Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
Part of World War II, Pacific War
U.S. naval force approaches the shores of Lingayen
Date January 9, 1945 Location Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippines Result Decisive Allied victory
Belligerents
United States  Australia	Empire of Japan
Commanders
Jesse B. Oldendorf; Walter Krueger
Strength
800+ ships; 203,608 soldiers	unknown
Casualties and losses
24 ships sunk 67 ships damaged	unknown

The Invasion of Lingayen Gulf was an Allied amphibious operation in the Philippines during World War II. In the early morning of January 9, 1945, an Allied force commanded by Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf began approaching the shores of Lingayen. U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Navy warships began bombarding suspected Japanese positions along the coast of Lingayen from their position in Lingayen Gulf.

[edit] Background

During World War II, the Lingayen Gulf proved a strategically important theatre of war between American and Japanese forces. On December 22, 1941, the Japanese 14th Army under Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma landed on the Eastern part of the gulf at Agoo, Caba , Santiago and Bauang, where they engaged in a number of relatively minor skirmishes^[1] with the defenders, which consisted of a poorly equipped contingent of predominantly American and Filipino troops, and managed to successfully invade and occupy the gulf. Following the defeat, the next day General MacArthur issued the order to retreat from Luzon and withdraw to Bataan. For the next three years, the gulf remained under Japanese occupation prior to the Lingayen Gulf Landings.

[edit] Operations

At 9:30 AM on January 9, 1945, about 68,000 men under General Walter Krueger of the U.S. Sixth Army, following a devastating naval bombardment, landed at the coast of Lingayen Gulf meeting no opposition. A total of 203,608 were eventually landed over the next few days, establishing a 20-mile beachhead, stretching from Sual, Lingayen and Dagupan (XIV Corps) to the west, and San Fabian (I Corps) in to the east. The total number of troops under the command of MacArthur was reported to have even exceeded the number that Eisenhower controlled in Europe^[2]. Within a few days, the assault forces had quickly captured the coastal towns and secured the 20 mile long beach, including the town of San Fabian.

Despite their success in driving out the Japanese army stationed there, they suffered relatively heavy losses, particularly to their convoys, due to kamikaze suicide attacks. From January 4 - 12th a total of 24 ships were sunk and 67 damaged by kamikaze planes, including the battleships USS Mississippi and USS Colorado (accidentally hit by friendly fire), heavy cruiser HMAS Australia, light cruiser USS Columbia, and destroyers USS Long and the USS Hovey ^[2]. Following the landings, the Lingayen Gulf was turned into a vast supply depot for the rest of the war to support the American assault on Manila.

[edit] Commemoration

On January 9, 2008, Gov. Amado Espino, Jr. and Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas institutionalized the commemoration to honor the war veterans. The resolution named January 9 as Pangasinan Veterans’ Day. In the 63rd anniversary commemoration of the Lingayen Gulf Landing, President Fidel Ramos appealed to US President George W. Bush for 24,000 surviving war veterans, to pass 2 legislative bills pending since 1968 at the US House of Representatives – the Filipino Veterans’ Equity Act of 2006 and the Filipino Veterans’ Equity of 2005 sponsored by former Senator Daniel Inouye.^[3]

[edit] References

1. ^ Encyclopedia of American History
2. ^ ^{a b} Pacific wrecks - Lingayan Gulf
3. ^ Abs-Cbn Interactive, 63rd anniversary of Lingayen Gulf Landing commemorated