bigpigeon.us webpage WW II - Japan > Philippines Liberated, updated by RAC 6 Feb 2020.
The liberation of the Philippine Islands began with invasion of Leyte Island in October 1944 and was followed by the invasion of the main island of Leyte in January 1945. By March 1945, key parts of the Philippines lay in American hands, but combat in remote ares continued until the end of the War with Japan in August 1945.
Links to the WW II - The Philippines Liberated subpages
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The long and bloody liberation of the Philippines in 1944 and 1945 cost nearly 20,000 American lives, and far more lives of both the Japanese enemy and Filipino civilians. Perhaps as many as a quarter of a million died.
I view the liberation as consisting of four major parts: 17 Oct '44 - 26 Dec '44 - The Leyte invasion and subsequent land battle, 3,593 American dead. 23 Oct '43 - 25 Oct '44 - The Battle of Leyte Gulf, 2,800 dead. 15 Dec '44 - 15 Aug '45 - The invasion of Mindoro in December 1944, of Luzon in January 1945, and the subsequent land campaign on Luzon, 10,640 dead. 27 Feb '45 - 4 Jul '45 - The recapture of the southern Philippines, 2,100 dead. The liberation of the Philippines included two major and numerous smaller amphibious landings, several paratroop drops, and grueling land campaigns. It also included what was arguably the largest sea battle in history. Major United States military units involved were:
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The Philippine Islands
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Sources for the WW II - The Philippines Liberated webpage
- The webpage header photo, Santo Tomas Prisoners, shows two recently liberated American prisoners of the Japanese who had been held at the Santo Tomas camp in Manila. This Carl Mydans photo, courtesy of https://www.us-japandialogueonpows.org/Santo%20Tomas%20liberation.htm, appeared in the 5 March 1945 issue of Life Magazine. The caption reads "Two starved men sit outside university’s gym-hospital. They are Lee Rogers (left), a retired employee of Cavite Navy Yard, and John C. Todd, a miner. When Rogers entered Santo Tomas he weighed 145 pounds. Now he weighs 90 pounds. Todd dropped from 178 pounds to 102. Behind them is one of the vegetable gardens which internees grew to keep themselves alive."
- The Philippine Islands map is from https://history.army.mil/brochures/southphil/southphils.htm.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_Campaign_(1944–1945) is a well-written summary of the reconquest of the Philippine Islands.
- I used the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_battles_with_most_United_States_military_fatalities battle death figures.
Pottawattamie County, Iowa WW II Deaths - The Philippines Liberated (updated 29 Aug '19)
Click Full Report at World Wars > WW II Fallen Project to view parental and spousal information.
Click Full Report at World Wars > WW II Fallen Project to view parental and spousal information.
Only deaths from accident or sickness are listed here; combat deaths appear on subordinate webpages.
- Iverson, Elmer F. Jr., USAAF; unit unknown; A-20 Havoc pilot, d. 20 Nov '45, lost on flight from Tacloban, Leyte to Clark Field, Luzon.
- Pettie, Vernon G., US Navy; Fleet Hospital #114; d. 8 Apr '45, Samar, drowning.