This document, Terrain Handbook 43: Baler Bay, was created by the Allied Geographical Section (AGS) of the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA) command under General Douglas MacArthur. Issued on November 6, 1944, the handbook provided essential, restricted topographical and logistical intelligence to Allied officers in forward areas during the final stages of the Philippines Campaign in World War II. The handbook focuses on a critical 90-mile coastal section of Tayabas Province (Central Luzon), covering Casiguran Bay, Baler Bay, and Dingalan Bay. Its relevance stems from its direct contribution to the strategic planning for the invasion and liberation of Luzon, detailing crucial landing beaches, road connections to the Central Luzon Plain and Manila, potential airfield sites, and local resources. The document itself was classified as "RESTRICTED" and marked for destruction if in danger of falling into enemy hands, underscoring its tactical value and significance to the national events of the war.
Terrain handbook 43: Baler Bay (Tayabas Province), Philippine series