Prelude & Act I

Strong where they had once been weak, advancing where they had once retreated, U.S. troops last week marched south from Lingayen Gulf toward Manila. They followed much the same route that the 26th Cavalry, 51st (Philippine) Infantry and Filipino Scouts had taken in the heart-breaking retreat toward Bataan in 1941.

But the forces that made the first, unopposed gains on Luzon last week were no mere regiments or elements of regiments: they were the XIV Corps of Lieut. General Walter Krueger's Sixth Army. They were armed with weapons which had been designers' dreams three years ago. They were tough and junglewise. They were backed by fleets and air forces which dwarfed those of the enemy. They knew that in reserve were other corps to keep the drive rolling in high. General MacArthur was on his way to Manila. To secure the island of Luzon, he had four and a half months of dry weather, which should be enough.

MacArthur's intention to free Luzon had been widely trumpeted. But the Japanese could not know just where he would choose to land. From agents on Luzon, working secret radios, MacArthur knew that the Jap Army had skimped the defenses of Lingayen Gulf. To keep the enemy off balance, he moved into Marinduque and sent raiding parties to southern Luzon. Thus, even when the great expedition had been mounted and was under way, the Japs still did not know its destination.

Part the First. So vast was the armada under Vice Admiral Thomas Cassin Kinkaid that it was divided into four: 1) bombardment and fire-support group, under Vice Admiral Jesse Barrett Oldendorf (victor of Surigao Strait); 2) close cover group, under Rear Admiral Russell S. Berkey; 3) San Fabian Attack Force, with troops for the northern beachhead, under Vice Admiral Daniel E. Barbey; 4) Lingayen Attack Force, with troops for the southern beachhead, under Vice Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson.

Oldendorf's heavyweights, the armored tip of the spear, were days ahead of the other groups. They included the "ghost ships," veteran battleships raised from the mud of Pearl Harbor, which had fought so well at Surigao. His jeep carriers opened an air umbrella as he bored past Mindoro into the South China Sea.

In three hours, Oldendorf's ships had to beat off a hundred Jap fighters and fighter bombers, attacking in twos & threes, concentrating first on the jeep carriers. Some enemy planes scored: at least one "big ship" took a hit on a forward turret; her captain was wounded, and there was great danger of magazine explosions. But damage and fire-control crews showed superb courage and skill. The ship kept formation and ploughed on.

Feint in the Night. While still under enemy observation, Oldendorf swept on to the north, past the entrance to Lingayen Gulf. Perhaps the Japs would think he was going to Vigan. But in the night he turned back. The sea approaches to Lingayen Gulf had been scantily mined. With little difficulty, his ships reached their bombardment runs and opened fire with everything from 5-inch to 16-inch guns. Jap shore batteries on Santiago Island answered briefly and were soon put out of action. Jap aircraft attacked, again for three hours.

Oldendorf's floating batteries poured it on all day, raking the coast from San Fernando south to San Fabian and west to Lingayen. Jap troops were scattered; cheering Filipinos streamed down to the beaches until the gunfire made it too hot for them. Next day Oldendorf was still at it. Japanese soldiers streamed out to the north, using pushcarts and bicycles.

Steps Retraced. General MacArthur had boarded one of Admiral Barbey's ships off Leyte when Oldendorf's force was already off Bataan. On the voyage, the general spent a good part of each day sitting in the doorway of the captain's cabin. He had the air of a man whose work was already done: the planning had been so complete that he had only a few short conferences with his staff. With satisfaction he told LIFE Photographer Carl Mydans: "This is the same route I followed when I came out of the Philippines in a PT boat . . . exactly that route."

When a Jap midget submarine fired two torpedoes at the ship, and was rammed by a U.S. destroyer, MacArthur watched with emotionless interest. His calm under air attack, first noted in Manila and Corregidor, was again displayed.

Luzon at Last. It was Tuesday, Jan. 9, when Barbey's landing craft nosed in to the beach extending south from San Fabian. Assault troops streamed ashore in full daylight, direct from LCIs, with no opposition save enemy mortar fire. Wilkinson's group, following Barbey's into the gulf and staking out the southernmost beach west to Lingayen, met no enemy fire, but heavy surf breaking far out complicated the task of landing heavy equipment.

With no obstacles except the terrain (part sandy, part marshy), Krueger's men quickly pushed inland, consolidated their separate beachheads, put Lingayen airfield into service, and started south on good highways toward Manila. For days, the Japs faded away ahead of them. On the western flank, the Agno River was early crossed. In the center, where the river's great bend made a logical position for a determined Japanese stand, it was crossed again at week's end, still against only token opposition. On the east, there was stiff local resistance, but if the Jap had been hoping to move major forces south from Vigan for a flank attack, his hopes were dampened by the sinking of 45 luggers and a transport trying to land supplies off San Fernando. Sealing of the Baguio road by U.S. forces further protected this flank.

By comparison with the prelude at sea, the first act of the drama on Luzon was tame, but the second and third acts were to come. And the less action there was at the beginning, the more there would be in later scenes.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.