Pacific Wrecks

Missing In Action (MIA)

Prisoners Of War (POW)

Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)

Chronology

La Union Province Luzon Philippines

Location
La Union Province is located in central Luzon in the Philippines. To the west is Lingayen Gulf and beyond South China Sea (West Philippine Sea). Borders Ilocos Sur Province to the north, Benguet Province to the west and Pangasinan Province to the south.

Wartime History
Occupied by the Japanese Army 48th Division plus two tank regiments that landed at Caba and Agoo. in December 22, 1941. Liberated in the second week of January 1945 by US Army forces, after their landings in Pangasinan.

San Fernando
Costal city along the eastern shore of Lingayen Gulf and capital city of the province. Occupied by the Japanese in early December 1941. Its harbor became an important shipping point for the Japanese. Liberated in late March, 1945.

Damortis
A barrio of San Fernando, located on the eastern shore of Lingayen Gulf. The Damortis - Rosario road ran thurough this town (Route 3-11 junction) and Japanese artillery emplacements. Located to the east of the main American landings, it was one of the first objectives, it was liberated on January 12, 1945 by the US Army 158th RCT.

Agoo
Costal town, on the eastern shore of Lingayen Gulf. Japanese forces landed here in December 1941. During the Japanese occupation, they burned part of Macalca and massacred 17 innocent civilians under the Prinsipe Bridge, suspected of being guerilla sympathizers.

Naguilian
Located to the east of San Fernando. Occupied by the Japanese until the end of the war.

Rosario
Located at the southern edge of La Union Province.

Luna
Borders the South China Sea. Prewar Luna Airfield.

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
October 23, 2019

Map
January 9-17, 1945

Map
Fallingrain

Interviews & Oral Histories