Its pretty east to get someone to translate, here is the complete thread for these
armyjunk
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: US
21 Nov 2006 20:53
Hello everyone, Can someone translate these inscriptions for me. They were found inside Battery Craighill at Fort Hughes in Manila Bay.
Thanks ahead of time
Goldfish
Joined: 31 May 2004
Location: Atlanta, USA
22 Nov 2006 01:10
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The top of the first photo gives the date of Showa 21 (1946) May 15. Other than that, they are hard to read.
Hope this helps,
Goldfish
armyjunk
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: US
22 Nov 2006 04:09
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Goldfish, No question on the date? If correct interesting as the island was retaken bey the Americans in Feb. 1945, and all the Japanese should have been dead by then...thank you very much
Goldfish
Joined: 31 May 2004
Location: Atlanta, USA
22 Nov 2006 04:53
Post subject:
It appears to read "Sho Wa 2 1 Nen 5 Getsu 1 5 Nichi." It certainly looks like a "1" after the "2" and so that would make it the 21st year of the Showa (Hirohito) reign, meaning 1946. It is possible that some help out beyond Februaury 1945 when you consider that some held out for decades in some places.
Kim Sung
Joined: 28 May 2005
Location: United States of Confucianists
22 Nov 2006 05:21
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Maybe these inscriptions are similar to this one.
I shall die, but I won't surrender
armyjunk
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: US
22 Nov 2006 06:09
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Goldfish, could have happened but not likely as it is very small island and the tunnels were filled with gas/diesel mix and lit off....but i can argue the point I can't read it and you can, i really thank you for any help you can be....Army
and Kim I always thought it was a goodbye message, but that thought is based on nothing.
Van
Joined: 05 May 2006
Location: Kanazawa, Japan
22 Nov 2006 21:22
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The top picture says
º˜a21”N5ŒŽ15“ú(Showa 21 nen 5 gatsu 15 nichi) "15th May 1946", as pointed above by Mr. Goldfish.
¡ƒ_ƒJƒoƒŠƒ‰“‡“ú–{ŒRŽcƒ‹(Imada Kabarira-tou Nihongun nokoru) "Japanese troops now remain on island Kabalila". Now Kabalila or maybe Kabelila, not clearly seen, is supposed to be the name of the island, but Manila Bay is on Luzon, right? So if the picture is from the different island it may explane the difference in dates pointed by Mr. armyjunk.
(\”ªˆê)•ñ‘@(Juu hachi ichi) houkoku). The part in brackets is not clear, but looks like numbers 10-8-1, then the word "patriotism".
Lower picture is hardly readable, but it looks like a plead to the Emperor, as the word ‘åŒN - taikun is seen, the line in the middle-left clearly reads ‰ä“™‚ÍÅŒã‚Ü‚ÅŒN‚̈×EEE(warera wa saigo made kimi no tame) "We (did something) for You till the end"
armyjunk
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: US
23 Nov 2006 01:30
Post subject:
Thank all of you very much. I've had these photos for a year and have always been curious as to what they meant. Fort Hughes is located on Caballo Island next to Corregidor Island in Manila Bay. Kabalila is Caballo, I'm sure. The 1946 will remain a mystery.
Kim Sung
Joined: 28 May 2005
Location: United States of Confucianists
23 Nov 2006 01:34
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Where did you get these photos?
armyjunk
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: US
23 Nov 2006 15:36
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I took them last February, these writings were on a wall in Battery Craghill at Fort Hughes on Caballo Island next to Corregidor Island in Manila Bay in the Philippines...Battery Craighill has 4-12inch Mortars, still emplaced I might add...
Van
Joined: 05 May 2006
Location: Kanazawa, Japan
24 Nov 2006 02:38
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Looking into my reference books, it was Caballo, right. Here is an abstract from "American defences of Corregidor and Manila Bay" by T.C.McGovern and M.A.Berhow:
Quote:
The general assault of the island was March 27, 1945. By the end of the day the entire island had been secured except the pits and tunnels of Battery Craighill in the mid-section of the island. The position was well screaned from artillery fire, and despite repeated efforts, could not be cleared of the defenders. The engineers of the 113th Engineers, 38th Division suggested pumping up a mixture of oil and gasoline from a landing craft through the pipeline and into a ventilator shaft atop the battery. The pipe was duly laid and on April 5 2,500 gallons of fuel were pumped through the shaft, then ignited with phosphorus mortar shells. A flash fire ensued followed by several explosions. The procedure was repeated on the next two days, with explosives lowered into the shaft on the 7th, resulting in an enormous explosion. On April 13 a patrol entered the tunnel, killed the lone remaining Japanese defender, and reported the position to be clear.
So it gives a year and month difference in dates, April 13 1945 and May 15th 1946.
hisashi
Joined: 12 Aug 2003
Location: Tokyo,Japan
24 Nov 2006 18:29
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The four characters in the first pic reads Žµ¶•ñ‘(shichisho hokoku). It means 'reborn seven times and devote all lives for the nation'. This word comes from a (highly fictional) episode, which appeared in the school textbook and broadly known to Japaneses of the day.
KUSUNOKI Masashige (1294-1336) was a legendary samurai leader. Those days Kamakura shogunate was declining and the emperor Godaigo of the day was vety anxious to get back the power of the Royal family. Kusunoki was a leader of a local armed group who came out as a supporter of the emperor. His group locked himself in a fort on Chihaya mountain and defended smartly against massive shogunate troops. Seeing shogunate could not defeat his small army, more and more samurais changed the side for the emperor.
He was a distinguished military contributor but the emperor governed with wimpy nobles from old families, and many samirais revelled again. Kusunoki fought for the emperor in vain. Just before his suicide, Kusunoki asked his brother what he want in the next reincarnation. Brother replied he would be reborn seven times and fight with the enemy of the emperor. Kusunoki said he hoped so too.
Eventually the emperor Godaigo's successor conceded the crown to their close relative supported by a powerful samurai. Before Meiji Restoration Kusunoki and Godaigo was idealized, and his episode prevailed.
The right half of the second pic seems a part of lyric in 'Umi Yukaba', a military song saying 'we are ready to die for the emperor'.