WWII National Guard, Philippines Campaign Photo Album

[WWII] [Philippines] Photo album containing images of General MacArthur's United States Army Forces Far East deployment in Luzon, Philippines during the Japanese occupation of the American territory in WWII. 48 silver gelatin photographs measuring 3" x 4.25" each cornered in on 8 loose black album pages. Faux brown leather covers measuring 10.5" x 12". The defense of the Philippines was the longest resistance to the Japanese Imperial Army in the initial stages of World War II, and together American and Filipino guerrillas fought against the occupying forces. Japan's conquest of the Philippines is often considered the worst military defeat in U.S. history. (truncated) Approximately 23,000 American military personnel and about 100,000 Filipino soldiers were killed or captured. Photos depict war torn buildings, Filipino civilians, U.S. soldiers, naval ships, as well as both rural and city life. A series of photos show American soldiers posted at an army camp with tents in the background, one photograph shows a Filipino man, possibly of the Philippine Scouts, at this base posed in front of one of the tents. A few photographs show large U.S. naval ships, and a few photos show small wooden boats with Filipino men and women rowing to the edge of a U.S. naval ship. A few photos show clouds hovering above one of the Luzon volcanos. Overall very good condition, album pages holding photos are loose and photos are crisp and clean with no signs of wear. The Japanese forces in the Philippines surrendered on August 15, 1945, after the atomic bombings of Japan and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria. In 2016, Filipino veterans of the war were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their sacrifice. This album depicts a significant time in Filipino history leading up to their independence granted by the U.S. in 1946. (Inventory #: 21243)