U.S. and Philippine Officials Commemorate Shared World War II Sacrifices

MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park — Representatives from the governments of the Philippines, United States, Japan and Australia honored veterans at a commemoration of the 72nd anniversary of the Leyte Gulf landing. Col. Kevin Wolfla, Army Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, stated that the ceremony commemorated the shared U.S. and Philippine sacrifices of World War II, which serve as an example of our strong relationship as the U.S. and the Philippines stand shoulder to shoulder to face the future.

On Oct. 20, 1944, the Allies, under the command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, conducted an amphibious assault on Leyte beaches near Tacloban, Dulag and Palo. That afternoon, Gen. MacArthur famously waded through the surf and announced his return to the Philippines, as well as his intentions for liberating the islands, stating, “We have come dedicated and committed to the task of destroying every vestige of enemy control over your daily lives, and of restoring upon a foundation of indestructible strength, the liberties of your people.”

This began the Battle of Leyte, opening the Philippines Campaign, in which Allied forces and Filipino guerillas defeated the Japanese occupying armies in the Philippines.