Lingayen Gulf
270406
225358517
2008-07-13T07:34:16Z
Closedmouth
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/202.7.209.160|202.7.209.160]] to last version by Epbr123 (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]])
[[Image:Lingayengulfmap.png|right|300px]]
The '''Lingayen Gulf''' is an extension of the [[South China Sea]] on [[Luzon]] in the [[Philippines]] stretching {{convert|56|km|mi|0}}. It is framed by the provinces of [[Pangasinan]] and [[La Union province|La Union]] and sits between the [[Zambales Mountains]] and the [[Cordillera Central, Luzon|Cordillera Central]]. The [[Agno River]] drains into Lingayen Gulf.
==History==
{{main|Invasion of Lingayen Gulf}}
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 [[Philippine Army|Filipino]] and [[United States Army|American]] 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 [[Invasion of Lingayen Gulf|Lingayen Gulf Landings]].
On 9.30 AM, [[January 9]], [[1945]], the [[Sixth United States Army|US 6th Army]] conducted an amphibious landing on the gulf, following a devastating naval bombardment, with 68,000 troops landing on the first day alone and a total of 203,608 in subsequent landings along a {{convert|20|mi|km|sing=on}} 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>.
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 - 12, 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 and Filipino 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 wo 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>
==Features==
The gulf has numerous islands, the most famous of which are in the [[Hundred Islands National Park]]. This tourist attraction features 123 islands, the majority of which are relatively small in size. A number of cities are found along the gulf's coast such as [[Dagupan City]] and [[Alaminos City]] in Pangasinan, and [[San Fernando City, La Union|San Fernando City]] in La Union. [[Lingayen, Pangasinan|Lingayen]], the capital of Pangasinan also lies on the shores of the gulf.
==Economy==
[[Fishing]] and [[salt]]-making are the primary industries on Lingayen Gulf. In fact, the name Pangasinan literally means ''“place where salt is made”'' in [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]]. Salt is collected from [[seawater]] through evaporation, leaving the crystalline salt behind.
==References==
<references/>
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[[Category:Gulfs of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Gulfs of the Pacific Ocean]]
[[de:Golf von Lingayén]]
[[ja:リンガエン湾]]
[[pt:Baía de Lingayen]]