President Osmeña's war reports in Leyte
President Sergio Suico Osmeña Sr., who came back to the Philippines after leaving together with President Manuel Quezon, was part of the Leyte Landing on October 20, 1944. His statue and that of another Filipino compatriot, General/Ambassador Carlos P. Romulo are part of the famous Leyte Landing monument in Palo, Leyte, with the statue of Gen. Douglas McArthur.
After he was installed, President Osmeña decided to make Tacloban City, Leyte, his temporary headquarters while the American liberation forces pursued the Japanese Imperial Army in Leyte and other parts of the country.
As president, he was notified of the affairs of the American forces not only in the Philippines but the other parts of the Pacific region. One such communiqué was dated December 6, 1944. It was prepared by Colonel L.A. Diller, G.S.C. the Public Relations Officer of the G.H.Q. Southwest Pacific Area.
Here is the report:
"Leyte: rainy weather continues. Local gains were made along the ridges south of Limon. An enemy night tank attack was turned back by our road block south of the Leyte river bridge. Reduction of enemy pockets in the mountains east of the road continues while our forces on the high ground southwest of Dagami are continuing their step-by-step elimination of enemy positions. Our fighters continued their attacks on stores and lines of communication in the enemy's rear and sank a small freighter in Ormoc bay. Naval units bombarded shore targets and intercepted and sank a southbound freighter near Masbate. There were no enemy air attacks."
In the Luzon front, this was what happened:
"Patrol planes attacking enemy shipping off the southwest coast two coastal vessels and sank a destroyer. Others harassed the Manila airdrome cluster and destroyed barracks at Fort Stotsenburg to the north."
In the Visayas:
"Heavy units from Palau dropped twenty-four tons on Lahug and Opon airdromes at Cebu damaging buildings and supply depots. Fighter bombers cratered Masbate airfield; air patrols sank three small freighters in the Sibuyan Sea, harassed Negros airdromes at night and shot down an enemy floatplane."
Sergio S. Osmeña Sr. the first Cebuano to become president was born on September 9, 1878 and appointed as Governor of Cebu on April 23, 1904 succeeding Governor Juan Climaco who became part of the Philippine Commission to the Louisiana Exposition. Don Sergio was later elected Governor on February 6, 1906, then elected on July 30, 1907 as Member of the First Philippine Assembly. Elected as Speaker of the National Assembly (earned the title as the First Speaker of the Philippine Congress). He died on October 19, 1961. A son and a grandson, both namesakes, also became senators, Sergio (Serging) Jr. and Sergio III.
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