The Philippines--ORMOC, MINDORO

OCCUPATION OF ORMOC

At the beginning of December, 1944, our forces had cleared the Japanese from most of eastern Leyte and were moving westward through the central mountain range. The enemy still held the western part of the island, including all of the Ormoc corridor, except Limon at the north, with about 35,000 troops. They were being supplied through the port of Ormoc. On 6 December, a Task Group left Leyte Gulf and proceeded without incident to Ormoc Bay, The beaches selected for landing extended from three to four miles to the southwest of the town of Ormoc, The minesweepers preceded the rest of the group and cleared a channel in Canigat West Pass on the 6th. After a 20 minute bombardment by destroyers and rocket craft, the troops of the 77th Division were landed beginning at 0707 and by 0900 all vessels were unloaded except one LSM and one LCI which had been stranded on a reef. Enemy air attacks began at 0940 and the Mahan (DD) and Ward (APD) were damaged by suicide attacks and had to be sunk by our own gunfire. Suicide attacks continued while the attack group was forming up for return to Leyte Gulf. On 7 and 11 December the Japanese made efforts to reinforce their troops on Leyte but both convoys were intercepted by Marine and Army aircraft and several enemy vessels were sunk, although some enemy craft succeeded in landing troops and supplies at west coast ports on Leyte, A re-supply echelon arrived off Ormoc about 2300 on the 11th. It was attacked by suicide aircraft and the Reid (DD) was sunk. There was heavy machine gun and light artillery fire after the landing craft had neared the beaches but no damage was done. As the convoy was retiring on the 12th it was attacked by some 30 enemy aircraft, 16 of which were shot down by combat air patrols and ship's gunfire.

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NORTHWESTERN LEYTE ISLAND

NORTHWESTERN LEYTE ISLAND

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MINDORO--PHILIPPINES

EARLY OPPOSITION NEGLIGIBLE

Because of adverse weather conditions at Leyte airfields and unexpectedly strong enemy air reaction, control of the air over Leyte was not complete on 5 December, the date set for the original Mindoro landings. The date was, therefore, advanced to 15 December. The objective was to provide dry-weather airfields to support future large scale landings on Luzon. Heavy forces of assault troops were not necessary as only about 200 enemy troops were thought to be in the landing area and not more than 500 on the entire island. During passage to the beaches there was much enemy air opposition and more air attacks developed during unloading at the beaches, when two LST's were hit and set afire, and Howorth (DD) damaged by suicide attacks. Altogether 33 enemy planes were shot down in these attacks. No mines were found by the minesweepers and opposition at the beaches was negligible. Objectives ashore were quickly taken and construction of airfields and roads begun immediately. By 22 December the San Jose field was in operation for P-38's and B-24's. On the 26th Japanese naval units bombarded shore positions on Mindoro for an hour and then retired to the west. Several of our merchant ships off the beachhead were damaged. Air attacks on the positions at Mindoro were made repeatedly during the rest of December and ten enemy planes attacked a convoy on the 28th, blowing up an ammunition ship and damaging another vessel. By the end of the month about 373 enemy aircraft had attacked our Mindoro positions, of which some 145 were reported destroyed.

FS-367 TAKES SURVIVORS FROM USS MARISPOSA

At about 1530 on 30 December, 1944, Japanese planes began a sudden and devastating attack on shipping in San Jose harbor sinking or damaging four ships. One enemy plane crash-dived the USS Arcturus, a PT tender, which sank, A second made a low-level straffing and bombing attack on a group of LST's unloading at White Beach, blowing the stern off one LST and sinking it. The same plane then turned to seaward in the direction of the USS Mariposa, a Liberty type converted oil tanker. The Coast Guard manned FS-367 was anchored some three hundred yards away. Despite heavy fire from ships and shore batteries the Japanese plane succeeded in crash diving the Mariposa, striking it amidships from the port side and penetrating the cargo of high-octane gasoline. The ship burst instantly into flame. A number of the ship's crew were blown or jumped into the water and the FS-367 weighed anchor preparatory to going to her assistance. As they were beginning to get under way, a third Japanese plane came in for a low-level attack on destroyers patrolling outside the harbor. This plane received a hit which set it afire and it crashed into the USS Gansevoort, which immediately began to burn and settle into the water. The FS-367 proceeded to the assistance of the Mariposa and began taking on survivors. She stayed alongside until all survivors had been taken off and was then signalled to stand off at a safer distance. At 2130 the USS Gansevoort launched two torpedoes into the Mariposa. The FS-367 was preparing to move in order to avoid burning gasoline from the Mariposa which was spreading over the bay, when the Gansevoort, which was much nearer the fire, requested the 367 to come alongside to take off its crew. By the time they reached the Gansevoort the gasoline had spread to such an extent that the latter was in immediate danger of being engulfed so instead of taking off personnel the FS-367 warped alongside and began towing

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INVASION OF LUZON

INVASION OF LUZON
9 JANUARY 1945

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them to safer anchorage. At this time another alert was sounded and shortly thereafter a Japanese plane was shot down almost directly overhead. The Gansevoort finally dropped anchor in seven fathoms of water several hundred yards off White Beach. Next day she was abandoned by her crew in a sinking condition. No casualties were suffered aboard the FS-367.

PALOMPON--PHILIPPINES

CHIEF PORT REMAINING ON LEYTE OCCUPIED

Palompon, the chief remaining port in Japanese possession on Leyte was occupied by our ground forces on 25 December. Kanaga, terminus of the road from Palompon on the Ormoc-Ponampoan highway, was also occupied. We further sent a few sorties against enemy installations and barge hideouts on Samar and the Camotes Islands. We suffered no losses on these missions.

MARINDUQUE--PHILIPPINES

A STEP TOWard LUZON

Our landing on Marinduque Islands east of Northern Mindoro on the morning of 3 January 1945, was in preparation for Luzon operations. The island itself is of little value, being mountainous and wooded, but it commands the eastern entrance to the Verde Island Passage between Mindoro and the Batangas area of Luzon, as well as the Sibuyan Sea.

FAIS ISLAND--CAROLINES

FAIS ISLAND NOT USED AS AN ENEMY BASE

Suspecting that Fais Island, located a short distance south and east of Ulithi might be a base for enemy midget submarines or a communications center, a landing was made on the southeast beach on 1 January, 1945. The western half of the island was searched on the same day but no Japanese were found. A more intense search on the 3rd brought contact with the enemy in a cave in that part of the island and eight Japanese were killed together with three of our men. When six Japanese civilians surrendered later it was ascertained that only three of the enemy remained in the island. The radio station and hospital were destroyed after removing all valuable equipment. The American flag was raised on the 4th and the task force returned to Ulithi after restoring the native king to his rule over the 280 natives. The island had never been used as a submarine base, but the radio station had remained operative until 24 December when the transmitter had gone out of commission.

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