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Post by Karl Welteke on Oct 31, 2011 16:33:51 GMT 8
This battle was fought between 1st Feb and 14th Feb 1945, it was a very hard battle. The 38th Inf. Div has a good battle report and some of my maps came from there. The 38th Inf. Div is now known as the “Avengers of Bataan”. First Walk on the Zig-Zag Pass Battle Field, 35 images Friends I have walked in this area before several times but this walk today-24th Oct.2011-is the first one with the battle very much in mind. I studied the maps so my walk will be relevant. Today’s walk is on the ridge line between the National Highway and the -Familiar Hill-. This section is today infamous because it is now the site of the Olongapo Landfill. Many people don’t know one of the hardest fought battle was right here in Olongapo. All the images have descriptions: s74.photobucket.com/albums/i265/PI-Sailor/Manila%20Bay%20Forts-Other/Bataan%20Defense/Zig-Zag%20Pass%20Battle/Familiar%20Mt%20Ridge%202011-10-24%20OC%20Landfill/People ask me often is there anything left from the battle. If there is I don’t see it. The US Army got all the weapons, the GIs got all the souvenirs. The local people got the rest and all the ridge lines where the defenses were are full of residential houses now. None of the people here were here during the battle and are now at least 3 generations removed from this event. By my walking I try to get a handle on the geography to appreciate the very hard and costly task the GIs were facing. Regards Karl The Olongapo-Japanese Pease Memorial in the middle of New Cabalan and much in the middle of the Japanese. defense line in 1945 Familiar Hill is actually already on the former Naval Base. It was the south anchor of the Japanese defense line. 1:50000 map of Olongapo and the area of the Zig-Zag Pass battle. Enemy positions, it came from the 38th Inf. Div. Battle Report View of the Cabalan Valley, where the zig-zag road is coming up to where the Pease Memorial is now.
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Post by Karl Welteke on Nov 1, 2011 12:06:14 GMT 8
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Post by fots2 on Nov 1, 2011 16:54:04 GMT 8
Hi Karl,
It is disappointing that there is nothing to see from the battle but still great to see the terrain where the fighting took place. Thanks for posting the photos.
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Post by The Phantom on Nov 3, 2011 3:32:59 GMT 8
Thanks Karl. If you want to see the caves that are still in the area, ask those that live nearby where the Multo's can be found.
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Post by tomasctt on Nov 8, 2011 11:15:35 GMT 8
Caves? Oooh! Me want to check that out!
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Post by Karl Welteke on Nov 20, 2011 14:46:55 GMT 8
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2012 8:03:41 GMT 8
Thanks for the pictures Karl. My father-in-law was with A Co. 34th Infantry RCT, which was attached to the 38th Division at Zig Zag Pass. His company was cut off and surrounded near the base of Familiar Peak for the better part of 3 days (Feb 4th, 5th and 6th) before a battalion of the 38th division came to their assistance. A picture is worth a thousand words.
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Post by Karl Welteke on Nov 8, 2015 20:24:03 GMT 8
JAPANESE-OLONGAPO PEACE MEMORIAL IN FORM OF A DOVE ON A COLUMN This Japanese and Olongapo City Peace Memorial, in form of a dove on top of a column, is located right in the center of the Zig Zag Pass Japanese main line of defense which is also the center of this new Olongapo community New Cabalan. These pictures L1 to L8 are dedicated to this memorial and all 8 pictures were shot on the 24th Oct 2011. They are uploaded here: s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Death%20March%20Markers%20Death%20Camps%20and%20Memorials/Japanese%20Markers/J-Memorials%201?sort=9&page=1The same 8 images are presented here also but are smaller than the images in the above album: W301 (L1) this Japanese and Olongapo City Peace Memorial, in form of a dove on top of a column, is located right in the center of the Japanese main line of defense which is also the center of this new Olongapo community New Cabalan. W302 (L2) close-up of the image L1; this is the World Peace Memorial of Olongapo City, it is located right in the center of the Japanese main line of defense which is also the center of this new Olongapo community New Cabalan. W303 (L3) this sign says” World Peace Memorial of Olongapo City; this memorial is a tribute to the persons who perished during WWII, and is dedicated by the people of Olongapo City to World Peace, Friendship and Cooperation”. W304 (L4) this plaque acknowledges the T.K.C. Co. Ltd. (Japan), SGV and Company, the Olongapo Jaycees, the Jaycees Senators, the people of Cabalan, Fermin J. Pura, the sculptor and designer and the people of Olongapo who helped build this Memorial. W305 (L5) this plaque further honors the Mayor of Olongapo and Mr. Kazunobu Miyazaki whose late brother Masanobu Miyazaki CO of the 10th Co., Himeji 39th Inf. Reg. JIA. died in this area in Feb 1945 with prayers for wars to cease. W306 (L6) a view from behind the Japanese/Olongapo Peace Memorial toward National Highway No. 7 as it approaches this memorial from the east and San Fernando Pampanga direction. W307 (L7) this is the main road into New Cabalan and is a view from the memorial, this road was part of the main defense line, from here you looked down on the Horse Shoe Bend of the Zig Zag Pass Battle. In 1946 the road was still all earth bunkers. W308 (L8) this is where the National Highway No. 7 descends to Olongapo and the infamous Horse Shoe Bend of the Zig Zag Pass Battle; we are standing next the Dove Memorial. The road in back is a continuation of the Japanese main defense line. Zig Zag Pass Battle at Olongapo URLs Zig Zag Pass Battle in Olongapo 1945 from Karl corregidor.proboards.com/thread/1052/zig-pass-battle-olongapo-1945Zig Zag Pass from fots2 corregidor.proboards.com/thread/319/zig-zag-passSubic Naval Base page 4 battle picture corregidor.proboards.com/thread/1541/subic-bay-sbfz-naval-base?page=4Japanese Soldier found near Subic from demether corregidor.proboards.com/thread/1202/japanese-soldier-near-subicJapanese WII Memorials and Markers-forum: corregidor.proboards.com/thread/1852/japanese-wwii-memorials-markers-philippinesJapanese Memorial and Markers Photo-bucket: s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Death%20March%20Markers%20Death%20Camps%20and%20Memorials/Japanese%20Markers/J-Memorials%201?sort=9&page=1Zig Zag Pass Olongapo Landfill area from Karl s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Manila%20Bay%20Forts-Other/Bataan%20Defense/Zig-Zag%20Pass%20Battle/Familiar%20Mt%20Ridge%202011-10-24%20OC%20Landfill?sort=9&page=1Zig Zag Pass Anne Raquel Resort area. From Karl: s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Manila%20Bay%20Forts-Other/Bataan%20Defense/Zig-Zag%20Pass%20Battle/Zig-Zag%20Battle%20to%20Anne%20Raquel%20Resort?sort=6&page=1Reprinted from Yank Far East; Far East report April 1945 www.subicbaypi.com/sub_stories_yankfareast.htmThe Battle of Zigzag pass, monograph from Fort Benning www.subicbaypi.com/sub_stories_yankfareast.htm
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Post by Karl Welteke on Jun 16, 2019 15:09:33 GMT 8
The 38th Inf. Div. just before the Battle of the Zig-Zag Pass A very good friend of mine, we met on Corregidor several times sent me three 1945 pictures and he said this: “Hi Karl, I found this 38th Division (Indiana National Guard) Yearbook at the local Library, have you seen any of these or are they new to us?” Roger From Karl: I saw a similar picture about the 38th Inf. Div. Bataan Welcome Sign. My friend Roger Davis is a very active member of the Coastal Defense Study Group (cdsg.org) and has contributed much in keeping alive the history of the US Army Coastal Defense. Z099. Kalaklan Point in 1945 from the 38th Division (Indiana National Guard) Yearbook at a local Library via Roger Davis (cdsg.org). According to the inscription on this picture the Japanese did leave a few soldiers behind to die, before they retreated to the Zig-Zag Pass to defend that. A pillbox defense position at the foot of Kalaklan Point is new to me. Z100. The 38th Inf. Div. marching along Dewey Ave. in Olongapo Town in 1945 from the 38th Division (Indiana National Guard) Yearbook at a local Library via Roger Davis (cdsg.org). I recognize the Kalaklan Ridge in back which is now populated with a lot more graves; even then it was the Olongapo cemetery already. The house at right seems to be intact, so not all houses got destroyed in the war. The soldiers look dry so the 38th Div must have thrown a bridge over the Kalaklan River between the soldiers and that ridge. The Kalaklan Point is at left on that ridge. This road is now one of the main roads of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) that is managing the former US Naval Base Subic Bay (1945-1992) now. Z101. The proud soldiers of the 38th Inf. Div. who liberated Olongapo and Bataan (they are now called the Avengers of Bataan) from the 38th Division (Indiana National Guard) Yearbook at a local Library via Roger Davis (cdsg.org). I believe I saw this picture in a little different setting before.
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Post by Karl Welteke on Jun 16, 2019 15:34:21 GMT 8
A good friend, he used to work at the Manila American Cemetery (MAC), wrote this:
38th ID – Zig Zag Pass was their fight!
Lots of them buried in MAC – an 18 year old that got the Medal of Honor fighting to the death after both legs were blown off ..
Thanks for the pictures ….
Bert
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