January 8-14, 1945
Source: Compilation done by Mary H. Williams of the Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, Washington D.C. in 1960
January 8
P.I.-Preinvasion aerial and naval bombardment of Lingayen Gulf area continues. Minesweeping is completed.
January 9
LUZON-After preparatory aerial and naval bombardment U.S. Sixth Army, under Gen Krueger, begins landing on shores of Lingayen Gulf at approximately 0930. Gen MacArhtur is in over-all command. Seventh Fleet commander, Adm Kinkaid, heads Luzon Task Force (TF 77).
Two corps land abreast, XIV on right and I on left, without opposition. XIV Corps, with 40th Div. on right and 37th on left, each with two regts in assault, is virtually unopposed while pushing inward to an average depth of four miles, its flanks near Calasiao on E and Port Sual on W. I Corps, more strongly opposed, is less successful.
Its beachhead by end of day is narrower and shallower that that of XIV Corps and contains several gaps between assault forces. 6th Div, employing two regts, gains line from Dagupan to Pantalan R and has elements at Bued R crossing, S of San Fabian. 43rd Div attacks with three regts to positions in vicinity of San Jacinto, Binday, and Hills 470, 247, and 385.
January 10
LUZON-In U.S. Sixth Army area, army reserve begins landing. In XIV Corps area, 185th Inf of 40th Div takes Labrador while 160th pushes along Highway 13 toward Aguilar, reaching Umanday area.
Because of gap developing between the two regts, 108th Inf (less 3rd Bn) is committed in Polong area. 148th Inf, 37th Div, speeds inland to San Carlos; elements continue to Army Beachhead Line. One 129th Inf column moves without opposition in Malasiqui, within 2½ miles of Army Beachhead Line, while another reaches Army Beachhead Line at Dumpay and maintains contact with 148th Inf.
In I Corps area, 6th Div drives S and SE to Mapandan and vicinity of Santa Barbara. 43rd Div's 103rd Inf takes San Jacinto without opposition and pushes on toward Manaoag and Hill 200: 169th and 172nd regts run into organized defense positions on hills confronting them; 169th takes Hill 470 and drives on Hill 351 and 318; 172nd Inf clears Hill 385 and moves slowly toward Hill 351.
January 11
SWPA-GHQ orders 11th A/B Div, U.S. Eighth Army, to be prepared to land on Luzon at Nasugbu and Tayabas Bays in late January. Plan to land XI Corps at Vigan is dropped.
LUZON-In U.S. Sixth Army area, RCT 158, part of army reserve, begins drive up Route 251 toward Rabon and relieves elements of 172nd Inf, 43rd Div. XIV Corps is largely an Army Beachhead Line by end of day. 40th Div consolidates in Dulig-Labrador-Uyong area, finds Aguilar in the hands of Filipino guerillas, and makes contact with 37th Div E of Aguilar. 37th Div organizes defensive positions along Army Beachhead Line; patrols actively and establishes outposts; maintains contact with I Corps. RCT 145, all of which is now ashore, establishes defense positions along Route 261. In I Corps area, 6th Div finds Filipino guerillas in control of Santa Barbara; moves 3½ miles S to Balingueo. 103rd Inf, 43rd Div, takes Manaoag without opposition; gains positions on slopes of hill mass that Hill 200 crowns; establishes contact with 6th Div. 169th tries in vain to take Hill 318; gains weak hold on Hill 560. 172nd, under intense fire, makes little headway. Corps front is rapidly widening and extends nearly 30 miles from S to N. With elimination of small (Japanese) force at Boac, Marinduque I. is now secure.
January 12
LUZON-In U.S. Sixth Army's XIV Corps Area, 40th Div's 185th Inf takes Port Sual, W terminus of Army Beachhead Line, without a fight and continues W toward Alaminos, 37th Div is consolidating on Army Beachhead Line; elements move into Bayambang and Urbiztondo without opposition. In I Corps area, 6th Div (less RCT 63) is ordered to conduct holding action along line Malisiqui-Catablan-Torres until situation in 43rd Div sector improves and is moving forward toward that line. RCT 158, released from army reserve to corps late in the day, moves elements to Rabon and Bani and patrols to Damortis. Corps attaches RCT 158 to 43rd Div; to further strengthen 43rd Div, commits RCT 63(-) of 6th Div to right of RCT 158 to close gap between 158th and 172nd Rgts. RCT's 158 and 63 are to secure Damortis-Rosario road. Elements of 43rd Div take Hill 560 and are attacking toward Hills 318 and 200.
Mindoro-Entire 21st Inf assembles at Pinamalayan for drive on Calapan, where (Japanese) force is now concentrated. Guerilla patrol reaches Wawa on N coast near Abra de Ilog.
January 13
LUZON-With scattered strikes at Lingayen Gulf, major (Japanese) air attacks on Luzon Attack Force come to an end.
In U.S. Sixth Army area, Gen Krueger takes command ashore. In XIV corps area, elements of 185th Inf, 40th Div, move along coast of Lingayen Gulf to site chosen for seaplane base in Cabalitan Bay and find that Allied Naval Forces have already secured it without (Japanese) interference. Wawa falls to elements of 37th Div. In I Corps area, 6th Div gains its holding line, Malasiqui-Catablan-Torres. In 43rd Div zone, RCT 158 takes Damortis without a struggle. Attacking from Alacan area, 63rd Inf gets about halfway to Hill 363, its first objective. Hills 580 and 318 are practically cleared by 172nd and 169th Regts, respectively.
January 14
LUZON-In U.S. Sixth Army's XIV Corp's area, 40th Div's Rcn Tr reaches Alaminos; 160th Inf drives S along Route 13 from Aguilar to Mangatarem. Pushing S across the Agno, 129th Inf of 37th Div takes Bautista; 37th Div Rcn Tr finds Camiling undefended. In I Corps area, 6th Div continues holding action and patrols actively. In 43rd Div zone, 158th Inf attacks toward Rosario but meets such heavy fire in defile near Amlang that it pulls back approximately to its starting line; 63rd Inf seizes Hill 363. After taking Hill 351, which has been bypassed, and mopping up on Hill 580, 172nd Inf secures Hills 585 and 565 and pushes on toward Hill 665; upon spotting (Japanese) moving down Route 3, is ordered to attack on 15th for junction of Routes 3 and 11. 169th Inf mops up on Hill 318: prepares to attack Hill 355. 103rd Inf establishes outpost about 1½ miles SE of Pozorrubio.
LEYTE - Eighth Army's XXIV Corps' area, 96th Div relieves 11th A/B Div of tactical responsibility on Leyte and sends two bns to Samar I. to relieve 8th Cav, 1st Cav Div, of garrison duty at Catbalogan. Night 14-15, 7th Div sends TF, composed of 3rd Bn of 184th Inf, 776th Tank Bn, and elements of 718th and 536th Amtrac Bns, an amphibious mission to secure Camotes Is.
|
