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Post by Steve Foster on Dec 16, 2008 17:25:48 GMT 8
Is Zig Zag Pass in the upper right quadrant of this map?
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Post by Karl Welteke on Dec 16, 2008 19:30:10 GMT 8
No Steve, you are showing the new Subic Express Way (built about 1999-a new way in and out of the former Naval Base); it is south of the Zig Zag battle area. Here is an image that gives you a bigger picture as to where what is: Here is a close up of the Zig Zag battle area: Here is my observation of the area: I was there many times but one only walks where there are trails. Walking off the path, any other area, just would be no fun. So, I never saw a cave or anything that resembles a fortification. It is given that not one ounce of metal from the weapons is left about. On top of the hill, the area is now covered by a large Olongapo City Village called New Cabalan. Even before 1963 the Japanese have built a peace monument up there because I had noticed it then. It is a dove on a curved column; you may have noticed it yourself. An old Negrito who I have walked with several times (he lives there now) said “The whole length of the main road of new Cabalan was nothing but reinforced defense positions and it pretty much runs the full length on top of the ridge”. He was a kid then in the late 1940s when he seen it.
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Post by fots2 on Dec 17, 2008 13:07:18 GMT 8
For those who are not familiar with Zig Zag Pass, here is some text. A quick search on the net will give you plenty more to read.
By January, 1945, the Japanese had all but abandoned Subic Bay. The U.S. Fifth Air Force had dropped 175 tons of bombs on Grande Island evoking only light fire from the skeleton Japanese force manning the anti-aircraft guns. The commander of Japanese forces in the Philippines, General Tomoyoku Yamashita, had withdrawn his forces into defensive mountain positions and ordered Colonel Sanenbou Nagayoshi to block Highway 7 near Subic Bay. Colonel Nagayoshi deployed the majority of his troops - 2,750 - along Zig Zag Pass, 3 miles from Olongapo. They honeycombed every hill and knoll with a labyrinth of 200 caves linked by tunnels. They dug trenches and constructed over-70 log and dirt pillboxes. All the defenses were well camouflaged by thick jungle foliage.
U.S. troops moved east along Route 7, planning to cross the base of Bataan to meet elements of the U.S. Army's 'XIV Corps moving west on the same road. On the morning of January 31, 1945, the Americans began climbing the jungled hills of Zig Zag Pass and into a veritable hornet's nest of Japanese.
In the first 3 days at Zig Zag Pass the U.S. 152nd had more casualties than during 78 days of combat in Leyte. General Henry L. C. Jones was relieved and the command given to General Roy W. Easley who used P-47s for air support. The planes began an intensive strafing and bombing program and dropped napalm on the Japanese positions.
After 15 days of fighting the enemy positions were finally overrun. The Japanese had succeeded in their mission to slow the American advance but the price had been heavy. More than 2,400 Japanese had been killed and 25 taken prisoner. American losses were over 1,400 killed.
Source: SUBIC BAY From Magellan to Mt. Pinatubo; by: Gerald R. Anderson; pp. 62-75
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Post by fots2 on Dec 18, 2008 9:26:12 GMT 8
US casualty figures seem high in that article. Here are figures from another source.
Casualties and losses
US 338 killed, 688 wounded
Japanese 2,400 killed, 75 wounded, 25 prisoners
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2009 20:55:26 GMT 8
I will confirm Karls photo of the area. I did a lot of traveling around the subic area and flew over the area in the Nam era. I was last in the area in the late 1990's when they were constructing the new highway. For old vets the freeway starts about where the old trap and skeet range was in subic on the way to Cubi Point this was in the Nam era in that valley and goes up to Angeles. The Zig Zag highway you went out from the main gate at Subic out a few miles past the statue of Chief Olongapo and then to the right past Papagayos resturant. Side note the river outside the main gate at subic was called nuts River in the Nam Era. When I was there in the late 90's it had been cleaned up. Nam era you got drunk and fell in the river. You were put under medical observation and given a complete set of shots.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2010 3:49:09 GMT 8
The Peace Monument was not built in 1963, but in the late 1980's. My father is the first Aeta to settle in Zigzag Pass which is now known as New Cabalan. Through out the years there were many people asking my father about the Japanese Caves, which there were alot, but my father denied it. My father saw plenty of bones still in uniform and belongings but my father patched up the caves and buried the stuff. I remember during the rainy season skulls would rise to the suface along with old bullets.
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Post by fots2 on Apr 26, 2010 18:13:10 GMT 8
That is an interesting story datu81.
Why would your father deny what he saw, close caves and bury what he found there?
Do you know of anyone who lives there who is willing to show people what remains of that WWII battle?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2010 0:56:24 GMT 8
To FOTS2: My father denied what he found because a lot of treasure hunters would always knock on our door asking if there were any tunnels on our land, but only after during the late 1980's, looking for caves. Us negritos we never cared about the Japanese, everytime my father would find a Japanese skull he would crush it with a shovel, because we believed it releases bad spirits and more because for invading our sacred land. I remember in the late 80's we would find old Japanese ammo and dig a hole in the dirt about 3 feet deep and but the ammo in the hole and burn it. the loud blast would scare the local Philippine Police. If you are familiar with the area, there is a police station 50 yrds east from the peace monument. Here's a little story about New Cabalan: New Cabalan was given to the Negritos from the city of Olongapo City for them to settle there. So when my father heard that, he was the first there to get land in 1958, then there was nothing but thick jungle. To get his part of his land he would place crosses around the land as a fence like so that the other negritos would know that its taken. I am unsure of anyone who lives in the area that could tell you about the WWII battle, because now it is 70% of filipinos who bought land from the original aetas who settled there. So the 30% are still the aetas there. Were you in the service? Are you familiar with JEST at Cubi Point?
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Post by fots2 on Apr 27, 2010 13:24:08 GMT 8
Hi datu81,
I can understand your father not wanting treasure hunters wandering around his property.
I think it would be very rare indeed if anyone living there today knew anything about the battle. Half the people in my area are not even sure where Corregidor is. I was hoping someone knew where existing caves or defenses were and would not mind showing me around to take photos. I am not a collector. Photos only.
Since I am not the type to trespass on private land, unfortunately I will have to pass on exploring the Pass.
I was not in the military. The JEST camp is up the hill behind the airport but I have only driven by it once. That is one tour I would really like to take one day. I did see a short demonstration of someone making fire and cooking/eating utensils from only bamboo at Ocean Adventure. Impressive what he can do with only a bolo.
Salamat po for your comments. Interesting story and perspective there.
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Post by The Phantom on Apr 28, 2010 6:11:00 GMT 8
Sounds like your father did folks a service filling in the caves datu. Old booby traps, live ammo probably still in those caves, people always looking for the old brass to sell. To many stories already about people still bringing in live ammo to junk shops only to have it blow up and kill or maim someone, to get the value of the brass.
I have been in and out of some Japanese caves along the roads above Cebu back in 1974.
Nothing much to see there. Just a cave going in on the downward side of a curve and coming out on the topside of the curve. I saw 4 or 5 of those back then in about a mile of road.
Never saw anything like that on Corregidor but still see some foxholes and bunkers on several turns in the roads all over Corregidor.
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