley . ▁ ▁The ▁city ▁is ▁about ▁three ▁miles ▁from ▁the ▁coast , ▁and ▁is ▁served ▁by ▁the ▁port ▁of ▁P and an ▁on ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁the ▁Ab ra ▁River . ▁The ▁area ▁of ▁V igan ▁was ▁in ▁theory ▁def ended ▁by ▁General ▁W ain w right ' s ▁North ▁Lu zon ▁Force . ▁ ▁However , ▁with ▁only ▁a ▁few ▁men ▁and ▁a ▁large ▁territory ▁to ▁cover , ▁W ain w right ▁could ▁spare ▁only ▁one ▁partially ▁trained ▁and ▁equ ipped ▁Philipp ine ▁Army ▁division , ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁Division , ▁commanded ▁by ▁Col . ▁William ▁E . ▁Br ough er , ▁for ▁all ▁of ▁northern ▁Lu zon . ▁A ▁reserve ▁division , ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁had ▁begun ▁to ▁mobil ize ▁only ▁in ▁September ▁and ▁was ▁at ▁only ▁two - third s ▁of ▁its ▁author ized ▁strength ▁of ▁ 1 5 0 0 ▁men ▁per ▁regiment . ▁It ▁also ▁suffered ▁from ▁a ▁serious ▁short age ▁of ▁equipment , ▁including ▁almost ▁all ▁of ▁its ▁art illery ▁and ▁trans ports . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁Japanese ▁side , ▁General ▁Hom ma ▁had ▁organized ▁a ▁det achment ▁from ▁the ▁I J A ▁ 4 8 th ▁Division ’ s ▁ 2 nd ▁Infantry ▁Regiment ▁under ▁Colonel ▁K anno