Lat 11° 0' 0N Long 124° 37' 0E  Coastal town on the west coast of Leyte.

History
Ormoc was an important port for Japanese resupply during the Leyte campaign, where troops were landed. Targeted for capture on December 7, 1944, by the US Army 77th Division, landed by LCVP's delivered by US Navy APD's. The landings occurred at White 1 and White 2 beaches at Ormoc and met no opposition on the shore.

At least one camouflaged E16A Paul with tail code T-301 originally based at Sangley Point Cavite, was captured at Ormoc Bay when the US Army landed.

Philippine-Japan Peace Memorial
Built onto the hill behind Ormoc, this monument was created by Japanese veterans, and offers a commanding view of the Ormoc Bay area. Located on Carlota Hills, This memorial marker was built in 1978 by relatives of Japanese WW II veterans from Nagoya and Gifu Prefectures; one of the city's picturesque hills overlooking Ormoc Bay.

Ormoc Bay
On the night of December 7, 1944 American force were attacked Ormoc. The magnitude of fighting was not that of the more famous action at Leyte Gulf, but the Japanese vigorously resisted, with kamikaze attacks, and local air supremacy. There were 70 airfields in the Philippine Island which mean Japanese planes could approach from short distances. Cmdr Foster of the USS MOALE summarized it best with "My attention was focused on avoiding attacks from aircraft, possible torpedoes, enemy fire from surface ships and shore batteries. We were in a hot spot, hotter than we knew at the time." During the action, several Destroyers were sunk or damaged. Some of the crews of sunken USN Destroyer (APD's) swam to Ponson Island, in the Camotes Island Group.

USS Cooper DD-695
Sunk by torpedo on December 3, 1944

USS Ward DD-139
Sunk by Kamikaze attack on December 7, 1944

Naganami
Sunk during the Battle of Ormoc Bay

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009