1978: NOAA announces gender-neutral hurricane naming system
Federal News Network presents a daily update of important moments in the history of the U.S. government.
Gen. Douglas MacArthur and the American 6th Army landed on the Lingayen Gulf of Luzon on Jan. 9, 1945, another step in the capture of the Philippine Islands from the Japanese during World War II. The Japanese controlled the Philippines from May 1942, when the defeat of American forces led to General MacArthur’s departure and Gen. Jonathan Wainwright’s capture. But in October 1944, more than 100,000 American soldiers landed on Leyte Island to launch one of one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific war, and to herald the beginning of the end for Japan. Newsreels captured MacArthur wading ashore at Leyte on Oct. 20, but it took 67 days to subdue the island, with the loss of more than 55,000 Japanese soldiers during the two months of battle and approximately 25,000 more soldiers killed in smaller-scale engagements necessary to fully clear the area of enemy troops. The U.S. forces lost about 3,500. The sea battle of Leyte Gulf was the same story, but the victories allowed more than 60,000 American troops to land on Luzon on Jan. 9. Once again, cameras recorded MacArthur walking ashore.
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