From: Everette (194cbteng@bellsouth.net)
Date: Mon Jan 09 2006 - 04:34:29 PST
January 9
1945 United States invades Luzon in Philippines
On this day, Gen. Douglas MacArthur and the American 6th Army land on
the Lingayen Gulf of Luzon, another step in the capture of the Philippine
Islands from the Japanese.
The Japanese controlled the Philippines from May 1942, when the defeat
of American forces led to General MacArthur's departure and Gen. Jonathan
Wainwright's capture. But in October 1944, more than 100,000 American
soldiers landed on Leyte Island to launch one of one of the bloodiest
battles of the Pacific war-and herald the beginning of the end for Japan.
It took 67 days to subdue the island, with the loss of more than 55,000
Japanese soldiers during the two months of battle and approximately 25,000
more soldiers killed in smaller-scale engagements necessary to fully clear
the area of enemy troops. The U.S. forces lost about 3,500.
The sea battle of Leyte Gulf was the same story . More than 5,000
kamikaze pilots died in this gulf battle, taking down 34 ships. But the
Japanese were not able to prevent the loss of their biggest and best
warships, which meant the virtual end of the Japanese Imperial Fleet.
American warships were in for a new surprise: kamikaze boats. Japanese boats
loaded with explosives and piloted by kamikaze personnel rammed the light
cruiser Columbia and the battleship Mississippi, killing a total of 49
American crewmen.
Everette
In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me
light and strength.
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