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Post by Bob Hudson on Jul 31, 2012 7:17:31 GMT 8
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Post by JohnEakin on Jul 31, 2012 8:33:49 GMT 8
You're on a roll, Bob. Don't stop now. Lots of new information on that map.
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Post by wwalker on Jul 31, 2012 8:38:37 GMT 8
Mr. Hudson,
Thank you for posting this map. This answers a lot of questions that I've had (and many others on the forum) as to the location of the different cemetery plots on Corregidor. This map is a nice supplement to the Wilcox burial records. I notice that the notations on the map were made by Chaplain Perry O. Wilcox. I am glad that you posted the roster of the MS Elcano also. Rosters of many of the Filipino units seem to be harder to come by. Would you happen to have any 59th, 60th, 91st, or 92d Coast Artillery rosters? Thanks again for sharing these great documents.
WW
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Post by Bob Hudson on Aug 1, 2012 11:12:02 GMT 8
WW, For the last three days, I have been uploading files to photobucket. Look in s972.photobucket.com/albums/ae207/BataanSon/ , then click on all albums. I have uploaded numerous files. Just peruse them and view what interests you. I am currently uploading interim Cabanatuan barracks rosters. This will take approx 4 hours. Send me an email for anything specific @ callmebobplease@yahoo.com
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Post by beirutvet on Mar 23, 2015 6:04:10 GMT 8
Hello Bob
I must admit I was surprised at this post and I don't mind saying somewhat alarmed as well. I had NO IDEA that there were Americans interred on Corregidor. I only knew of the civilian cemetery there, and that one has been neglected.
I have two immediate questions;
1) Why were these remains of American servicemen not moved to the American Memorial Cemetery in Manila? I thought all known graves or service members were eventually moved there.
2) With the Filipino proclivity to ignore things of this nature, would not these graves just get overrun and abandoned? I heard nothing on any of my visits that there were any Americans buried there. Just the mere fact that I am now for the first time hearing of it tends me to believe the worst.
As my brother-in-law (a Filipino) stated about the Philippine memorial next to the American memorial side by side for the POW camps in Cabanatuan; "typical Philippine tendency to build it, then ignore it". As anyone will see visiting the two sites, the American one is pristine while the Philippine one shows much wear and tear and even a little abuse. It is apparent it has been neglected.
My fear is that these graves, if still there, are not getting the respect they deserve. Had I known about them I would have sought them out to at the very least pay my respects that are very well deserved by all who visit.
Please tell me my fears are much ado about nothing.
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Post by chadhill on Mar 24, 2015 7:53:46 GMT 8
MAP OF CORREGIDOR BURIAL PLOTS (courtesy of Bob Hudson) The hand written annotation at the map's lower left corner I believe says, "Burial plots on this map have been entered by Chaplain (Lt.Col.) Perry O. Wilcox U.S.A. (14 Mar 1945)". * * * * * Hello beirutvet, Have you been able to check out the Tailside Cemeteries thread? corregidor.proboards.com/thread/589/tailside-cemeteriesOn page 2 of that thread dmether posted this very interesting quote from Chaplain John K. Borneman: Date: 9 August 1947
"In May of 1941 I arrived in the Philippines for duty and was assigned as Chaplain for the 60th Coast Artillery anti-aircraft Regiment on Corregidor.
Following the surrender of Corregidor in May of 1942 the Japanese would not permit us to bury our dead, the majority of these were killed in action during the invasion the night of May 5-6 1942.
Several days after the surrender the Chaplains took the initiative and went around Corregidor burying the dead and this included the digging of the graves. However no markers could be placed on the graves due to the tense situation then prevailing; in fact the Japanese threatened to shoot or decapitate any person discovered in the act of taking care of the American casualties.
This work we continued until 1 July 1942 when all of us were removed to Philippine Military Prison Camp No. 1 at Cabanatuan. During our internment in this camp 2,666 men died and were buried in the camp cemetery. It was from here that I was liberated 30 January 1945 by action of the 6th Army Rangers.
In the summer of 1946 I spent three months on Corregidor and in Manila locating isolated graves. This work was not entirely satisfactory to me due to the fact that it was the rainy season and our work was constantly interfered with by typhoons. In addition I twice had the Japanese prisoners, who were the labor detail, removed from Corregidor for long periods and finally at the end of September they were taken away permanently for preparation to be sent back to Japan.
No map was available of Corregidor as it existed in peace time and this was necessary due to the changes in topography caused by American action in retaking the Rock in February 1945.
As nearly as I can estimate there are about 112 bodies still to be recovered on Corregidor. I have secured an engineer map from the Army Map Service and forwarded it to the Memorial Division in Manila.
Since my return home I have answered more that 2,200 letters from relatives of men who did not survive the war or prison camp and these are still coming in at the rate of about 50 a month.
I am therefore much interested in the repatriation of our Philippine dead.
Is there a possibility of returning to Manila under the auspices of the Memorial Division to complete this work? I know there is none under the Chaplains Corps due to the dwindling number of Chaplains required in the Philippines and the consequent cut in funds for their work..."
Note that Chaplain Borneman estimated in August 1947 that there were about 112 bodies which had not been recovered. Dmether, in another post on that thread, wrote: I have a copy of the 22 March 1948 Termination of Search Area, island of Corregidor, Fort Mills, Fort Drum, and Fort Hughes.
The search was made with 3 officers, 1 enlisted man, 33 Philippine Scout enlisted men, 1 US civil service employee, and 4 non-US employees.
In it, the ARGS searched from 14 Aug 1947 to 28 Feb 1948 in a final effort to locate all MIAs on those locations.
48 total remains and one group of probably 8 unseparable remains were recovered with 33 being identified. All are believed to have died in May 1942, not in the retaking of Corregidor.
The location of the isolated burials were all on Bottomside, except the group of 8 which were located east of Malinta Tunnel. The 48 dead were all located in foxholes, the Japanese did not allow them to be buried properly.
See the locations where the remains were recovered on the map below: (map courtesy dmether) So, according to this report probably 56 remains were recovered (48+8), while Father Borneman thought there were 112 unrecovered bodies on Corregidor. Wouldn't this leave 56 sets of remains which were not found?
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Post by beirutvet on Mar 25, 2015 2:16:28 GMT 8
Hi Chadhill and Bob
OK, I understand now and thank you, I am not as alarmed as before. Those graves found were disinterred and reburied accordingly.
The only ones left on Corregidor are MIAs who were never found. Understandable considering the extent of fighting in both 1942 and then again in 1945. Also with the Japanese not allowing our dead from 42 to be properly cared for it is clear why there would be MIAs.
I would think that the searches between 45 and 48 would have given the best chances for success in locating the MIAs as memories fresher and documentation would be more readily available, plus the vegetation would be no where near what it is today.
With that being said, does anyone think that it is possible to find these last resting places? With modern tech (i.e. metal detectors) and cursory info could more of these be found, or am I whistling Dixie? It says on the map near Infantry Point there may be remains there. Has there been, to any ones knowledge, any recent efforts to reclaim those MIAs?
Instead of just relic hunting on my next visit, I would not mind making some serious efforts to find the lost if anyone thinks it would be worth the effort.
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Post by chadhill on Mar 26, 2015 7:00:16 GMT 8
Hi beirutvet, I would tend to think that AGRS would have searched the Infantry Point area thoroughly, but it sounds like they faced a huge job with limited resources. Here is dmether quoting portions of the report again: "The detachment arrived in Corregidor on 14 August, 1947 with three (3) officers, one (1) American enlisted man, and five (5) Philippine Scouts with the mission 'To close the islands in one month.' This job and time estimate was based on what little information was then available about a few isolated burials and on our ignorance of the true condition of the place and nature of work to be done.
"After a week of reconnoitering, clearing and test digging we became convinced that if the job was to be done in one month, we would need at least a company of about a hundred men. After five years from the surrender, the islands have been covered with trees, and under brush so that in order to make any recovery it was necessary to clear not only the spot indicated in our leads but a wider area, since the places indicated were not accurate. The area at the end of Malinta Tunnel alone which was covered by debris twenty feet deep, would require more than a month if dug by hand by a hundred men."
Report goes on to talk about leads:
"Brief summary of action taken to follow up leads or information obtained:
(1) Denver Hill area where last stand was made was search four times. Found twenty (20) remains. (2) The Beach Defense area from North Point to Malinta Point was searched four times. Found twenty-five (25) remains. (3) Area around 92nd Garage, supposedly the site of a mass burial, was searched four times with negative results. (4) Area around Kindley Field wsa searched three times. Found three (3) remains. (5) Area south between Camp Point and Monkey Point and Battery Point were searched twice with negative results. (6) The rest of islands including Caballo, Carabao, and El Fraile were searched only once for lack of positive information and found no remains. (7) The following places were dug by the bulldozer with results indicated: (a) East of Malinta Tunnel-found one or more remains. (b) Around two water towers on Denver Hill found no remains. (c) Post Cemetery-No remains found; probably all were previously disinterred. (d) Some places along the road that were indicated as possible burial place-no recoveries."
The comment stating that no remains were found near the water towers on Denver Hill is at odds with the map showing the location of the recovered remains. Here is a link to a very interesting letter written by 1LT James Mullaney, who was with the 503rd PRCT on Corregidor in the 1945 battle. During that battle, he discovered the remains of PFC John H. Skelton and some 20 Japanese soldiers near Cavalry Point. They had been killed in the 1942 battle. Mullaney ID'ed Skelton from his dogtags, yet he is listed by the ABMC database as a MIA. 503prct.org/mullaney/letter.htmYN3 Kenneth F. Grisham, USN, was the only CAST member who died on Corregidor, on December 31, 1941. He was buried in Plot B, grave 25 east of Kindley Field (see bottom of burial roster below). Somehow, his remains were either not identified or recovered after the war and he is also listed as MIA by ABMC. Probably another unfortunate screw up, as John Eakin is so keenly aware of. (courtesy of Bob Hudson) I haven't been to Corregidor since '87 so I couldn't offer any advice on the feasibility of undertaking such a search as you propose, but it sure sounds interesting.
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