|  Author | Topic: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED (Read 1,737 times) |
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|  | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #80 on Oct 10, 2009, 4:05am » | |
My books have crossed topics here, IN RESPECT TO RATIONS.
From "THE FALL OF THE PHILIPPINES"
"
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #81 on Oct 10, 2009, 4:29am » | |
My books have crossed topics here, as it relates to rations.
From "THE FALL OF THE PHILIPPINES"
"While the men on the line in Bataan believed that their comrades to the rear dined more fully and richly then they, all were convinced that those on Corregidor dined best of all.
General Wainwright discovered this when he moved to Corregidor to take over for Mac Arthur. Accustomed to the shortages of Bataan, he found Corregidor a land of plenty.
The troops there, it's true only ate two meals a day, and subsisted on half rations, but it was a full half ration, and it's components provided a balanced diet. It included such luxury items as bacon, ham, fresh vegetables, coffee milk and jam, items long gone from Bataan."
" The disparity between the Corregidor and Bataan rations was sharply raised when the Bataan Military Police halted a supply truck and confiscated the way bill.
This truck was delivering food to 3 antiaircraft batteries stationed on Bataan but receiving a Corregidor ration, to which they were entitled as organic elements of the harbor defense.
What they were not entitled to was the Bataan ration, which they were also drawing.
Such an irregularity would not have been surprising but when the way bill was examined it revealed a scandalous situation.
The items listed in the shipment would make any Bataan soldier envious.
They included a case each of bacon and ham, 24 cans of Vienna sausage, one sack of cracked wheat, 25 pounds of raisins, 33 pounds of lard substitute, 24 cans of peas, corn, tomatoes and peaches, 6 cans of potatoes, 24 bottles of catsup, 50 cartons of cigarettes, and even 600 pounds of ICE."
The news of this disparity spread like wild fire among the front line troops, adding fuel to the already smoldering fire."
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #82 on Oct 10, 2009, 5:19am » | |
hey phantom....No wonder the good colonel seldom missed chow call. Methinks the rations disparity that was described in this book is common in all wars. I have always read/heard etc, "the closer to the front line the more meager the rations". Seems to me it should be the other way around. The guys doing the heavy work of actual combat should be getting the choice goodies to eat, while the rear echelon should be satisfied with leaner issued foodstuffs since they were'nt risking life and limb in actual conflict. To be fair, in many instances, i am sure, that distribution of rations near the combat zone was fraught with difficulty and hazards. Even if sufficient supplies were on hand, getting it to the front line troops could be very difficult so the goods, many times, sat in depots near the MLR for later distribution. By the time that the supplies were issued, pilferage, outright stealing, spoilage, etc had diminished what was originally hauled forward for the actual fighting personnel.
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #83 on Oct 30, 2009, 8:30am » | |
Last week while I was at the C1 (Fort Commander’s) Command Post, I remembered comments from Col. Bunker’s diary that had been posted by Phantom. A concrete cap had been added to reinforce the roof of C1.
Here are some excerpts from the diary and then three before and after photos. You can clearly see the original roof and the later added reinforced concrete cap.
SUNDAY, 8 FEB 1942
"THE ENGINEERS MOVED IN ON US TODAY AND STARTED DRILLING 100 HOLES IN ROOF OF C1 PREPARATORY TO ADDING 2 FT OF CONCRETE TO OUR ROOF. NOISY AS HELL!
THEY ARE BRINGING UP LOTS OF STEEL RAILS FOR REINFORCING THE CAP, AND RAILS WILL BE WELDED TOGETHER!"
THURSDAY, 12 MAR 1942
"ENGINEERS ARE STILL WELDING ATOP C1 AND ARE LAYING BIG PIPES EVERYWHERE TO CONVEY THE CONCRETE FROM THEIR MIXERS BELOW THE HILL. ALL PATHS ARE CLUTTERED WITH PIPES AND THE NOISE IS EVIDENT."
SATURDAY, 14 MAR 1942
"STARTED POURING C1 CAP TODAY BUT THE LIFT WAS SO GREAT THAT IT DIDN'T WORK VERY WELL.”
SUNDAY, 15 MAR
“THE ENGINEERS ARE WORKING ALL NIGHT POURING THE CAP ON C1 STATION----THE JAP FIRING NOW HAVING CEASED (8:30PM)."
TUESDAY, 17 MAR 1942
“THE ENGINEERS ARE FINISHED POURING THE CAP ON C1!”
![[image]](http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn299/fots2pix/C1ControlStationjustafterconstructi.jpg)
Side view of the C1 Command Post just after construction in April 1908. Note the thin roof thickness. (photo courtesy batteryboy)
![[image]](http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn299/fots2pix/DSCF2517a.jpg)
Front corner of the C1 Command Post (south west corner). You can see the original thin roof on the bottom and the thick cap that was added in 1942.
![[image]](http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn299/fots2pix/DSCF2515a.jpg)
A closer view of the same corner
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #84 on Oct 31, 2009, 4:19am » | |
Great connection, past in print, 1942, to current conditions, 2009. Bringing history to life, thanks for the effort.
That's a serious concrete cap!
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #85 on Oct 31, 2009, 4:56am » | |
Friday, 27 March
Got through my morning chores (shaving, breakfast, etc.) early and went to C1.
Our first air alarm went off at 7:55. Japs bombed Mariveles Airfield heavily."
( Where was Mariveles Airfield?)
"Dropped bombs over Btry. Cheney and Monja? One caved in a MG shelter of 60th killing 2 men and setting fire which 1st Sgt. Lefew and others extinguished."
(MG shelter?)
"At 9:55 the japs dropped more bombs, probably at Bottomside, but we couldn't tell.
However we were soon notified that," Port Power Plant will be shut down for repairs for an indefinite period".
This is most serious, if it means that our refrigeration and ice plant is out of commission."
"The engineering gang didn't even report to work on our tunnel this morning, but when the air alarm went, all the Marines for miles around flocked into our tunnel. One Marine Major even ordered about 35 of his men to "rest there while off duty", and "of course it will be alright".
( Marines on beach defense below C! Tunnel?)
"General Moore came around and chatted, agreed to take up the marine problem with Col. Howard."
" More bombing about 2:30, dust blowing out over the water, thought Cheney was hit, but it was one of their cables that was hit, and may be 2 or 3 days until repaired."
" This afternoon, Fort frank saw some Japs on Patungan beach and so smoked them out with 100 rounds of 75mm and made a fine show."
" Capt. Tracy, my communications officer to be, was AWOL for 2 days( ever since he reported). I sent out a call through HD for him, and he reported by phone from HD Bombproof at 8:00pm!"
(HD Bombproof? where is that ?)
" Managed to get a shower at the mouth of our tunnel and felt much better. Stayed on watch until 12:30 am."
"Our turrets fired 6 shots, along about 10:00 pm at various points down Looc way.
Their flash lights up the whole harbor and, queerly, seems to terminate in liquid fire pouring out of the muzzle onto the deck.
And so to bed."
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #86 on Oct 31, 2009, 5:25am » | |
Hey Phantom....Could MG mean machine gun???? In this case, machine gun shelter. As for the mariveles airstrip, there was what was called an emergency airstrip just south of the Pucot River near the Quarantine Station at Mariveles. The other two strips (there may have been more, but I am not aware of them) were near the east road on the southeast coast of Bataan near Cacaben. If memory serves, Battery Boy is into research on the Bataan airfields. He might shed much more light on the Mariveles airstrip that the good Colonel Bunker speaks. Speaking of Colonel Bunker....his distaste (hatred???) for the US Navy and USMC surfaces on a regular basis, methinks. I truly believe that this attitude was firmly implanted in his DNA. He just can't hide it. The location of the emergency strip at Mariveles was shown on a map featured in the book "Conduct Under Fire", by John A. Glusman. Postscript....Could HD Bombproof be Harbor Defense Bombproof????
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #87 on Oct 31, 2009, 8:13pm » | |
Okla, in the other book I'm presently reading;
"THE FALL OF THE PHILIPPINES"
A bit of why the Army, Bunker in particular, was at odds with the Navy on Corregidor, and strangely enough some of the rift has to do with food...............
And some talk on the food and water supplies on Corregidor at the time of the siege.
"As on Bataan there was a strong feeling amongst the troops on beach defense and at gun positions that those close to the source of supply in the tunnel enjoyed better meals then they.
This belief was probably unfounded but it was true that until the end of March Naval personnel received foods that were not available to Army troops. The Navy, though it had cut it's rations and limited it's men to two meals a day, maintained it's own separate food stores and issued a larger and more varied ration than that provided by the Army.
Long after Coffee, sugar, jam and canned fruits had disappeared from the Army's menu, they were still available in the Navy messes.
When General Wainwright arrived on Corregidor to assume command on March 21st, he ordered the Navy to place it's stores in the common pool and thereafter the sailors received the same ration as the soldiers."
Army rations at the time.........
" The ration, though adequate to maintain health, did not provide sufficient bulk to satisfy the appetite. Men no longer had the " comfortable full" feeling provided by the peacetime ration, and missed certain foods such as sugar canned milk, coffee, and canned or dried fruit, which by now were extremely scarce. Rice became an important part of the diet though the Americans did not like it. They said," this rice diet only fills you up temporarily."
"The air attacks of the previous 3 months had disrupted the normal distribution of rations and an occasional bomb had hit a kitchen, with tragic loss for men who had to miss a meal or lose a particularly prized item on the menu.
One Battery lost its fruit Jello in this way. " The fruit in the desert, " mourned the Battery Commander, "represented the saving of canned fruit for a couple of weeks and it was the pride of the mess sergeant."
" Despite the shortages there was never any danger of starvation
on Corregidor.The quantity of food on the island when Bataan fell was sufficient to last about 10 weeks more.
This food had been forehandedly laid aside early in the campaign
in the expectation that if and when Bataan fell, the Philippine division would make it's final stand on Corregidor.
To provide for this contingency MacArthur, on 24, January, had ordered General Moore, the Harbor defense commander, to maintain a reserve large enough to feed 20,000 men- twice the members then on the island- on half rations until June 30th.
On seeing this vast supply on Corregidor Wainwright got permission from MacArthur to send some of this reserve to Bataan although it seemed like crumbs there, before it fell.
" The men on Corregidor ate 2 meals a day. The morning meal, prepared the night before, consisted of toast and coffee, when there was coffee, and occasionally a piece of bacon or sausage.
Supper was served after dark, about 2000, and consisted of salmon, canned vegetables, and rice pudding. Sometimes there was fresh beef or stew.
Most Batteries were able to serve half a sandwich and a cup of hot beverage or soup during the noon hour, but many men kept bread in their pockets to gnaw on during the long intervals between meals."
"The cold storage unit was hit on March 27th and the next day all units received unexpectedly large amouts of fresh meat, and then none at all until the refrigeration was repaired. Finally about 3 april, in expectation of heavier artillery and bomb attacks, all units received large amounts of food, to store in their respective kitchens."
"But even under the heaviest of bombardment there was no loss of food, as most was stored in Malinta and the cold storage plant under guard."
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #88 on Oct 31, 2009, 8:30pm » | |
Water supply on Corregidor
" Corregidor's water supply because of it's dependence on the power plant, was perhaps the most vulnerable point of Corregidor's defense.
Even before the surrender of Bataan there had been several interruptions because of power failures or damage to the pumps.
When the water lines were damaged, water was distributed at
various points on the island and each unit sent it's own truck to pick up it's daily supply.
The water was carried in 12-inch powder cans, 2 by 5 and 1/2 ft, ideal for storage but heavy when full and difficult to handle.The water crews normally made the trips at night over the crater filled roads to the distribution points.
There they might have to wait for hours to draw their supply. It was a ticklish job".
(Anyone else seen these cans still on the island?)
"By the middle of April the supply of water had become a real problem. On the second of the month Colonel Bunker noted in his diary that," Our water situation is getting critical.
"And on the 3rd, in anticipation of the fall of Bataan, all units were directed to lay in reserve supplies. At that time there was in the reservoirs a total of 3,000,000 gallons, but that would not last long if the pumps or power plant failed."
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #89 on Oct 31, 2009, 11:44pm » | |
Hey Phantom....You have inspired me to re-read "Fall of the Philippines". It's been about five years since I last prowled thru it. I also relied heavily on it way back in 1959 when i wrote a term paper in college dealing with those dismal days of early 1942. "Fall of the Philippines" occupies a prominent spot in my fairly substantial collection of military history books in my home. In fact i believe I will start the re-reading right after the football games this afternoon.
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #90 on Nov 6, 2009, 4:39am » | |
The "Fall Of The Philippines" is an excellent source of information.
I would recommend it to all as Class A , the best there is.
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #91 on Nov 6, 2009, 5:49am » | |
Bunker's War.........
Wednesday, 1 April 1942
$417.50 on hand.
The Japs seem to be worried about something or other. Big fires are raging in Batangas down towards Nasugbu, and other big fires are burning towards Tagaytay ridge.
Maybe just burning off the rice paddies?(or the sugar cane fields?)
At 2:40 a few planes flew over and our AA fired only a few shots.
No hits, no runs, no errors."
"The South shore road is pretty torn up by bombs from end to end."
(Still gone in many places today)
"Many bombs have landed near upper end of James Ravine, but Mine Casement is undamaged."
(This is located where?)
"We still have no post power at Wheeler and Cheney and no water also.
The engineers and the H.D. refuse the concrete baffle wall to protect our C1 tunnel mouth so I am toying with the idea of moving a torn concrete block from Wheeler, but doubt Capt. McCarthy's ability to handle this job."
"Four Destroyers left Subic today, Japanese of course, headed South. Full moon tonight, beautiful under other circumstances, but what an aid to bombing!"
"Took my spit bath after sundown and then loafed around C1 for awhile then returned to my dugout."
Thursday, 2 April 1942
Awoke at 4:00 am so I went down to C1 and relieved Capt. Cooper of the rest of his watch.
Brewed a batch of fine Maxwell House coffee and shared it with Capt. Gerlich and the enlisted men in the station.
When Capt. Davis relieved me, tardily, after 7:00 am, I got a needed shave, then breakfast. Drove to G3 and inspected. Camouflage a bit better. A bomb has finally hit Cottrell's quarters in center. then drove down to Batteries Geary and Crockett. Didn't see Chaplain.
Told our band leader Mr. Wirship, to get busy and work up some music or singing amongst the men."
(I'm sorry, but Mr Wirship?)
"Air raid alarm at 9:15 am, the japs dropped a big stick of bombs, said to be at Kindley Field. Said a bomb hit General Moore's outdoor quarters."
Near MacArthur's old outdoor Quarters?)
" Soon General Moore arrived at C1 and waited for the all clear. We talked of this and that and adjoined to my dugout porch, where we discussed citations for Fort Frank and promotions for Schette and Dawe and incidentally, myself.
He promised to speak to Wainwright, but there is some skullduggery somewhere. Evidently Moore incensed MacArthur about Marquat"s B.G. and Mac is taking it out........"
"The Engineers are trucking water to our tunnel today, so our concrete work should go on with reasonable speed. Our water situation is getting critical. Not for lack of water but for lack of power to pump the water!"
" We have been at war now for 4 months, as far as we can see, no effort has been made to help us.
From the first, knowing the Naval War College solution to the Philippine problem, I have secretly felt that we were slated to play the part of another Alamo. However if anyone can help us it's MacArthur. It is disturbing however to read that our President has
appointed a board of nations to control the strategy of the Pacific war effort--- Why hamper MacArthur?
He once told Roosevelt," If you once lose the Philippines, you'll never get them back." Now lets see what he will do! This blockage is throttling us! '
"This afternoon we received word there were few Japs in Ternate,
they were moved to Antimonan.
So the Japs are moving Artillery to Antimonan ? The other night Edison and I agreed that Antimonan is the logical landing spot for any relief expedition for us.
(Antimonan is south of Manila near Lucena. It's one of the beaches the Japanese landed on, near the main highway to Manila from the south.)
Some Navy officer is taking odds of 5 to 1 that relief will appear before April 5th. I'd like about $500 to $2500 of that easy money!"
Took a jaunt to C1 at 10:30 and then turned in."
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #92 on Nov 6, 2009, 6:59am » | |
Hey Phantom....There's that ingrained, anti-Navy bias trying to surface once again. Can't help but wonder what the good Colonel would have thought had he lived to see all three branches of the armed forces unified under one Secretary of Defense.
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #93 on Nov 14, 2009, 5:20am » | |
Easter Sunday, 5 April
"Usual morning routine, fried mush and salty bacon for breakfast."
"Our Air Force in Australia seems more concerned about attacking the Japs in India, for the benefit of the Sprinting Englishmen, then in paving the way to helping us."
We'll all be "sold down the river."
"Cut off from the land that bore us,
Betrayed by the land we find,
The brightest have gone before us,
The dullest are left behind.
Cho: So stand to your glasses steady,
They are all you have left to prize.
Here's a cup to the dead already;
Hurrah for the next man who dies."
"Sentimental but holding a grain of truth at that.
The worst of it is we Are being betrayed, "by the land that bore us."
"Went to C1 in the evening but all was in order."
Monday, 6 April 1942
P1.50 for shoe repair
" This morning I went over to see how Major Crawford is coming along with splinter proofing Battery Grubbs and found the place crawling with 60th men, machine gunners, radiomen, 3rd BN HQ men and some of our personnel section. They had the rotary converter running, a lavendera was using an electric iron and they were importing an electric refrigerator!
A happy country home for the 60th chiselers who had evidently not heard there was a war on!
There standby radio set was running full blast.
Ascertained from Col. Kohn that they didn't need the power for M1 and so I had Edison phone an order to shut down the Rotary converter."
( Rotary Converter? M1?)
"Spent some time in our tunnel early this morning, supervising the activities there.
It is a mess, the way the "termites" have flocked in.
Gen Moore came down for a few minutes this morning. I gave orders to start celotex linings: kitchen water supply, electricity, etc.--also the installation of Baffle walls to stop shell fragments."
( celotex?)
"About sunset I went to our tunnel again to look over the situation and found Rutherford had placed the "channel iron" baffle too far in on the left, and had omitted the second one.
One pannel of celotex done on ceiling of C1."
"Hawes supervised scratching out a trough for the base plates of the first baffle wall. Sgt. Harper, when Hawes told him to get some cement hidden, replied, "I'm on duty tonight", in a sullen tone, and I proceeded to stand him up and pin his ears back in "OLD ARMY STYLE!"
"Edison, Edmonds, Rutherford and I chinned for awhile, all of us stripped to the waist. Then I climbed the stairs to C1, and then repaired to my dugout."
( climbed the stairs from the tunnel to C1?)
"Called Healey of the Navy censor office about the snapshot which I sent in my last letter to Landon (of the ruins of the Officers Club) and he assured me the letter went out on the Sub and that the photo slipped through, though against Navy censorship regulations."
"Worked until 11:00 pm tonight and then read,
"DEATH VALLEY".
"Elmes shipped to Brooke the oats he wanted, I hope he gets them."
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #94 on Nov 24, 2009, 5:07am » | |
Tuesday, April 7th
"Overslept today, didn't get up until 8:00. After breakfast I went to R.S.O. ( Somebody stole 6 bbl of gas from him!)
They say that a "real" dive bomber attacked Fort Frank this morning, dropped 2 bombs and both hit the Fort, but probably did no damage.
To my dugout for a sadly needed shave."
"At about 3:30 two Jap bombers dropped eggs on Frank which fired furiously at them. The bombs missed, so did Fort Frank!"
"It would seem that things are not going to good in the center of our Bataan line. The last 2 days of our official bulletin admit that the enemy has gained ground.
We received orders today to give up 53 beds and mattresses to the Bataan Hospital. I hope this doesn't mean excessive men injured in battle.
It may be to the increased maleria rate over there.
This means 53 of our men will sleep on the ground, as we have not enough now to go around, since we have already been mulcted to care for the outsiders who flocked in here from Manila!"
"Tonight I learned a sub is coming in so I dashed off a letter to Landon and had Welch take it down to Capt. Hoeffel at the Navy Tunnel. She is due in here at 9:30 pm and it is 9:05, the air alarm has just sounded!
Probably the Japs know she is coming in---their spy service is wonderful. But I hope nothing happens to her. Maybe she is bringing in Quinine, of which we have a shortage."
" Engineers have finished pouring the floor of our tunnel and we sure are glad to get rid of them.
My first channel-iron baffle is OK but, even with 3 officers watching they still managed to botch the second baffle!
Rutherford sure is useless and so is McCarthy! He "still" hasn't got a muffler installed on our generator!"
"The engineers finally got the post power through to Battery Wheeler and Cheney today but I'm sure the first Jap bomb will put it out of commission again.
But it is a comfort to have it on."
"Went to C1 to look for our sub but didn't see it, Big fire, on one of Lubang islands."
Wednesday, 8 April 1942
"Up at 7:00, shaved, breakfast at R.S.O.. Air raid when I got to tunnel at 10:00am. Another at 11:30 but no bombs.
Japs opened on Frank at 1:25pm. Bombs dropped on Mariveles simultaneously.
They bombed Mariveles again at 3:15.'
"It appears that our Philippine army Bataan have crumpled and run.
Letting the japs penetrate our center and roll up our right.
At about 6:00 pm Stubbs gave us request of corps to put down fire from Hearn on East coast of Bataan from Paudau River to Limay on 4 points, 2 shots per hour on each.
We delivered first shot in 15 minutes and kept it up until ordered to stop. They first stopped us on Limay and we began to hope for better things. Our fire kept up most of the night. About 34 shots each from Hearn and Smith.'
Our sub came in and departed successfully."
Later, 18 of our pursuit planes were supposed to arrive tonight but luckily they didn't come, because tonight the Japs overran our Bataan Air field!"
" The Japs are dropping leaflets in Bataan: " Your U.S. Convoy is due in the Philippines on April 15th but you won't be alive to see it Ha Ha!"
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #95 on Nov 24, 2009, 8:48pm » | |
Here is something for you guys to think about. The more I read Phantom’s transcripts of Col. Bunker’s book, the more I believe that the tunnel we call “C1” or ‘Bunker’s Bunker” is not the correct tunnel referred to in the book.
Here are some comments by Bunker about his tunnel:
SATURDAY 14 FEB. 1942
THIS MORNING AT 6:50 THE ENGINEERS BLASTED THROUGH OUR TUNNEL ADDITION TO THE OPEN AIR. WE WERE GREATLY PLEASED. TWO DULL BOOMS AND THEN TWO SHARP CRACKS AS THE EXPLOSIONS CAME THROUGH, JUST AT ENTRANCE TO OUR HOMEMADE TUNNEL NEAREST C1."
“our homemade tunnel nearest C1”…he had other tunnels? The new second entrance to his primary tunnel is near his other tunnel nearest C1?
THURSDAY, 26 FEB 1942
"BAWLED OUT OUR CREW, WORKING ON THE SMALL TUNNEL, FOR LOUD FILTHY LANGUAGE. IT'S EXCESSIVE USE IS NAUSEATING-EVEN TO A NON-PURITAN".
“WORKING ON THE SMALL TUNNEL”…so there was at least one more Bunker tunnel.
FRIDAY, 27 FEB.
"AFTER BREAKFAST VISITED OUR C1 TUNNEL. THE CREW EXPECTS TO BREAK THROUGH IN 4 MORE BLASTS.
"to break through in 4 more blasts"...this is not the tunnel that he mentioned on 14 Feb break through. How many tunnels did this guy have?
SUNDAY 1 MAR 1942
"THIS MORNING WITH AN EXTRA BLAST, THE "MINERS" FINALLY BROKE SURFACE BELOW MY DUGOUT, WITH THE OTHER END OF OUR MAIN TUNNEL.”
“broke surface below my dugout”… was his dugout actually the small tunnel above the west tunnel entrance? It is located down from the top of the ridge but above what we call the C1 Tunnel “other” or western entrance.
FRIDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 1942
“ARTY ENGINEERS GANG OF GUGUS ( FILIPINO SOLDIERS) ARE TRENCHING A 75pr CABLE FROM MANHOLE 43 TO NORTH ADDITION OF TUNNEL”
“to north addition of tunnel”…how does this comment fit into what we know as the C1 tunnel. It doesn’t fit anything in that tunnel we see today.
“ANOTHER GANG, FROM ENGRS. ARE RUNNING 3 HEAVY POWER LEADS FROM WHEELER TRANSFORMERS THROUGH WOODS TO SAME PLACE”.
“same place” which is the “north addition of tunnel.” Still doesn’t fit.
TUESDAY, 17 MAR 1942
“PROGRESS ON OUR TUNNELS HAS SLOWED DOWN. THEY ARE NOW LAGGING THE TOPS AND SIDES OF OUR 4 LATERALS.”…so Bunker’s tunnel laterals were definitely lined. Note his use of the word tunnel(s)…plural.
"THE "NOVELTY SIDING" WHICH I HAD BATTERED DOWN OVER THE 2" CRACKS BETWEEN THE SIDING PLANKS LOOKS WELL.”…his tunnel was lined.
TUESDAY, 7 APRIL
“ENGINEERS HAVE FINISHED POURING THE FLOOR OF OUR TUNNEL AND WE SURE ARE GLAD TO GET RID OF THEM.”…the floor was concrete.
Having read the above description of Bunker’s tunnel, go back to page #1 of this thread and view the tunnel photos I posted.
Note that it is very rough on all sides. The few laterals it has are irregular and of different lengths. It is a very crude unfinished tunnel and appears to never have been anything more than that.
So where is the concrete roof, walls and floor that the C1 Tunnel had. Bunker says this existed in his tunnel. Nobody steals concrete!!! Objects yes, metal yes, but not concrete.
There is no concrete rubble inside. The only piece of concrete in the whole tunnel is at the western entrance. It is large, broken and in a vertical position now. It may have been for protection above the entrance at one time but I don’t know for sure.
Here is one other possibility for this tunnel even though this idea is based only on one old Battery Boston sketch. This unfinished tunnel was used for Battery Boston’s kitchen at least for awhile and it never was the C1 Tunnel.
What gives this possibility some credibility is that the entrance is drawn on the sketch in EXACTLY the same position as the tunnel we call C1. I walked extensively in this area last month and know that the tunnel and road agrees with the sketch.
From Topside, Crockett Trail passes across the hillside just below Battery Boston. The tunnel entrance is below the Crockett Trail which sharply loops around and also passes under the entrance heading further down the ravine. The tunnel is very close to the upper most loop in Crocket Trail as the sketch shows.
Note the battery Boston sketch:
![[image]](http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn299/fots2pix/Battery%20Boston/BostonAABatterynearBatteryWheeler.jpg)
Is the long tunnel on the sketch wrong or is the real C1 Tunnel elsewhere and now buried in the immediate area? Perhaps the existing tunnel is just another one of Bunker’s tunnels.
In conclusion, why do you call this tunnel “C1”? Is this an assumption since it is in the area you expect it to be in and today no other tunnel is visible here? What proof exists to support your view?
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The Phantom
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #96 on Nov 25, 2009, 6:41am » | |
Good stuff Fots.
I also don't believe we have found Bunkers C1 Tunnel he talks about all the time in his diary.
The one you picture has none of what he describes inside, or outside.
I have tried to come to grips what what I've read and what I've see, but I have only visited C1 one time, and physically I was burned out that day, not even being able to crawl into C1, much less explore the immediate area.
Where was his Dugout?
I wonder what's under that tangle of brush, thorny vines and trees immediately behind and on top of C1?
Your theories and drawings are getting us closer to the true location of C1 Tunnel me thinks...........and identifying tunnels in the area.
Great work Fots.
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okla
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #97 on Nov 25, 2009, 7:51am » | |
Hey Fots....You the man. It's in your DNA to solve, this, another "rock" riddle. I have all the confidence on the planet that you will prevail. Go Fots.
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mapmaster
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #98 on Nov 25, 2009, 10:27am » | |
Hi Guys
I don't disagree with the latest discussion on the C1G1 Tunnel and the possibility of other tunnels in the same area. I have noticed there are inconsistencies with a lot of what has been written about Corregidor. I agree that Bunker' Corregidor raises some questions as to the tunnel he refers too, particularly the state of construction.
The newly posted sketch (of Battery Boston) also points to there being another tunnel in the same area as Bunker's. Even Bunker seems to be making reference to another tunnel. His comments also give rise to the notion that the tunnel most referenced was concrete lined.
However, let's just look at the sketch. It has a north point and a number of key structures marked - Battery Wheeler, Ordnance Stores, Railway, road intersections and C1G1. Perhaps we should rotate the sketch to true north at the top of the page and then look at fine tuning to the alignment with other structures.
![[image]](http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo117/mgk0951/Corregidor%20Other%20Tunnels/Boston1942r.jpg)
A lot of the features now align a bit better with the same area on the 1936 Corregidor Map.
![[image]](http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo117/mgk0951/Corregidor%20Other%20Tunnels/Wheeler_0000.jpg)
Roads, Battery Wheeler, sheds and importantly the line through B11/11 and B11/12 above C1G1. The kitchen building now looks like it is in a far more accessible area than where it would have been half way down the ravine and if near the present entrance of the tunnel under B11/11.
The only thing that doesn't align very closely is the bend in Crockett Trail; the Zig Zag bends are further along the Trail than in the sketch. However, the sketch appears to have been drawn by someone with good knowledge of the area.
In summary:
sketch with Kitchen Tunnel looks reasonably accurate;
what was the Tunnel we call C1? It is unlined, while Bunker states his was lined
what was the purpose of the Wheeler Tunnel? It is marked on all pre-1942 maps as unfinished. It has survived in a damaged but finish condition
and was there another tunnel that was Bunker's quarters? Especially as nothing he has written fits with what's on the ground today.
Regards
mapmaster
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fots2
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| | Re: COL. PAUL D. BUNKER'S CORREGIDOR REVISITED
« Reply #99 on Nov 25, 2009, 2:16pm » | |
Hi mapmaster,
I agree that generally this sketch seems accurate but it definitely has errors. A big one is where you show the red circle on your map, there is a roughly 90 degree bend in the road where the sketch shows a straight road.
I used this sketch while exploring the ridge and Battery Boston area. If it a little confusing to follow but I did find many things on the ground that it shows as existing.
Remnants of the kitchen building are still there and I would say that it is within your red circle. The only tunnel we know of and the one on the sketch are just before the sharp bend in Crockett Trail.
I think this terrain feature (the sharp bend) is important. It would be easy to misplace the location of a tunnel on straight piece of road (or the length of a straight piece of road) but showing it between two levels of the road at a sharp bend is likely to be quite accurate.
Would you have any idea where manhole #43 was?
You have good questions mapmaster. What was the existing tunnel and where is C1 tunnel?
Wheeler tunnel has 3 or 4 storage rooms plus a circular sloped passageway between the two levels with what appears to be multiple platforms for bunks. I have never heard of any official use for this tunnel or who built it. Another good question.
Okla, chances of finding another tunnel in this area are very slim but greater than zero. 
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