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| Location Lat 11° 6' 32N Long 124° 34' 21E Valencia is located at an elevation of 147' / 44m in the Ormoc Valley of Leyte Province in central Leyte in the Philippines. Connected by Highway 2 to the north to Libongao and southeast to Cabulihan. To the southwest is San Jose. To the southeast is Cabulihan and beyond Ormoc roughly six and a half miles away. Wartime History In early December 1944, the Japanese 35th Army withdrew from Ormoc inland to Valencia and used the area as a staging point. The Americans concluded the Japanese intended to make a defensive stand at Valencia and advanced quickly to envelopment the town and airfield with two infantry regiments. Starting in early November 1944 targeted by American aircraft. American missions against Valencia November 2, 1944–December 17, 1944 On December 17, 1944 in the morning targeted by a barrage by 155mm artillery that hit Valencia and Valencia Airfield hitting an ammunition dump. At 12:45pm, the artillery fire was halted for a strike by P-40 Warhawk fighter-bombers against Valencia that bombed and strafed for fifty minutes. At 1:35pm the artillery barrage resume. At 2:15pm the guns ceased firing as American forces approached the area. The bombardment caused some of the Japanese to withdraw, but a strong well equipped force including paratroopers remained. By 4:40pm the leading elements of 307th Infantry reached the southwest edge of Valencia Airfield within 1,000 yards of Valencia and dug in overnight. That night, the Japanese Army Takahashi Detachment that landed at Palompon was ordered to advance to Valencia to engage the Americans but would be too late to reach the area. On December 18, 1944 at 8:30am U.S. Army 77th Division, 307th Infantry Regiment that had advanced from the southwest from San Jose advanced from the southwest edge of Valencia Airfield without opposition and occupied the airfield and town by 9:05am and spend the rest of the day consolidating their positions and patrolling to the north and east. At 4:30pm they established contact with the 306th Infantry Regiment advancing from the southeast from Cabulihan. Elements of the 302d Engineer Battalion were to repair immediately the highway between Ormoc and Valencia and at night retire within the nearest infantry defensive perimeter. The 304th, 305th, and 902d Field Artillery Battalions were to remain in the Valencia area to provide fire support for the advance northward. On December 22, 1944 the 2d Battalion and 3d Battalion of 305th Infantry Regiment depart Valencia up Highway 2 then westward to Humaybunay then advance towards Palompon. Valencia Airfield Japanese wartime airfield References U.S. Army in World War II Leyte: The Return to the Philippines Chapter XX pages 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 336, 337, 338 Contribute
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