NATHAN SCOTT E.

TOLEDANO BPED1-1

MACARTHUR LANDING IN PANGASINAN

INTRODUCTION

Where General Douglas MacArthur really first landed on Pangasinan.Every January 9, the
anniversary is held on a private property at Bonuan Blue Beach, which is thought to be the location
of MacArthur's landing. General Douglas MacArthur reportedly made good on his pledge to return
by landing in the Lingayen Gulf on January 9, 1945, together with other American soldiers, according
to various history books.After reaching Palo, Leyte on October 20, 1944, he came back to the
Philippines in 1945 to help free our nation from Japanese occupation.  according to news items
published online, there was a debate about where MacArthur actually landed. MacArthur is said to
have touched down in three different locations: San Fabian, Lingayen, and Dagupan City.

BODY

Without any resistance from the enemy, the attack convoys advanced across the Visayas and along
the west coast of Luzon. One noteworthy incident occurred on January 5 when two torpedoes from
a Japanese midget submarine were fired at the Boise, which was carrying General Mac Arthur.
Fortunately, the submarine managed to dodge both torpedoes with rapid and expert movement
before being rammed and depth-charged by a nearby warship. 33 On January 9, all amphibious
shipping arrived in the Lingayen Gulf early in the morning. The Japanese suicide boats succeeded in
sinking or injuring several of the LSTs and LCIs, but the landings proceeded peacefully.

The four attack groups, one for each division taking part in the assault, were in place off their
allotted beaches practically simultaneously along a front of twelve miles thanks to the entry plan for
Task Forces 78 and 79, which transported I and XIV Corps, respectively. The 6th and 43rd Divisions of
the I Corps, commanded by Maj. Gen. Innis P. Swift, landed on the left flank close to San Fabian. The
37th and 40th Divisions of the XIV Corps, commanded by Maj. Gen. Oscar W. Griswold, landed on
the right, in front of the cities of Lingayen and Dagupan. (Plate No. 74) All landing waves reached the
shore at 0940, which was the hour of the landing. There was little initial protest on the beaches.

Where really did MacArthur first land? As said by the San Fabians.According to Basa's investigation, a
number of persons supported MacArthur's arrival in San Fabian. Mrs. Consuelo Perez, for whom
Roberto Barlaan composed his arguments, was one of the supporters of San Fabian. (Statement
made by General Douglas MacArthur on July 6, 1961.)On July 6, 1961, General MacArthur was
honored at the Urduja residence in Lingayen, and Mrs. Perez was present. As a gesture of
appreciation for the general's valiant actions, it was organized by the former governor of
Pangasinan, Estrella. MacArthur screamed that he initially landed in Pangasinan, specifically five to
seven miles east of the Urduja House. She heard him say something, and knew at once that
MacArthur meant the beaches of San Fabian.(Article from the San Francisco Chronicle from January
1945)Mrs. Perez owns a copy of a photo that was published in the San Francisco Chronicle and
shows American soldiers inside San Francisco's town hall. At the same time, MacArthur made his
landing in the Lingayen Gulf.(According to a US historian).Mrs. Perez also cited US historian
Morison's story as evidence that MacArthur had indeed arrived in their place. According to
Morison's narrative, the American soldiers that arrived in San Fabian in January 1945 concentrated
their fire on the Japanese forces present at that time.

Lingayen's assertion.Professor Pedro Ancheta was one supporter of Lingayen as the location of
MacArthur's landing in Basa's research. Professor Ancheta cited US historian Morison's assertion
that General MacArthur joined the Lingayen assault force after learning that the San Fabian assault
force had been engaged by Japanese soldiers in San Fabian. He came to the conclusion that
MacArthur did in fact land in Lingayen as a result of this information.

The claim of Dagupan.Restituto Basa, a renowned historian of Dagupan, conducted research that
was primarily intended to demonstrate that General Douglas MacArthur actually did land on Bonuan
Blue Beach. In order to demonstrate that Dagupan is the actual location of MacArthur's landing,
Basa used two interviews in his research. (Dr. Pedro Balolong’s account).During the Japanese
colonization, Bonuanguet was home to doctor Pedro Balolong. The American soldiers were being led
by him toward the sands of Bonuan Blue Beach when he was photographed. When Basa spoke with
him, he was able to establish that MacArthur had arrived in Dagupan on January 9, 1945. Dr.
Balolong said that he was employed by the Americans as a medical officer. He turned Bonuanguete's
Gregorio del Pilar School into a makeshift hospital for the injured. On January 9, 1945, Captain
Mailer picked him up from the hospital at 4 p.m. and brought him to town. He was informed by
Captain Mailer that General MacArthur was ahead of them as they traveled.

(The boy walking with MacArthur in Dagupan)Basa was able to track down and speak with the young
man who accompanied MacArthur on foot in Dagupan on January 9, 1945. For reasons of security,
the boy's identity was kept a secret. Basa was able to corroborate that the image was taken on
January 9, 1945, the same day that American soldiers arrived in Dagupan. Aside from the
confirmation from the youngster, the photo also depicts the Dagupan Theater signboard which
certifies the arrival of MacArthur at Dagupan.

CONCLUSION

There are numerous reports that claim they landed at the Lingayen Gulf, San Fabian, and Dagupan,
respectively. Where exactly do they land? The most well-known image by Carl Mydans shows
General Douglas MacArthur stepping ashore in the Lingayen Gulf on Luzon in the Philippines on
January 9, 1945, after American forces recaptured the region from the Japanese. Mydans' image
catches MacArthur successfully fulfilling his promise at that precise moment. However, in some
secondary sources, historian and professor Dr. Ricardo Jose of the University of the Philippines-
Diliman disputes some claims that MacArthur landed in Lingayen or Dagupan City on January 8,
2020. Jose was the resource speaker at the forum.According to him, General Douglas MacArthur
made his initial landing at 2:15 p.m. on January 9, 1945, on the Blue Beach of San Fabian in the
Lingayen Gulf's eastern region.According to my understanding and the information I gathered from
those elders who lived in the era when General MacArthur arrived for the second time in the
Philippines, they all agreed that he really landed in Lingayen Gulf, Pangasinan, Philippines. However,
there are claims that the general landed in Lingayen gulf, and others say they landed in San
Fabian.As a result, even though there are numerous reports that claim he arrived in various
locations, his homecoming was still one of the largest comebacks in Philippine history. He was a
valuable guy who deserved to be recognized for his labor and commitment to his sworn duty
because he was sympathetic and loved doing it.

REFERENCE

https://history.army.mil/books/wwii/macarthur%20reports/macarthur%20v1/ch09.htm?
fbclid=IwAR1hbL_Zjxe8gqhbuf6Wu9kfLZDzgIBkDkrcC-mwJRNHZMqT95ZH6TC1T2Y

https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1303377?
fbclid=IwAR12tI9mPmAEt6fSnxNBFICAXjioZllz3hk8_e9l0I87XV7nFZCDbeOGq08#:~:text=Subjects-,Ge
neral%20Douglas%20MacArthur%20lands%20in%20the%20Philippines%20at,on%20Luzon%2C
%20January%209%2C%201945

https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/867/today-in-philippine-history-january-9-1945-
general-macarthur-landed-at-bonuan-in-lingayen-pangasinan

https://theprobe106.wordpress.com/2018/05/09/macarthurlanding/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Lingayen_Gulf

https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/1098JV

https://www.google.com/amp/s/mb.com.ph/2022/01/10/pangasinan-commemorates-gen-douglas-
macarthurs-77th-lingayen-gulf-landings/%3famp