{"html":"  \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-images\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor \"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/36933/photo/zoom_134255.JPG)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/36934/photo/zoom_107000.JPG)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-description with-image\"\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor\"\u003eRAN Operations SW Pacific 1944-45 - \u0026quot;Lleyte 1944 / Lingayen Gulf 1945\u0026quot;\u003c/h4\u003e\n  \u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eAfter landing at Lingayen Gulf on the largest of the Philippine islands, Luzon, at the end of 1941, the Japanese had succeeded in forcing an Allied surrender by April of 1942. Two years later, the United States turned its attention again to the Philippines with the aim of retaking the territory from the Japanese occupying force.\u003csup\u003e1\u003c/sup\u003e As the Allied fleet closed on the Philippines in late 1944 early 1945 a number of major engagements unfolded.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eAustralia contributed a significant naval force to this effort, including Tribal Class destroyer \u003cem\u003eArunta\u003c/em\u003e, County Class heavy cruisers \u003cem\u003eAustralia\u003c/em\u003e (II) and \u003cem\u003eShropshire\u003c/em\u003e, River Class frigate \u003cem\u003eGascoyne\u003c/em\u003e, Armed Merchant Cruisers \u003cem\u003eKanimbla\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eManoora\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eWestralia\u003c/em\u003e, Improved Tribal Class destroyer \u003cem\u003eWarramunga\u003c/em\u003e, and Grimsby Class sloop \u003cem\u003eWarrego\u003c/em\u003e (II).\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e These ships were part of the Bombardment Fire and Support Group assisting the American invasion of Luzon at Lingayen Gulf. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eJapanese kamikaze attacks, first used during the American landing on the island of Leyte in 1944, would be used again at Lingayen. Sustained aerial attacks by the Japanese against the Allied Fleet saw the RAN Flagship HMAS \u003cem\u003eAustralia\u003c/em\u003e (II) hit five times.\u003csup\u003e3\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[1] Australian War Memorial London, “Lingayen Gulf: Fight for the Philippines, 1945,” Australian War Memorial London, viewed 04/04/2016 \u003ca href=\"http://www.awmlondon.gov.au/battles/lingayen-gulf\"\u003ehttp://www.awmlondon.gov.au/battles/lingayen-gulf\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (www.awmlondon.gov.au)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e[2] Royal Australian Navy, “Lingayen Gulf 1945,” Royal Australian Navy Battle Honours, viewed 04/04/2016, \u003ca href=\"http://www.navy.gov.au/node/3832\"\u003ehttp://www.navy.gov.au/node/3832\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (www.navy.gov.au)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e[3] Australian War Memorial London, “Lingayen Gulf.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}