Lat 12° 49' 60N Long 121° 4' 60E  Island located to the south-west of Luzon. Divided into two provinces: Oriental Mindoro (eastern half) and Occidental Mindoro (western half)

History
Liberated by American forces (Western Visayan Task Force) under Brigadier-General Willam C. Dunckel set sail from Leyte on December 12, 1944. Kamikaze attacks crippled the Light Cruiser USS Nashville, the flagship where over 130 were killed, including high ranking officers. The Nashville and another Destroyer had to turn back to Leyte. They landed unopposed on the 15th at the south-west of the island, near San Jose meeting no opposition on the beach. There were about a thousand Japanese on the island, who fled inland with the pre-invasion bombardment. By December 23rd, two strips were in operation on the island, and provided air support for the liberation of Luzon.

Japanese Bombardment of Beachead
On December 24 two Japanese cruisers and eight destroyers left Camranh Bay, Indochina (Vietnam). They were spotted and attacked by aircraft and PT Boats, that managed to sink one of the Destroyers. The Japanese forces bombarded the beach on the 26th, but did little damage before they returned to Indochina. This was one of the last Japanese surface unit attacks on American beacheads during the war.

Occidental Mindoro
The western half of the island is Occidental Mindoro province.

San Jose
Main town on the island of Mindoro, located in the south-west of the island in Mindoro Occidental.

Magarin Bay
Located San Jose.

F1M2 Pete Tail 954-33
Abandoned at Magarin Bay.

McGuire Drome (San Jose Airport)
Named in honor of Thomas McGuire, it was an American airbase, still in use today.

Hill Airfield
Wartime airfield, disused

Murtha Airfield
Wartime airfield, disused

Elmore Airfield (San Jose Airfield)
Prewar airfield, used by the Japanese, expanded by Americans, disused today

P-38 Lightning 44-24485
Pilot Henderson MIA July 13, 1945

P-38L-5 Lightning Serial Number 44-26538
Pilot Stier MIA July 13, 1945

Oriental Mindoro
The eastern Oriental Mindoro.

Puerto Galera
Today, it is a popular tourist destination.

Calapan
Located on the north-eastern tip of Mindoro Island.

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Last Updated
February 4, 2010