Lat 12° 49' 60N Long 121° 4' 60E  Island located to the south-west of Luzon. Divided into two provinces: Oriental Mindoro (eastern half) and Occidental Mindoro (western half)

History
Liberated by American forces (Western Visayan Task Force) under Brigadier-General Willam C. Dunckel set sail from Leyte on December 12, 1944. Kamikaze attacks crippled the Light Cruiser USS Nashville, the flagship where over 130 were killed, including high ranking officers. The Nashville and another Destroyer had to turn back to Leyte. They landed unopposed on the 15th at the south-west of the island, near San Jose meeting no opposition on the beach. There were about a thousand Japanese on the island, who fled inland with the pre-invasion bombardment. By December 23rd, two strips were in operation on the island, and provided air support for the liberation of Luzon.

Japanese Bombardment of Beachead
On December 24 two Japanese cruisers and eight destroyers left Camranh Bay, Indochina (Vietnam). They were spotted and attacked by aircraft and PT Boats, that managed to sink one of the Destroyers. The Japanese forces bombarded the beach on the 26th, but did little damage before they returned to Indochina. This was one of the last Japanese surface unit attacks on American beacheads during the war.

Occidental Mindoro
The western half of the island is Occidental Mindoro province.

San Jose
Main town on the island of Mindoro, located in the south-west of the island in Mindoro Occidental.

McGuire Drome (San Jose Airport)
Named in honor of Thomas McGuire, it was an American airbase, still in use today.

Hill Airfield
Wartime airfield, disused

Murtha Airfield
Wartime airfield, disused

Elmore Airfield (San Jose Airfield)
Prewar airfield, used by the Japanese, expanded by Americans, disused today

P-38 Lightning 44-24485
Pilot Henderson MIA July 13, 1945

P-38L-5 Lightning Serial Number 44-26538
Pilot Stier MIA July 13, 1945

Oriental Mindoro
The eastern Oriental Mindoro.

Puerto Galera
Lat 13° 30' 0N Long 120° 57' 15E  Peninsula on the north-east corn of Mindoro.

Today, it is a popular tourist destination. There are several shipwrecks in the area including Dry Dock 21-28m, Alma Jane Wreck (20-30m), St. Christoper Wreck (20-24m), Sabang Wreck (5-20m), Monkey Wreck (40-45m). Unsure which, if any of these wrecks are wartime related.

Japanese Wreck
Reported as a "Japanese Wreck" in dive charts, resting in 42m of water listed as a dive site midway off the eastern shore of the peninsula. This was a wooden patrol boat from WW2. Little remains now except the large engine, shaft and propellor. Thanks to Rick Kirkham, Frontier Scuba for additional information.

Calapan
Lat 13° 25' 9N Long 121° 11' 33E  Located on the north-eastern tip of Mindoro Island.

Wartime Barge
Off Calapan, and the Baco Islands is a wartime barge loaded with supplies. There may be the remains of a Japanese steel patrol boat there (badly broken up) too. Thanks to Rick Kirkham, Frontier Scuba for additional information.

G4M2 Betty
Shot down transporting Zero pilots of 201st Kokutai

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009