While the other parts of the Philippine archipelago were still trying to figure out how to get their engines running again after the war, Cebu was quick to recover.
Below are some photos I found in online forums. Captions, unless otherwise indicated*, are copied word for word.
Americal Division forces approach beach landing site at Talisay, near Cebu City, Philippines, March 26, 1945.
Army Signal Corps photo #204237, Natl. Archives
*Notice the smoke rising from the City
First troops of the 3rd Battalion, 132nd Infantry, Americal Division, wade ashore, across heavily-mined beaches, during the invasion of Cebu Island, P.I., at a point juse [sic] south of Cebu City. The invasion was preceded by heavy naval and aerial bombardment. 3-26-45.
*Cebu Liberation
Americal Division troops on the beach after landing at Talisay on March 26, 1945, commencing the liberation of Cebu.
*Talisay, Cebu
*I think that’s Piers 3, 4 and 5.
Aerial view of Cebu City dock area after liberation, 1945
*I think that small building near the tail of the boat is the Malacanang sa Sugbo.
Aftermath
“This is the way Cebu City, Cebu, P.I., the second largest city in the Philippines, appeared to troops of the Americal Division upon their entry. Wrecked by retreating Japs [sic], after such fighting across heavily mined roads. Note skeletons of buildings in the background.
Cebu Provincial Capitol Building after liberation, 1945
*Space now Jones Avenue
“Members of the 182nd Infantry, Americal Division, check through linens found in a Japanese cave on Babag Ridge, Cebu, P.I. 4/19/45”
*Now Barangay Babag
LOL! your captioning never fails me! okay kaayo sakit man ako tiyan sige ug katawa! pro educational man! you cheered me up today! thanks!
I understand, you put humour into a very sad war history, no offense. My mother was 6 or 7 years old during the war. One of her ears is permanently damaged (deaf) because she was around the area where the japanese rained bombs, they called it “planting rice” because of the successive bombings. She also witnessed her best friend and her family lined up, shot & killed. The place is San Carlos University today. That is very sad. My mom still cries when she talks about it. WAR SUCKS!!!
Hehehehehe, si-aw man ka Leylan oi. Maka ihi2x man pud tag kinatawa, mura comedy story.
Nahimuot kaayo ko sa imong captions, good job kay entertaining kaayo! I like the picture with the old truck with “Consolacion” name on it. Basin mao na ang biyahe pangadto sa amoa sa Consolacion hahaha.
Well done, good research Ley.
thanks all! 🙂
This is great stuff! May I add you to my blog roll?
no prob. =)
sikata aning pinaka-astig nga maniniyot oi.. hehehe
Hi leylander…
I am trying to search about the history of the Capitol Building.. Diin man ka ani nga mga pictures nimo? Personal?
I am Jac Velasco diay, I am doing this assignment for the Provincial Information Office, hope that you could help me through my research kay it seems that daghan man kaayo kag materials…
Hope you could share to me where you got the datas that you have…
Shalamat!!!
i have a book about the history of cebu. i can lend it to you if you want. i got those pics sa net lang.
very informative indeed….salamat sa imong kusa sa pag ambit aning impormasyon, makita dyud ang dakong kausaban, ug gumikan nimo, daghan pa ang maka matngon sa tinood nga kaagi sa ilang gipuy an ug kagikan. . . dako ug tabang ni sa lumad nga bisdak…..:)
lawm na kaayo sir randee da! hahaha. salamat!
munas ginhawa pod tawn nako ug huna huna ana aron pod dili malimtan ang pagkabisdak ba…hehehehe
hehehehe
Amazing pictures – I remember going to Cebu City when I was about five years old or so – seeing some of the bombed and shelled out buildings.
People were actually livng in some of the ruins. Then one by one, new buildings and homes were built all over the place. By the time I left for good in the early sixties – there was barely a trace that the war happened at all.
zzzzzzwow, I am really getting old!
Hi, thanks to you for sharing this picture to everyone. It helps a lot especially students like me whose doing research on the past. Have a good day and may God bless you always. Again thanks a lot.