Located at the southern tip of Zamboanga along Basilan Strait.

Zamboanga
Lat 6° 54' 37N Long 122° 4' 26E Located at the south-west tip of Mindanao Island.

This was the first part of the island liberated by American forces.  Assaulted by the US Army, during operation Victor IV, by the 41st Infantry Division's 162nd and 163rd Infantry, landing four miles NW of the city on March 10, 1945 against light opposition. The city was liberated by the 163rd on March 11, 1945. Filipino Guerrillas had operated in the area through the war, commanded by Col. Wendell Fertig, a US Army reservist who had not surrendered.

American Liberation
31st Infantry Division landed on April 22, 1945, moving up the Sayre Highway and down the Kibawe-Talomo Trail, fighting in knee-deep mud and rains, but forced the Japanese to withdraw into the interior, and blocked off others in the Davao area.

San Roque
Located inland and to the north-west of Zamboanga, it was liberated on March 11, 1945.

San Roque Airfield (Moret Field)
Occupied by the Japanese, liberated March 11, 1945 by Americans

Wolfe Field (Zamboanga Airfield)
Wartime airfield, liberated by the US Army on March 10, 1945

Mount Caspisan & Pulungbata
Main Japanese defensive position, after the fall of Zamboanga town, about 2 miles north of San Roque was Caspisan, and Pulungbata 5 miles inland. Occupied by about, 9,000 troops of the Japanese independent mixed Brigade, commanded by Lt. General Tokichi Hojo. Organized resistance was over on Caspisan by late March.

Recodo
Lat 6° 57' 7N Long 121° 57' 49E  Located to the west of Zamboanga, Caldera Point and Caldera Bay

Caldara Seaplane Base
Japanese seaplane base to the west of Zamboanga

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009