The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-12-26
PHILIPPINI CONQUEsTs

PHILIPPINE CoNoUEsTs ( GENERAL MACARTHUR had Developed a strong portion oi hs assault force on his let or casi- ern flank To provide protection i0F the beachhead against the strong Japanese forces 70 me north and Uast.
 In appreciation o; ths eneny's predicament ihe Sixth Army im- Hicdiaiely launched its advance toward Manila acrosz the bend oi Che Agno which presumably should have been a strongly held sapanese defense line.
 The troops met ilttle resistance until the approached Clark Fleld The Corps. commanded by Ma. Gen. Innis P. swift had heavy fighting on the east flank where the Japanese were strongly en- trenchec in hill positions. For the time being they were to be held there 10 keep the supply line for the advance on Manila secure.
 On g January troops of Gen. eral Halls XI Corps under sira- fegc direction oi the Eighth Army landed on the west coast Of Luzon near Subic Bay, meet ing light opposition. They drove eastward to cut off the Bataan peninsula where General MacAr- thur had made his stand three years before. denying the Japa- neSc the use Of Manila harbor for months.
 The llth Airborne Division on 3l anuary mace an unopposed amphibious landing at Nasugbu in Batangas Province south Of Ma nila. Three days later the diyi- sion's parachute regiment jumped to Takaytay ridge dominating the Cavite area That night troops Of the lst Cavalry Division raced through Novaliches and reached Grace Park in the northeastern portion of the city of Manila. On 6 February the airborne troops reached Nichols Field. As the troops of the Sixth Army closed on Manila from the north. north west, and south, the situation of Japanese forces in the city was rendered hopeless but they fought bitterly from house to house. Or ganized resistance ceased on 23 February when the American in fantry penetrated the old walled city.
 Proceeded by heavy air and naval bombardment, elements of the 38th Division landed on l5 February at Mariveles on the tip of Bataan. Resistance was light and our soldiers rapidly advanced along the preimeter road west of Manila Bay. While the battle for the city still ragged, MacArthur moved to open Manila Bay and begin preparation of the Philip pines as & major base for the next United States advances in the far Pacific.
 CorregidOr Retaken
 Corregidor had gone under AL lied bombardment on 8 January, and in less than a month Kenney'S airmen dropped 3,128 tons of bombs on the two and three fourths square mile island that controls Manila Bay.
 On the morning of 16 February, two long trains of Army CAT transports approached the "Rock," " close tothe 500-foot sheer cliffs "A sudden Manifestations wind swept the air clear of the smoke and dust of the naval and air bombardment that had ceased a few minutes earlier. Then the troop carriers began to SOW the sky. 'Chutes spilled out white and troops of the veteran 503d Para chute Regiments drifted down. ward toward the lighthouse and golf course on the little island, against scattered small arms fire from the Japs on the ground. Simultaneously, troops of the 34th Infantry Regiment hit the shore in assault boats at San Jose South Dock. They ran into a heavy mine field covering the entire length of the beach, but little fire from Japs on the island.
 Fighting in the tunnels built by Americans in an attempt to make Corregidor impregnable prior to World War II, the Japs continued their suicidal resistance for nearly two weeks. Toward the end there was 8 series of terrific explosions on the islands as the Japs de- : stroyed the tunnel system and themselves with it. Americans sealed up remaining caves and an . estimated 300 Japs. A total of 4,215 Japs were killed on the is land, an unknown number blown up. Of the 3,038 Americans who took back Corregidor, 136 were killed, 8 were missing, and 531 wounded.
 Manila Bay was open in early March. In less than two months General MacArthur accomplished what the Japanese had needed six to do after Pearl Harbor.
 In late February, elements ot the Eighth Army's 41st Division effected an unopposed landing at Puerto Princesa, Palawan Island. The force captured the town with .ats two airstrips and completely occupied Puerto Princesa Penin- sula. The airfields gave control of a wide area of the China Sea greatly facilitating the severance of Japanese communications with Malaysia and Burma.
 On 10 March other 41st Division troops landed on the western tip of Mindanao, second largest is- land inp the Philippine group. Ini- tial resistance was light and the city of Zamboanga fell the follow ! ing day, but heavy fighting fol- flowed in the foothills and con- 4 tinued for weks.
 Landings were made during March on Panay, Cebu. and Ne < gros. Reconnaissance parties went ashore on Jolo, Tawitawi, and other islands in the Sulu Archi- pelago, extending our holdings to within 40 miles of Borneo. In each