Some 20,000 Japanese retreating up the end of northern Luzon in the Philippines were suddenly stabbed in the belly, tactically speaking, then kicked in the rear.
Thirty-five miles behind the front lines a phantom U.S. force sprang on the town of Tuguegarao and, captured a major Japanese airfield. Next day another force appeared 50 miles behind this force, at the end of the Jap retreat line, to nab the final escape port of Aparri and its airfield.
On the front line the fighting was more conventional, with the U.S. 37th Division striking fast and hard along the Cagayan Valley, rolling the Japs back...
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