28 February, 1945
Today in Philippine History
Palawan Island, between Borneo and Mindoro, the fifth largest and western-most Philippine Island, was invaded by the Americans, with landings of the U.S. Eighth Army at Puerto Princesa. The Japanese put up little direct defense of Palawan, but cleaning up pockets of Japanese resistance lasted until late April, with the Japanese using their common tactic of withdrawing into the mountains and jungles, dispersed as small units.
Throughout the Philippines, U.S. forces were aided by Filipino guerrillas to find and dispatch the holdouts, the last of whom, Hiroo Onoda, did not surrender until 1974, in the mountains of Lubang Island in Mindoro.
(Ref: Wikipedia; Photo © Roel Balingit, 2012)
