MacArthur at Leyte
MacArthur at Leyte
bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Japan > Philippines Liberated > Leyte, © 2024 by Robert A. Christiansen,  updated by RAC 23 Mar 2024.

The Leyte Campaign
Major operations in the Leyte Campaign began on 20 October 1944 when four divisions of MacArthur's Sixth Army, led by General Walter Krueger, landed on the east coast of Leyte in the central Philippine Islands.

In an attempt to destroy the invasion forces, the Imperial Japanese Navy soon launched a complex naval operation which became the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the subject of a separate webpage.

The accompanying map shows the US land advance during the first two weeks.

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Early Stage of the Leyte Campaign
Early Stage of the Leyte Campaign
  • Japanese reinforcements continued to arrive on Leyte from elsewhere in the Philippines.
  • Muddy conditions restricted land movement.  
  • Leyte turned out to be a poorly suited airbase location. 
Thus the Leyte Campaign took longer than expected. 

Various dates are used to mark the close of the Leyte Campaign:
  • 25 December - Last port available for Japanese use is seized.
  • 26 December - Leyte operational control transferred from the Sixth to the Eighth Army.
  • 31 December - Last combat with Japanese units.
  • 8 May 1945 - Mop-up of Japanese stragglers ends.
Final Stage of the Leyte Campaign
Final Stage of the Leyte Campaign
Sources for Big Pigeon's Philippines Liberated > Leyte webpage:
  • The webpage header photo, MacArthur at Leyte, shows General MacArthur landing on the beach at Leyte on invasion day, 20 Oct 1944. The photo is courtesy of wikipedia.
  • The map Early Stage of the Leyte Campaign is taken from https://history.army.mil/html/books/072/72-27/CMH_Pub_72-27.pdf.
  • The map Final Stage of the Leyte Campaign is taken from https://history.army.mil/html/books/072/72-27/CMH_Pub_72-27.pdf.
  • https://history.army.mil/brochures/leyte/leyte.htm
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Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - Philippines Liberated > Leyte:
  • Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Dead module.
08-01 - Philippines Liberated > Leyte: (five dead, updated 4 Oct 2023)
† Alley, Guy Hersell, SN 37-267-605, US Army, Mills Co.
  • 382nd Inf. Regt., 96th Inf. Div.; KIA 9 Nov 1944 W of Dagami, Leyte, Philippines; Philippines Liberated > Leyte.
​​† Fuller, John Howard, SN 0-1-307-394, US Army, Montgomery Co.
  • Co. H, 184th Inf. Regt., 7th Inf. Div., XXIV Corps, Sixth Army; a 2nd Battalion Weapons Co. machine gun platoon leader; DOW 4 Jan 1945 near Biliboy, north of Ormoc, Leyte, Philippines; struck by small arms fire while positioning his platoon in support of Company F mopping-up operation;  Philippines Liberated > Leyte.
† Hayes, Robert A., SN 0-1-297-536, US Army, Montgomery Co. & Buchanan Co., MO
  • Co. C, 382nd Inf. Regt., 96th Inf. Div., XXIV Corps; KIA 29 Oct 1944 NE of Nagami, Leyte, Philippines; battle for Catmon Hill - Philippines Liberated > Leyte.
† Karnes, Howard Leroy, SN 37-431-632, US Army, Cass Co.
  • Co. I, 32nd Inf. Regt., 7th Inf. Div.; KIA 25 Nov 1944 SE of Ormoc; Leyte, Phillipines; Battle of Shoestring Ridge - Philippines Liberated > Leyte.
† Leet, John Drexel Sr., SN 37-267-578, US Army, Mills Co.
  • Co. B, 382nd Inf. Regt., 96th Inf. Div., KIA 4 Nov 1944 Bloody Ridge, W of Dagami, Leyte, Philippines; Philippines Liberated > Leyte.