Location
Lat 11° 3' 39N Long 124° 54' 10E  Dagami is located at an elevation of 75' / 22m inland from the eastern coast of Leyte Province on Leyte Island in the Eastern Visayas (Region VIII) in the Visayas (Visayas Islands) in the central Philippines. A road connects south to Burouen (Burauen) and eastward to Tanauan.

Wartime History
Occupied by the Japanese during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. In October 1944, occupied by elements of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) 16th Division. On October 21, 1944 at 3:00am after the U.S. landing, General Shiro Makino withdrew from the Dulag area to Dagami and established his command post and headquarters but communications with his forces elsewhere was difficult.

During the Leyte campaign, Dagami was inside the XXIV Corps area and one of the objectives of the 7th Division after they occupied Burouen (Burauen) they advanced northward on October 26, 1944 to occupy Buri then the entire 17th Infantry Regiment contunued to advance northward toward Dagami.

Meanwhile, the Japanese had prepared positions in depth roughly 1,000 yards south of Dagami with pillboxes made of logs and sandbags with interlocking fields of fire situationed on higher ground thatn the approach across open rice patties. The

defended by element of the 20th Infantry Regiment plus roughly 200 from 2d Battalion, 33d Infantry Regiment and scattered elements of the 16th Engineer Regiment and the 9th Infantry Regiment.

On October 28, 1944 approaching Dagami from the south, the 17th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Bn suffers heavy casualties from Japanese defenders. Two Americans earned the Medal of Honor, posthumously. Pfc Leonard C. Brostrom and Pfc John F. Thorson who smothered an enemy grenade and was mortally wounded and later earned the Medal of Honor, posthumously. On October 29, 1944 withdrawing depleted 2d Bn to reserve, 17th Inf of 7th Div continues attack toward Dagami with 1st and 3d Bns and breaks into the south part of the town and occupies the town by the end of the day.

References
U.S. Army in World War II Leyte: The Return to the Philippines Chapter VII Southern Leyte Valley: Part One pages 103, 104, 107, 111, 120-123
U.S. Army in World War II Leyte: The Return to the Philippines Chapter VIII Southern Leyte Valley: Part Two pages 124, 125 (map), 127, 131, 133, 137, 138, 141, 143, 144, 145

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Last Updated
January 12, 2025