The US campaign that recaptured the Philippines in World War II. In the Battle of the Philippine Sea, fought in June 1944 by aircraft carriers while US forces were securing required bases in the Marianas, the Japanese naval air service suffered crippling losses. A further Japanese naval defeat was incurred at Leyte Gulf on 25 October, following the landing of US forces on the island five days previously. Troops landed on Luzon in January 1945 and in July General MacArthur announced that the whole territory was liberated. However, detached groups of Japanese, in accordance with their instructions to fight to the last man, were still at large after the war ended.