One couple’s photographic essay of a recent trip to their beautiful homeland.

On Saturday veterans of the Leyte landing will gather at Norfolk’s MacArthur Memorial to commemorate the 65th Anniversary of what was the opening phase in the campaign to liberate the Philippines.

“I don’t know if Americans knew exactly how bad it was,” said Maria Lopez, who resides in Manila. “There’s one evacuation center the size of a basketball court. On one side are beds for people to sleep in. And on the other side are coffins.”