Invasion of Lingayen Gulf

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
partof=World War II, Pacific War


caption=
U.S. naval force approaches the shores of Lingayen
date=January 9 1945
place=Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippines
result=Decisive Allied victory
combatant1=flag|United States|1912
flag|Australia
combatant2=flag|Empire of Japan
commander1=flagicon|United States|1912 Jesse B. Oldendorf;
flagicon|United States|1912 Walter Krueger
commander2=
strength1=? ships;
203,608 soldiers
strength2=unknown
casualties1=24 ships sunk
67 ships damaged
casualties2=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.

Background

During World War II, the Lingayen Gulf proved a strategically important theatre of war between American and Japanese forces. On the 22 December, 1941, the Japanese 14th Army under Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma landed on the Eastern part of the gulf at Agoo, Vaba, Santiago and Bauang, where they engaged in a number of relatively minor skirmishes [ [http://www.answers.com/topic/lingayen-gulf/ Encyclopedia of American History] ] 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.

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 [ [http://www.pacificwrecks.com/provinces/philippines_lingayen_gulf.html/ Pacific wrecks - Lingayan Gulf] ] . 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" (very heavily attacked, although not the largest ship present, but not sunk!), light cruiser USS "Columbia", and minesweepers USS "Long" and the USS "Hovey" [ [http://www.pacificwrecks.com/provinces/philippines_lingayen_gulf.html/ Pacific wrecks - Lingayan Gulf] ] . 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.

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. [ [http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=105014 Abs-Cbn Interactive, 63rd anniversary of Lingayen Gulf Landing commemorated] ]

References