Invasion of Lingayen Gulf 4352098 225033630 2008-07-11T15:48:36Z Chris the speller 525927 sp {{Infobox Military Conflict |conflict=Invasion of Lingayen Gulf |partof=[[World War II]], [[Pacific War]] |image=[[Image:USS Pennsylvania moving into Lingayen Gulf.jpg|300px|]] |caption=<small></small><br>U.S. naval force approaches the shores of [[Lingayen]] <small> |date=[[January 9]] [[1945]] |place=[[Lingayen Gulf]], [[Luzon]], [[Philippines]] |result=Decisive Allied victory |combatant1={{flag|United States|1912}}<br>{{flag|Australia}} |combatant2={{flag|Empire of Japan}} |commander1={{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[Jesse B. Oldendorf]];<br>{{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[Walter Krueger]] |commander2= |strength1=? ships;<br>203,608 soldiers |strength2=unknown |casualties1=24 ships sunk<br>67 ships damaged |casualties2=unknown }} {{Campaignbox Philippines}} The '''Invasion of Lingayen Gulf''' was an [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious operation]] in the [[Commonwealth of the Philippines|Philippines]] during [[World War II]]. In the early morning of [[January 9]], [[1945]], an [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] force commanded by Admiral [[Jesse B. Oldendorf]] began approaching the shores of [[Lingayen]]. [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] and [[Royal Australian Navy]] warships began bombarding suspected [[Empire of Japan|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 [[Japan]]ese 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<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/lingayen-gulf/ Encyclopedia of American History]</ref> with the defenders, which consisted of a poorly equipped contingent of predominantly [[United States Army|American]] and [[Philippine Army|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 [[Japan]]ese occupation prior to the Lingayen Gulf Landings. ==Operations== At 9:30 AM on [[January 9]], [[1945]], about 68,000 men under [[Walter Krueger|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 [[Dwight D. Eisenhower|Eisenhower]] controlled in Europe<ref>[http://www.pacificwrecks.com/provinces/philippines_lingayen_gulf.html/ Pacific wrecks - Lingayan Gulf]</ref>. 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]] - [[January 12|12]]th a total of 24 ships were sunk and 67 damaged by kamikaze planes, including the [[battleship]]s [[USS Mississippi (BB-41)|USS ''Mississippi'']] and [[USS Colorado (BB-45)|USS ''Colorado'']] (accidentally hit by friendly fire), [[light cruiser]] [[USS Columbia (CL-56)|USS ''Columbia'']], and [[minesweeper (ship)|minesweeper]]s [[USS Long (DMS-12)|USS ''Long'']] and the [[USS Hovey (DMS-11)|USS ''Hovey'']] <ref>[http://www.pacificwrecks.com/provinces/philippines_lingayen_gulf.html/ Pacific wrecks - Lingayan Gulf]</ref>. 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]].<ref>[http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=105014 Abs-Cbn Interactive, 63rd anniversary of Lingayen Gulf Landing commemorated]</ref> ==References== <references/> [[Category:Far East naval theatre of World War II|Lingayen Gulf]] [[Category:South West Pacific theatre of World War II|Lingayen Gulf]] [[Category:Military history of the Philippines during World War II|Lingayen]] [[Category:1945 in the Philippines]] [[Category:1945 in Japan]] [[Category:Battles involving Australia|Lingaye]] [[Category:Battles involving Japan|Lingaye]] [[Category:Battles involving the United States|Lingaye]] [[tl:Pagsalakay sa Gulpo ng Lingayen]] [[zh:仁牙因灣戰役]]