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Post by The Phantom on Nov 6, 2009 4:39:05 GMT 8
The "Fall Of The Philippines" is an excellent source of information. I would recommend it to all as Class A , the best there is.
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Post by The Phantom on Nov 6, 2009 5:49:16 GMT 8
Bunker's War.........
Wednesday, 1 April 1942
$417.50 on hand.
The Japs seem to be worried about something or other. Big fires are raging in Batangas down towards Nasugbu, and other big fires are burning towards Tagaytay ridge. Maybe just burning off the rice paddies?(or the sugar cane fields?) At 2:40 a few planes flew over and our AA fired only a few shots. No hits, no runs, no errors."
"The South shore road is pretty torn up by bombs from end to end."
(Still gone in many places today)
"Many bombs have landed near upper end of James Ravine, but Mine Casement is undamaged."
(This is located where?)
"We still have no post power at Wheeler and Cheney and no water also. The engineers and the H.D. refuse the concrete baffle wall to protect our C1 tunnel mouth so I am toying with the idea of moving a torn concrete block from Wheeler, but doubt Capt. McCarthy's ability to handle this job."
"Four Destroyers left Subic today, Japanese of course, headed South. Full moon tonight, beautiful under other circumstances, but what an aid to bombing!"
"Took my spit bath after sundown and then loafed around C1 for awhile then returned to my dugout."
Thursday, 2 April 1942
Awoke at 4:00 am so I went down to C1 and relieved Capt. Cooper of the rest of his watch.
Brewed a batch of fine Maxwell House coffee and shared it with Capt. Gerlich and the enlisted men in the station. When Capt. Davis relieved me, tardily, after 7:00 am, I got a needed shave, then breakfast. Drove to G3 and inspected. Camouflage a bit better. A bomb has finally hit Cottrell's quarters in center. then drove down to Batteries Geary and Crockett. Didn't see Chaplain. Told our band leader Mr. Wirship, to get busy and work up some music or singing amongst the men."
(I'm sorry, but Mr Wirship?)
"Air raid alarm at 9:15 am, the japs dropped a big stick of bombs, said to be at Kindley Field. Said a bomb hit General Moore's outdoor quarters."
Near MacArthur's old outdoor Quarters?)
" Soon General Moore arrived at C1 and waited for the all clear. We talked of this and that and adjoined to my dugout porch, where we discussed citations for Fort Frank and promotions for Schette and Dawe and incidentally, myself. He promised to speak to Wainwright, but there is some skullduggery somewhere. Evidently Moore incensed MacArthur about Marquat"s B.G. and Mac is taking it out........"
"The Engineers are trucking water to our tunnel today, so our concrete work should go on with reasonable speed. Our water situation is getting critical. Not for lack of water but for lack of power to pump the water!"
" We have been at war now for 4 months, as far as we can see, no effort has been made to help us. From the first, knowing the Naval War College solution to the Philippine problem, I have secretly felt that we were slated to play the part of another Alamo. However if anyone can help us it's MacArthur. It is disturbing however to read that our President has appointed a board of nations to control the strategy of the Pacific war effort--- Why hamper MacArthur? He once told Roosevelt," If you once lose the Philippines, you'll never get them back." Now lets see what he will do! This blockage is throttling us! '
"This afternoon we received word there were few Japs in Ternate, they were moved to Antimonan. So the Japs are moving Artillery to Antimonan ? The other night Edison and I agreed that Antimonan is the logical landing spot for any relief expedition for us.
(Antimonan is south of Manila near Lucena. It's one of the beaches the Japanese landed on, near the main highway to Manila from the south.)
Some Navy officer is taking odds of 5 to 1 that relief will appear before April 5th. I'd like about $500 to $2500 of that easy money!"
Took a jaunt to C1 at 10:30 and then turned in."
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Post by okla on Nov 6, 2009 6:59:18 GMT 8
Hey Phantom....There's that ingrained, anti-Navy bias trying to surface once again. Can't help but wonder what the good Colonel would have thought had he lived to see all three branches of the armed forces unified under one Secretary of Defense.
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Post by The Phantom on Nov 14, 2009 5:20:52 GMT 8
Easter Sunday, 5 April
"Usual morning routine, fried mush and salty bacon for breakfast."
"Our Air Force in Australia seems more concerned about attacking the Japs in India, for the benefit of the Sprinting Englishmen, then in paving the way to helping us."
We'll all be "sold down the river."
"Cut off from the land that bore us, Betrayed by the land we find, The brightest have gone before us, The dullest are left behind. Cho: So stand to your glasses steady, They are all you have left to prize. Here's a cup to the dead already; Hurrah for the next man who dies."
"Sentimental but holding a grain of truth at that. The worst of it is we Are being betrayed, "by the land that bore us."
"Went to C1 in the evening but all was in order."
Monday, 6 April 1942
P1.50 for shoe repair
" This morning I went over to see how Major Crawford is coming along with splinter proofing Battery Grubbs and found the place crawling with 60th men, machine gunners, radiomen, 3rd BN HQ men and some of our personnel section. They had the rotary converter running, a lavendera was using an electric iron and they were importing an electric refrigerator! A happy country home for the 60th chiselers who had evidently not heard there was a war on! There standby radio set was running full blast. Ascertained from Col. Kohn that they didn't need the power for M1 and so I had Edison phone an order to shut down the Rotary converter."
( Rotary Converter? M1?)
"Spent some time in our tunnel early this morning, supervising the activities there. It is a mess, the way the "termites" have flocked in. Gen Moore came down for a few minutes this morning. I gave orders to start celotex linings: kitchen water supply, electricity, etc.--also the installation of Baffle walls to stop shell fragments."
( celotex?)
"About sunset I went to our tunnel again to look over the situation and found Rutherford had placed the "channel iron" baffle too far in on the left, and had omitted the second one. One pannel of celotex done on ceiling of C1."
"Hawes supervised scratching out a trough for the base plates of the first baffle wall. Sgt. Harper, when Hawes told him to get some cement hidden, replied, "I'm on duty tonight", in a sullen tone, and I proceeded to stand him up and pin his ears back in "OLD ARMY STYLE!" "Edison, Edmonds, Rutherford and I chinned for awhile, all of us stripped to the waist. Then I climbed the stairs to C1, and then repaired to my dugout."
( climbed the stairs from the tunnel to C1?)
"Called Healey of the Navy censor office about the snapshot which I sent in my last letter to Landon (of the ruins of the Officers Club) and he assured me the letter went out on the Sub and that the photo slipped through, though against Navy censorship regulations." "Worked until 11:00 pm tonight and then read, "DEATH VALLEY". "Elmes shipped to Brooke the oats he wanted, I hope he gets them."
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Post by The Phantom on Nov 24, 2009 5:07:09 GMT 8
Tuesday, April 7th
"Overslept today, didn't get up until 8:00. After breakfast I went to R.S.O. ( Somebody stole 6 bbl of gas from him!) They say that a "real" dive bomber attacked Fort Frank this morning, dropped 2 bombs and both hit the Fort, but probably did no damage. To my dugout for a sadly needed shave."
"At about 3:30 two Japanese bombers dropped eggs on Frank which fired furiously at them. The bombs missed, so did Fort Frank!"
"It would seem that things are not going to good in the center of our Bataan line. The last 2 days of our official bulletin admit that the enemy has gained ground.
We received orders today to give up 53 beds and mattresses to the Bataan Hospital. I hope this doesn't mean excessive men injured in battle. It may be to the increased maleria rate over there.
This means 53 of our men will sleep on the ground, as we have not enough now to go around, since we have already been mulcted to care for the outsiders who flocked in here from Manila!"
"Tonight I learned a sub is coming in so I dashed off a letter to Landon and had Welch take it down to Capt. Hoeffel at the Navy Tunnel. She is due in here at 9:30 pm and it is 9:05, the air alarm has just sounded! Probably the Japs know she is coming in---their spy service is wonderful. But I hope nothing happens to her. Maybe she is bringing in Quinine, of which we have a shortage."
" Engineers have finished pouring the floor of our tunnel and we sure are glad to get rid of them. My first channel-iron baffle is OK but, even with 3 officers watching they still managed to botch the second baffle! Rutherford sure is useless and so is McCarthy! He "still" hasn't got a muffler installed on our generator!"
"The engineers finally got the post power through to Battery Wheeler and Cheney today but I'm sure the first Japanese bomb will put it out of commission again. But it is a comfort to have it on."
"Went to C1 to look for our sub but didn't see it, Big fire, on one of Lubang islands."
Wednesday, 8 April 1942
"Up at 7:00, shaved, breakfast at R.S.O.. Air raid when I got to tunnel at 10:00am. Another at 11:30 but no bombs. Japs opened on Frank at 1:25pm. Bombs dropped on Mariveles simultaneously. They bombed Mariveles again at 3:15.'
"It appears that our Philippine army Bataan have crumpled and run. Letting the japs penetrate our center and roll up our right.
At about 6:00 pm Stubbs gave us request of corps to put down fire from Hearn on East coast of Bataan from Paudau River to Limay on 4 points, 2 shots per hour on each. We delivered first shot in 15 minutes and kept it up until ordered to stop. They first stopped us on Limay and we began to hope for better things. Our fire kept up most of the night. About 34 shots each from Hearn and Smith.'
Our sub came in and departed successfully."
Later, 18 of our pursuit planes were supposed to arrive tonight but luckily they didn't come, because tonight the Japs overran our Bataan Air field!"
" The Japs are dropping leaflets in Bataan: " Your U.S. Convoy is due in the Philippines on April 15th but you won't be alive to see it Ha Ha!"
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Post by fots2 on Nov 24, 2009 20:48:26 GMT 8
Here is something for you guys to think about. The more I read Phantom’s transcripts of Col. Bunker’s book, the more I believe that the tunnel we call “C1” or ‘Bunker’s Bunker” is not the correct tunnel referred to in the book. Here are some comments by Bunker about his tunnel: SATURDAY 14 FEB. 1942 THIS MORNING AT 6:50 THE ENGINEERS BLASTED THROUGH OUR TUNNEL ADDITION TO THE OPEN AIR. WE WERE GREATLY PLEASED. TWO DULL BOOMS AND THEN TWO SHARP CRACKS AS THE EXPLOSIONS CAME THROUGH, JUST AT ENTRANCE TO OUR HOMEMADE TUNNEL NEAREST C1." “our homemade tunnel nearest C1”…he had other tunnels? The new second entrance to his primary tunnel is near his other tunnel nearest C1?THURSDAY, 26 FEB 1942 "BAWLED OUT OUR CREW, WORKING ON THE SMALL TUNNEL, FOR LOUD FILTHY LANGUAGE. IT'S EXCESSIVE USE IS NAUSEATING-EVEN TO A NON-PURITAN". “WORKING ON THE SMALL TUNNEL”…so there was at least one more Bunker tunnel.
FRIDAY, 27 FEB. "AFTER BREAKFAST VISITED OUR C1 TUNNEL. THE CREW EXPECTS TO BREAK THROUGH IN 4 MORE BLASTS. "to break through in 4 more blasts"...this is not the tunnel that he mentioned on 14 Feb break through. How many tunnels did this guy have?SUNDAY 1 MAR 1942 "THIS MORNING WITH AN EXTRA BLAST, THE "MINERS" FINALLY BROKE SURFACE BELOW MY DUGOUT, WITH THE OTHER END OF OUR MAIN TUNNEL.” “broke surface below my dugout”… was his dugout actually the small tunnel above the west tunnel entrance? It is located down from the top of the ridge but above what we call the C1 Tunnel “other” or western entrance. FRIDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 1942 “ARTY ENGINEERS GANG OF GUGUS ( FILIPINO SOLDIERS) ARE TRENCHING A 75pr CABLE FROM MANHOLE 43 TO NORTH ADDITION OF TUNNEL” “to north addition of tunnel”…how does this comment fit into what we know as the C1 tunnel. It doesn’t fit anything in that tunnel we see today.“ANOTHER GANG, FROM ENGRS. ARE RUNNING 3 HEAVY POWER LEADS FROM WHEELER TRANSFORMERS THROUGH WOODS TO SAME PLACE”. “same place” which is the “north addition of tunnel.” Still doesn’t fit.TUESDAY, 17 MAR 1942 “PROGRESS ON OUR TUNNELS HAS SLOWED DOWN. THEY ARE NOW LAGGING THE TOPS AND SIDES OF OUR 4 LATERALS.”… so Bunker’s tunnel laterals were definitely lined. Note his use of the word tunnel(s)…plural."THE "NOVELTY SIDING" WHICH I HAD BATTERED DOWN OVER THE 2" CRACKS BETWEEN THE SIDING PLANKS LOOKS WELL.”… his tunnel was lined.TUESDAY, 7 APRIL “ENGINEERS HAVE FINISHED POURING THE FLOOR OF OUR TUNNEL AND WE SURE ARE GLAD TO GET RID OF THEM.”… the floor was concrete.Having read the above description of Bunker’s tunnel, go back to page #1 of this thread and view the tunnel photos I posted. Note that it is very rough on all sides. The few laterals it has are irregular and of different lengths. It is a very crude unfinished tunnel and appears to never have been anything more than that. So where is the concrete roof, walls and floor that the C1 Tunnel had. Bunker says this existed in his tunnel. Nobody steals concrete!!! Objects yes, metal yes, but not concrete. There is no concrete rubble inside. The only piece of concrete in the whole tunnel is at the western entrance. It is large, broken and in a vertical position now. It may have been for protection above the entrance at one time but I don’t know for sure. Here is one other possibility for this tunnel even though this idea is based only on one old Battery Boston sketch. This unfinished tunnel was used for Battery Boston’s kitchen at least for awhile and it never was the C1 Tunnel. What gives this possibility some credibility is that the entrance is drawn on the sketch in EXACTLY the same position as the tunnel we call C1. I walked extensively in this area last month and know that the tunnel and road agrees with the sketch. From Topside, Crockett Trail passes across the hillside just below Battery Boston. The tunnel entrance is below the Crockett Trail which sharply loops around and also passes under the entrance heading further down the ravine. The tunnel is very close to the upper most loop in Crocket Trail as the sketch shows. Note the battery Boston sketch: Is the long tunnel on the sketch wrong or is the real C1 Tunnel elsewhere and now buried in the immediate area? Perhaps the existing tunnel is just another one of Bunker’s tunnels. In conclusion, why do you call this tunnel “C1”? Is this an assumption since it is in the area you expect it to be in and today no other tunnel is visible here? What proof exists to support your view?
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Post by The Phantom on Nov 25, 2009 6:41:00 GMT 8
Good stuff Fots.
I also don't believe we have found Bunkers C1 Tunnel he talks about all the time in his diary.
The one you picture has none of what he describes inside, or outside.
I have tried to come to grips what what I've read and what I've see, but I have only visited C1 one time, and physically I was burned out that day, not even being able to crawl into C1, much less explore the immediate area.
Where was his Dugout?
I wonder what's under that tangle of brush, thorny vines and trees immediately behind and on top of C1?
Your theories and drawings are getting us closer to the true location of C1 Tunnel me thinks...........and identifying tunnels in the area.
Great work Fots.
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Post by okla on Nov 25, 2009 7:51:47 GMT 8
Hey Fots....You the man. It's in your DNA to solve, this, another "rock" riddle. I have all the confidence on the planet that you will prevail. Go Fots.
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Post by mapmaster on Nov 25, 2009 10:27:04 GMT 8
Hi Guys I don't disagree with the latest discussion on the C1G1 Tunnel and the possibility of other tunnels in the same area. I have noticed there are inconsistencies with a lot of what has been written about Corregidor. I agree that Bunker' Corregidor raises some questions as to the tunnel he refers too, particularly the state of construction. The newly posted sketch (of Battery Boston) also points to there being another tunnel in the same area as Bunker's. Even Bunker seems to be making reference to another tunnel. His comments also give rise to the notion that the tunnel most referenced was concrete lined. However, let's just look at the sketch. It has a north point and a number of key structures marked - Battery Wheeler, Ordnance Stores, Railway, road intersections and C1G1. Perhaps we should rotate the sketch to true north at the top of the page and then look at fine tuning to the alignment with other structures. A lot of the features now align a bit better with the same area on the 1936 Corregidor Map. Roads, Battery Wheeler, sheds and importantly the line through B11/11 and B11/12 above C1G1. The kitchen building now looks like it is in a far more accessible area than where it would have been half way down the ravine and if near the present entrance of the tunnel under B11/11. The only thing that doesn't align very closely is the bend in Crockett Trail; the Zig Zag bends are further along the Trail than in the sketch. However, the sketch appears to have been drawn by someone with good knowledge of the area. In summary: - sketch with Kitchen Tunnel looks reasonably accurate;
- what was the Tunnel we call C1? It is unlined, while Bunker states his was lined
- what was the purpose of the Wheeler Tunnel? It is marked on all pre-1942 maps as unfinished. It has survived in a damaged but finish condition
- and was there another tunnel that was Bunker's quarters? Especially as nothing he has written fits with what's on the ground today.
Regards mapmaster
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Post by fots2 on Nov 25, 2009 14:16:41 GMT 8
Hi mapmaster, I agree that generally this sketch seems accurate but it definitely has errors. A big one is where you show the red circle on your map, there is a roughly 90 degree bend in the road where the sketch shows a straight road. I used this sketch while exploring the ridge and Battery Boston area. If it a little confusing to follow but I did find many things on the ground that it shows as existing. Remnants of the kitchen building are still there and I would say that it is within your red circle. The only tunnel we know of and the one on the sketch are just before the sharp bend in Crockett Trail. I think this terrain feature (the sharp bend) is important. It would be easy to misplace the location of a tunnel on straight piece of road (or the length of a straight piece of road) but showing it between two levels of the road at a sharp bend is likely to be quite accurate. Would you have any idea where manhole #43 was? You have good questions mapmaster. What was the existing tunnel and where is C1 tunnel? Wheeler tunnel has 3 or 4 storage rooms plus a circular sloped passageway between the two levels with what appears to be multiple platforms for bunks. I have never heard of any official use for this tunnel or who built it. Another good question. Okla, chances of finding another tunnel in this area are very slim but greater than zero.
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