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Post by The Phantom on Nov 6, 2009 4:10:45 GMT 8
Good stuff Mapmaster. Sure looks like your picture minus a few parts that could have rusted off or been sold off.
With your picture, and explanation as to what this barrel may well be, I think we should revisit the original explanation as to where exactly it was found as described by the Coast Guard in the original statement of this thread.
Is it from Caballo, off it's coast or inland? Inside one of the tunnels?
If they found it in the ocean, where was it? Was it headed for the scrappers in Japan at one time? Had the American's forced to strip the islands of metal in 1942, etc. "dropped" it in the ocean by mistake? Or is it still in existence because Caballo is still in the Philippine Navy's hands after we turned the island over in the 60's?
More respect for old metal..........
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Post by mapmaster on Nov 6, 2009 6:45:33 GMT 8
Hi
Correct - more respect for the old metal and a lot of truth in the story that came with it.
Where was the closest 14in Disappearing Gun to Corregidor? Caballo Island.
Where was the sub-calibre gun found? On or off Caballo Island.
The Philippines Coast Guard have a true relic displayed - good on them!
Regards
mapmaster
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Post by okla on Nov 7, 2009 0:18:46 GMT 8
Hey Mapmaster....Thanks much for the info on the gun barrel,etc question. Seems that I learn something new almost everyday from this website. I have had my "wonders" in the past as to just what that "thingamajig" was that sat atop some of the big guns. Now I am able to add a little something to the information pool with my small circle of WW 2 buffs that I hang with. Thanks again. This is good stuff.
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Post by mapmaster on Nov 7, 2009 6:08:18 GMT 8
Hi okla
All part of the service. I was actually looking for something else and solved this query instead. Now all I have to do is find the solution to my original problem.
It is interesting to see that items of interest are still being discovered in, under and around the "Forts of Manila and Subic Bays" - not quite everybodiy's treasure, but treasure still.
Regards
mapmaster
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Post by batteryboy on Apr 12, 2015 8:29:14 GMT 8
Alright, its been close to 6 years since this topic was started and here are additional info Now its painted grey with a white tip. Now its confirmed that this is a 75mm sub caliber gun inserted inside the main barrel of a 14-inch gun. Now here is the story from the coast guard: They confiscated this from a fisherman who was already near the Cabcaben shorelines (possibly on his way to sell the item for scrap). Now where he found it, that is the intriguing question. The only 14-inchers were located at Caballo (Woodruff and Gillespie), El Fraile (the guns of Wilson and Marshall) and Carabao (Greer and Crofton). Now we know that Carabao was been scrapped to the bone and I doubt if the scrappers missed this one. Caballo is Navy protected and usually these types of sub caliber guns are stored away so I doubt if the fisherman would venture into restricted territory, haul this subcaliber gun (he had to have help to lug this). Now the next plausible explanation would be that he could have found this at Drum. Even if the Fort was scrapped, there is a chance that this would have been hidden somewhere in a corner. However its just a possibility. I asked the Coast Guard personnel but all of them were newly assigned to the station and that the crew who caught and interrogated the fisherman were re-assigned somewhere. We were able to talk to their CO and told him and his crew what the gun is all about and told him that they should preserve this piece as it may be the only one remaining. Glen Williford was kind enough to provide the CG with a technical image of the sub caliber gun. Once I get a copy from Glen, I post it here. (in the pic - Fat B-boy, Glen W. and the Philippine CG assigned to the island.) Cheers,
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Post by Karl Welteke on Apr 15, 2015 21:13:55 GMT 8
THE 2008 ALLEDGED TANK PICTURES DIRECTLY POSTED HERE NOW. At the start of this thread I only provided the URL to an album for these images but since I learned how to post the images here are they directly, although smaller that in the URL at the start of this thread. As you seen in the previous entry the alleged tank barrel became a renewed interest last week on our visit to Corregidor. X248. The alleged tank gun barrel when I first saw it on 14th Mar 2008. It is in front of the RP Coast Guard Station on Corregidor. X249. The alleged tank gun barrel in front of the RP Coast Guard Station on Corregidor as I saw it on 14th Mar 2008. X250. The alleged tank gun barrel in front of the RP Coast Guard Station on Corregidor as I saw it on 14th Mar 2008. Looking north over the North Channel. X251. The alleged tank gun barrel in front of the RP Coast Guard Station on Corregidor on 18th Aug 2008. It is painted now.
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Post by Karl Welteke on Apr 25, 2015 9:08:38 GMT 8
ITS OFFICIAL: IT IS A 75 MM SUBCALIBER GUN! Mapmaster was on the right track but I sure wished his pictures did not disappear. And I failed to save them. As batteryboy said in his 12 April 2015 entry: “Glen Williford was kind enough to provide the CG with a technical image of the sub caliber gun. Once I get a copy from Glen, I post it here. On this date (25th April 2015) Glen came thru and sent us that technical image of the sub caliber gun and threw in an even more detailed image. Thank you Glen! X307. This makes it official; we know now for sure what it is. Glen said this: X307a. High resolution. Attached is the page about the 14-inch subcaliber tube we gave the coast guard. And then I found another reference that had it in there, also attached. Note that this new one says that this gun was meant for the 14-inch Model 1910 disappearing gun. If true, that means it MUST have been the subcaliber for Hughes only, as Fort Frank had M1907 guns, and Fort Drum M1909 guns. Not sure if they didn't have something similar, but right now I think we must at least consider that this was specific for use at just Fort Hughes; maybe helping us identify where it came from. X308. This is a copy of what batteryboy and Glen gave to the Coast Guard on the 11th April 2015. X308a. High resolution. Note: the 2 images are uploaded in high resolution and I hope you can down loaded as such, if not let me know.
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Post by Karl Welteke on Apr 25, 2015 9:49:46 GMT 8
BATTERYBOY’S TANK PICTURES ARE REPOSTED The tank pictures of batteryboy’s entry of the 12th of March 2008 have disappeared. I saved them and here they are again and I threw a couple extra images in: X309. Batteryboy on tank duty. This is a M4 Sherman Tank on the south Caballo Island beach (ex Fort Hughes). X310. The M4 Sherman Tank on the south Caballo Island beach (ex Fort Hughes). Battery boy said this about the tank: The tank did reach ashore but was quickly knocked out. This happened on the first invasion of Caballo that was repulsed by the Japanese (A few instance of Japanese success in defending an island). X311. The corroded and rusted breech of the 75mm gun. X312. The engine compartment and he added this: This was either salvaged or removed when the island was secured or was left to scrappers. I am leaning towards the former. Notice how the turret seems to have a somewhat "square cut: (same with the rear right compartment) this may have been done after the battle or just after wartime. Reports say that it struck a Japanese mine (metal or ceramic) that damaged the tracks making it immobile. It was later picked out by artillery fire and small arms fire. X313. This picture came from fots2 and shows you the location of the tank on Caballo Island (ex Fort Hughes). It came from this URL: corregidor.proboards.com/thread/565/caballo-island-offshore?page=2Note to mapmaster: It would be real nice if you could repost your missing pictures in this thread.
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Post by batteryboy on Apr 25, 2015 22:11:28 GMT 8
Now that we know it is for a M1910 14-inch gun, then that is exclusively for the guns of either Woodruff or Gillespie. Now if it came off or near Caballo Island, how did the fisherman get it. Its not as badly corroded if it was submerged for a long time under seawater. How it came to his possession is also another question. Interesting.
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Post by The Phantom on Apr 27, 2015 4:20:02 GMT 8
Great research all around Karl and friends.
I'll give it a go Battery Boy...........
The barrel appears to have been in the tunnel on Caballo, or from a bunker's uncleaned and cluttered inside?
If it had been retrieved while "FISHING" for fish, it would be very corroded after 65 years or so in it's SALT water grave. My guess is someone on the island found the barrel a nuisance so to speak, and arranged a speedy and safe transfer to the scrap yard in Mariveles to rid the island of its bother.
That Bethlehem steel from the past, still more valuable than any currently imported it appears. Probably headed for Korea and its massive auto industry. That lost barrel could have come back as part of a Hyundai or KIA!
Which country was it that was buying up millions in coinage from the Philippine and melting it down for its industry? The metal content was worth more than the coin.
Hold a magnet to your new Piso coin........... see? Not so much any more.
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