|
Post by okla on Jul 31, 2011 8:46:51 GMT 8
Hey Will....Thanks for the info pertaining to the soldiers rescued from that magazine chamber. The thought of their plight was sticking in my mind. I always wonder about the final fate of any of those guys trapped half way around the globe on Bataan/Corregidor. I keep saying that the whole campaign was akin to a "Greek Tragedy". Those poor devils (or most of them) were "goners" from the "git go" and didn't even know it for the most part. I have mentioned in earlier posts on this forum that I personally knew and served with several back in the early 1950s when I was in the USAF. I, now, wish I had picked their brains a lot more. To a man, they seemed very willing to talk about it, but I just felt a bit uncomfortable in pushing it. I guess it was the age difference,etc. Thanks again for the info about those trapped Battery Geary gunners.
|
|
|
Post by fots2 on Jul 31, 2011 8:46:57 GMT 8
You are very welcome Will.
That is interesting information regarding those four men. Veterans have a wealth of stories guys like us would love to hear. I find those stories help a lot to understand what happened during the war when I visit different locations.
|
|
|
Post by wwalker on Jul 31, 2011 12:34:52 GMT 8
okla and fots2: You guys are welcome. Both of you have been a big help to me.
Another interesting side note: I am still trying to figure out information about my grandfather, Raymond E. Walker, who was with Battery H (Geary) as well. He died in 1958, so I wasn't able to speak with him about his experience, but my uncle says that at sometime during the siege on The Rock he was buried alive. This could mean one of three things:
a) He could have been one of the three survivors of the bomb shelter incident on January 06, 1942.
b) He was somehow "trapped" or buried alive when the magazine exploded on May 02, 1942. (I asked Mr. Erdwin if he remembered the names of the other two men trapped in the magazine with him and he couldn't remember their names)
c) He was buried alive in some other incident that may have happened during the chaos.
He received two purple hearts after the war. One of them is cited on his discharge of being issued for wounds received in action on May 03, 1942. This could indicate that he was trapped in the magazine, because the guys that were trapped were in there until the next morning on May 03, which would make sense for him being issued the purple heart for that date, and not May 02. However, this is all speculation on my part, there are a number of different ways he could've been wounded in that giant explosion. The other purple heart, I'm not sure why or exactly when he was issued it, as it does not show up on his discharge paper.
There is one other Private that I believe could possibly be the one that died from wounds a couple days later that was trapped in Mag. 1: Pvt. Clarence A. Suber (homestate of Texas). Pvt. Suber died on May 04, 1942, and is listed on the April 30 roster of Geary. Once I can get some personnel records it should clear some of this mystery up. According to the Belote brothers, in the days leading up to the explosion, Pit B was damaged severely, and so the men were manning the old mortars in Pit A. They apparently had not manned the guns in Pit A until the days leading up to the explosion on May 02. Hence the reasoning that the shell is still in one of the old mortars in Pit A.
Here are a couple men I have found so far that were KIA on the day of May 02, 1942 that were in Battery Geary:
Pvt. Charlie M. Glover (from Texas and according to one of his comrades "a heck of a poker player") Pvt. Maurice J. Ringrose Jr. (from California)
There were more deaths than this. Most accounts I have found state that there were 8 men from the battery that were killed in that explosion. I have a pretty good idea of the ones that likely died that day, just don't have the documentation to back it up yet.
So many amazing stories.
Will
|
|
|
Post by okla on Jul 31, 2011 20:02:57 GMT 8
Hey Will....Your reasoning makes pretty good sense to me. I betcha your Grandfather was involved in either the bomb shelter episode or the horrific magazine explosion. Of course, with all the shelling/bombing that Corregidor suffered during the siege, there would be numerous "opportunities" to be buried, but to me, odds are strong for him being in one of those two more notable events. The date of the Purple Heart Award makes perfect sense also. You certainly have done a good job at "digging" up these very interesting facts. Hope your success continues. Cheers.
|
|
|
Post by fots2 on Aug 1, 2011 8:19:44 GMT 8
Will,
Your future book should be full of interesting stories. I expect half the fun is collecting the information and sorting it all out.
Good luck.
|
|
|
Post by fots2 on Oct 8, 2011 18:15:55 GMT 8
Here is a minor update to this trip report.
Will Walker has been in contact with a WWII veteran who was assigned to Battery Geary during the time of the air raid shelter’s construction and the explosion of the battery itself.
The veterans name is Byron R. Kearbey (Serial# 17016203).
By looking at photographs he is unable to positively identify the location of the shelter from memory. That is most likely due to the area looking completely different now, trees are everywhere. However, his description of the shelter fits the location of Building #103 very well. There is no other possible location nearby.
The concrete building known as the Plotting Room was quickly identified by him as Battery H’s kitchen. Building #103 is on the opposite side of the road just feet away from there.
|
|
|
Post by chadhill on Nov 13, 2011 9:21:43 GMT 8
fots2 said: "Here is a minor update to this trip report. Will Walker has been in contact with a WWII veteran who was assigned to Battery Geary during the time of the air raid shelter’s construction and the explosion of the battery itself. The veterans name is Byron R. Kearbey (Serial# 17016203)". * * * * * This undated, blurred photo is said to be of "Cpl. Byron Robert Kearbey, 59th CA, Battery H. P.O.W. Camp Tokyo. Liberated Sept. 1945".
|
|
|
Post by wwalker on Nov 14, 2011 8:09:54 GMT 8
Hello,
What an amazing photograph of Mr. Kearbey. Thank you for posting it, and was this photo in an archive? I'm not sure if Mr. Kearbey knows about this photo, but he probably remembers it being taken. I am going to let him know about this photo in case he hasn't logged on here lately. He was held in the POW camp called Niigata 5B in Japan during that phase of his imprisonment, and was liberated there as well. During his time as a POW he was racked with malaria and wet beri-beri while in the Philippines at Tarlac and Cabanatuan #1.
I am going to let him know about this photo so he can see it, and thanks again for posting on the site.
Will
|
|
|
Post by fots2 on Nov 14, 2011 8:37:18 GMT 8
Good find there Chad. Mr. Kearbey may be quite surprised to learn that his photo still exists.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2012 9:56:59 GMT 8
Hi All:
I know the answer to the "Zone" question. Mortars used pre-measured powder charges. Charges were based on zones - or an area of fire for the mortar. I'm not sure how the numbering range worked, but say for example, you were firing at max range - then you might call for Zone 9. The guys in the powder magazine would know what charge of powder to send out to the guns. I've often seen the Zone numbers stenciled in Mortar battery powder magazines in various locations in the states.
One other place you may want to check out is Battery Way's magazines. Glen pointed out to me stenciling on the ceiling with "Zones" and the numbers 1 - 9. There may have been provisions for light bulbs next to each number - thus giving a visual que to the powder handlers as well.
I also have to say I had a blast out on the Rock last month - I'm assuming we met in person Fots? Just based on your posts I've read so far....
|
|