Where did the Japanese land on Corregidor in 1942?
There are some good answers in our own Corregidor.org web pages. “Under Siege”: this URL lists a lot of web pages about the Corregidor Siege and Fall.
corregidor.org/_admin/CTN_central/ctn_undersiege_index_composite.htmlV345. The Japanese landed here says the 4th Marines Historian. This map came from this web page:
corregidor.org/USMC/rkv/USMC_00.html .This is a photo essay about the 4th Marines.
V346. We can rule out that the Japanese landed successful east (or better SE) from the old Rifle Butt concrete wall, indicated on this map.
If you look at the previous map # V339, in this thread, we can assume that the Japanese did not land successful west of a point directly north, on the beach, from the fresh water tank.
In the “A CRITICAL REMINISCENCE”, LT.COL. RAY G. LAWRENCE says in this URL that his unit bore the main attack but it was totally wiped out and did not succeed occupying any areas SE from the old Rifle Butt concrete wall.
My sector started at the old Rifle Butt concrete wall approx 250 yards from the end of the airstrip and continued to the tail end of the island. The location was commonly known as East Pt., North Point was approx 1/2 mile to my left. This is the URL:
corregidor.org/chs_lawrence/lawrence_1.htmV347. This is a picture of the old Rifle Butt concrete wall, as the LT.COL Lawrence calls it.
I think this historical report, below here, pretty much nails down what happened in the critical hours of the Japanese Landing
THE 4TH MARINES – FROM SHANGHAI TO CORREGIDOR (TEXT VERSION)
Michael J. Miller's history of the 4th Marines on Corregidor, written for the education and training of Marines by the History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.
corregidor.org/USMC/chs_41-42/from_shanghai_to_corregidor.htmHere are few paragraphs about the critical hours of the Japanese Landing from the above Marine report:
The 1st Platoon, Company A, commanded by First Lieutenant William F. Harris, defended the beach from Infantry to Cavalry Points, while the 2d Platoon under Master Gunnery Sergeant John Mercurio held the line from Cavalry to North Points. "I've got word that landing boats will attempt a landing," Harris told his men, "They'll be coming in here someplace. Fix Bayonets." He ordered Private First Class James D. Nixon to go to the cliff overlooking the beach, and report on the location of the Japanese. Nixon looked at the beach and saw Japanese troops coming ashore only 30 feet away. The Marines placed a heavy fire on the Japanese as they climbed the steep cliffs and tossed "Molotov Cocktails" down on the landing craft. In the darkness, however, the Japanese succeeded in bypassing many of the Marine positions.
After facing 30-45 minutes of defensive firing the landing craft seemed to abandon their attempts to land and retired to the bay. The firing then subsided. Unknown to Captain Pickup, most of the 1st Battalion, 61st Infantry was ashore in 15 minutes and the barges were returning to Limay. The Japanese sent up a flare to signal a successful landing at 2315. In 30 minutes, Colonel Sato had his men off the beach and moving inland.
Captain Pickup went out to check his platoons, assuming the attack had been repulsed. He then learned that some of the landing craft had made it ashore in the North Point area and Japanese troops were moving inland. At the same time, Beecher sent runners to all of his company commanders alerting them to the landing. As planned, if the enemy penetration was successful, Company A would withdraw and join Company B in a line based on Battery Denver, holding the tail of the island from the Japanese. Before the line could be formed, the Japanese captured Denver at 2350 and were discovered digging in. Colonel Sato had led his 1st Battalion soldiers to Denver Hill almost unnoticed.
V348. CAPT NOEL O. CASTLE, EXPERT TEAM SHOT WITH BOTH RIFLE AND PISTOL, WAS KILLED LEADING THE FIRST COUNTERATTACK ON DENVER HILL. HE IS SHOWN HERE AT THE CAMP PERRY MATCHES IN MARCH 1937, WHEN HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE MARINE CORPS RIFLE TEAM.
This is the URL of Capt. Noel O. Castle from the photo essay about the 4th Marines History in the Corregidor.org web pages:
corregidor.org/USMC/rkv/html/usmc_07_05.htmlHere are 2 paragraphs of the COUNTERATTACK:
Castle dispatched Sergeant Matthew Monk with 15 drivers and cooks to occupy an abandoned beach defense position and secure his left flank. "Do the best you can," he ordered Monk, "Keep the Japanese out of the tunnel." Castle also scouted the reserve stations at critical road junctions, and cautioned the men, "Maintain positions." He then gathered his men for the counter attack to Denver Battery, declaring, "Let's go up there and run the bastards off."
Ferrell warned Castle from leading the attack himself, but the captain replied, "I'm going to take these people up there and shoot those people's eyes out" and led his men to the hill. Castle met the Marines falling back from the Japanese advance, and joined in the battle. At 0140, the Japanese attacked the water tower and ran directly into the reinforced platoon led by Castle. The two forces collided in furious combat, practically "face to face," remembered Corporal Joseph J. Kopacz. The Japanese advance was halted but the Marine attack was bloodily repulsed
V… Here is a picture of the fresh water tank just west of Battery Denver: I assume they are talking about this tank. But perhaps someone will correct me.
Hello Conrad, the above beach pictures, in the previous entry, were shot at low tide. And the boats could have got real close to the shore line. The prevailing NE winds should have almost completely subsided in May and the waters at this shore and all the way around Corregidor would have been calm most of the time. In regards what happen to the wrecks and debris I will enter one more reply soon.