When American forces began their attack against Japanese garrisons around Manila, the Hunters promptly began operating in coordination with American units. At this point, the leaders of the Hunters displayed their superb leadership and the troops their aggressiveness in the midst of combat. One leader who rose to heroic heights in the savage fighting around Manila was Lt Col Emmanuel de Ocampo. The following is an account of the battle action of Col de Ocampo in an encounter against the Japanese forces during the liberation campaign at Fort William Mckinley and Nichols Air Base in Rizal on February 5-15, 1945.

"As CO of the 47th Infantry, ROTC Hunters Guerrillas, then attached with the 11th Airborne Divisions, US Army, de Ocampo was ordered to clear McKinley and Nichols area of enemy vestiges within 10 days. With marked professional skill, dynamic leadership, native courage and unrebating vigor, he personally led a suicidal attack at the formidably well-entrenched enemy stronghold at the military reservations. Despite the intense and savage enemy fire to which he and his men were subjected, he persistently pursued his mission. Not a few of his men fell wounded and dying, but he succeeded in crushing the enemy into insensibility within the alloted 10 days and accounted for the killing of no less than 3,000 Japanese soldiers, the capture of intact Japanese planes at Nichols, big naval guns and rockets as well as the capture of McKinley and Nichols."

For his extraordinary bravery demonstrated in the aforementioned battle, Col Emmanuel de Ocampo was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Star.