Corregador Part 2 Battery Hearn And Memorial Site

[Butch 3,456]

Battery Hearn is quite a complicated area, the ammunition being brought up from underground arsenals. Here also is an example of the Cantilever system used to raise the Guns up and down during operations.Battery Hearn was not on a cantilever, but did have a 360 degree firing range, restricted only by the terrain.

Entrance into Underground Arsenal, goes on for a long way, currently inhabited by alot of bats and other jungle nasites - hence I shit myself and decided not to go in.

 

 

Cantilver Gun - an Example of. Considering the fearsome firepower of these things, and that they were less than that of Hearn, in a way you have to admire the Japanese for being so bloody determined. then again, they kind of had no choice.

 

 

After visiting the batteries, we progress onto the “living area” which included the Picture House, and several houses of officers during the time. On my second trip here I wandered off the track and went around the bombed out houses. There are alot of original features still there like fireplaces, cookers and the like.

 

This is the cinema, apparently playing "Gone with the Wind" at the time of the Japanese invasion. Note the artillery holes above the centre, the whole thing is pockmarked.

 

 

 

The longest Barracks in the World when built, American and Japanese Graffiti still evident. "Mile long Barracks". Again, I have other pics of American and Japanese graffiti, written in reply.

 

 

Half way along "Mile long Barracks"

 

 

The Generals and Officers quarters are located outside the Memorial area as well as the museum.

The Memorial area is immaculate, a large marble plinth with a dedication to the Filipino and American servicemen and women, as well as a very poignantly written marble memorial. the area was very popular indeed, and I was extremely moved by the fact that the Filipino families with their Children made sure the kids understood and appreciated exactly what had happened here. There was no noise from them, just silent respect.

 

 

Inside the museum they retain the original Corregador USA flag, as well as several weapons from both sides. Our guide was actually a serviceman on the Island and survived the Death march. He told me that there are still remains being found on the island, as well as live ordnance and weapons, canteens, ration packs and clothing. There are areas as yet uncleared by the historical society and many foxholes and buildings remain unfound, very possibly with human remains still inside. Visitors who go “walkabout” are respectfully asked to treat these as War graves and inform the Society of their location. When going on a 2 day trip, it is possible to wander off at your leisure pretty much anywhere. There are stories of one being able to hear odd noises at night. I'm not sure how true this is though.

 

 

 

 

As an update the remains of a Japanese soldier were found only last month, his canteen was found to stil contain water.

 

After a decent meal and an hour and a half break, we proceed onto the Beachhead where Macarthur vowed to return , the very pier still remains where he walked upon after the surrender of the Japanese and he was heard to have said “I have returned”. Whether or not one sees Macarthur as a great General or as some would have him painted in a different light, he is still a great Hero to the Filipino people.

 

Emotive statue, I witnessed men wipe away a tear here, myself included.

 

 

The tour guide offered us so much insight and information, but asked we did not post his pic. He was very interested in all theatres of the Second World War, yet remains dignified and magnamonious enough not to bear any grudges against the enemy. Offering a personal insight into the barbaric methods of the Japanese, he said they have paid for their sins, and the past should be left alone but never forgotten.

 

The Corregador experience is a very visual one. All the time we are being given information about the buildings, the Servicemen and the environment, sadly so far I have compressed as much as I can into a very basic tour highlighting the most important areas. The conditions as one would imagine were very harsh, frightened young men and women cowering under cover during the attrition of the Japanese and paradoxically the Japanese had their turn during the American bombardment, all getting ready to fight, or in the case of the Japanese, commit suicide.

 

Next I'll report on the Malinta tunnel, which leaves you with a lump in your throat and a sobering experience of how lucky we are these days.

 

Note bullet marks on the inside.

Edited November 24, 2012 by Butch

[Sinistersinner 223]

Absolutely Spectacular...

 

Thank you

[firth1974 2,659]

Qualility report and photos again Butch, I'm impressed. Keep it up.

[nkped 1,208]

Thanks for sharing. I visited in 1977. I am sure there has been preservation work, otherwise it would have gone back to jungle, but it looks much the same.

[tomcat76 327]

Wonderful stuff! 'Makes me anxious to visit for myself. (And I'm not ashamed to say, I'll be one of those guys wiping away the tears.)

 

(But didn't Macarthur do the "I have returned" thing stepping ashore at Leyte?) Just nitpicking - this is a valuable contribution. Can't wait to see your other reports.

[nkped 1,208]

"I see that the flagpole still stands. Have your troops hoist the colors to its peak, and let no enemy ever haul them down."

• General MacArthur to Colonel George M. Jones and the 503rd Regimental Combat Team, who recaptured Corregidor (2 March 1945)
  

He was a histrionic old goat, but sometimes there is a place for that.

[MM 6,562]

I am loving it!

[Bushcraft 2,591]

Superb, thank-you so much for posting these pics and descriptions. Doubt I'll ever get there to pay my respects, but I would dearly like to.

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Really excellent report. I had an uncle who was killed on Luzon, but it was apparently before the surrender. My dad, who served in WWII in the European campaigns, would never talk about it I tried to determine if my uncle had a grave or his name on a memorial in the Philippines, but never could. I always felt my dad knew more than he was telling, it was just too painful for him.

 

Thanks, Butch, for the reminder of the enormous sacrifices the people, U.S. and Filipino, made during those years. May we never forget!

[Gary 4,119]

My dad was part of the final cleanup of the PI's. The thing he talked about the most was the typhoon while their LSD was coming in. He said that he was sure that they were not going to make it and after they landed, no one had anything bad to say about the old LSD that they were on after it survived that terrible storm.

 

The worst thing about the cleanup was the Japanese snipers. After the snipers were spotted, they tried to see where they went to hide. The marines were not permitted to shoot them. The area was riddled with caves and no one had any idea of how many Japanese soldiers were in them. Since no one was suicidal enough to go in the caves, they received several shiploads of aviation gasoline in 55 gallon drums. They poured drums of that gasoline into the caves and set it off using hand grenades. He said that it was like an earthquake when several hundred gallons of gasoline ignited underground.

 

He was quite amazed that none of Japanese soldiers would come out even after being warned in the Japanese language by loud speakers at the cave entrances what was going to happen. He couldn't believe that they would rather burn to death than surrender.

[aussiechic 209]

Thankyou for the detail and your time.