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Post by batteryboy on May 26, 2009 7:25:55 GMT 8
Guys, Here is a photo of Battery West. The gun block is located in the front area of Battery Cheney and would have covered the western part of the island. In early 2000, we found the gun block: There were two 155mm guns that could cover the area, the other gun was on an earth emplacement with a berm (also found the place but hard to photograph) although the gun on the cement block was the only one designated as Battery West. It does not have name on the Corregidor maps, only a marker that mentioned " gun block". Cheers,
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Post by fots2 on May 26, 2009 14:12:20 GMT 8
Good photos, another location for my 'to do' list. Damn, seems like I will have to keep going back to Corregidor for years now.
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Post by batteryboy on May 26, 2009 15:03:45 GMT 8
Oh yes, for sure you will be coming back. Have been going back and forth for the last 12 years and still I find something new.
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Post by Karl Welteke on Apr 19, 2015 14:42:31 GMT 8
BATTERY WEST AGAIN 2015-04-10 Battery West was a pedestal type gun block for the 155mm gun; it was created in Fort Mills. The panama mount gun block was deemed more practical and more efficient and was adopted as a standard by the CA. This may be the lone copy of this design. It is located on the cliff in front of Battery Cheney. On our first day visiting Corregidor Karl from CDSG wanted to visit Battery West. We drove as far as possible down the Battery Cheney Road, the road was blocked by fallen trees for vehicles. We continued walking, Glen had the goal to take pictures inside the Battery Cheney and I guided Karl to Battery West. Battery West has been visited by me many times and I established an album for it: tinyurl.com/mts2wjaHere are 3 small sample images: X280. This is the same shot only 3 years later than a shot in the album (compare) and I cleaned it up a little. This is Battery West, on ex Fort Mills, Corregidor Island in 2015-04-10. X281. Where is Battery West, on ex Fort Mills, Corregidor Island; here is the answer! X282. We made it to Battery West, ex Fort Mills on Corregidor Island, it is cleared for picture taking and taking a rest. IT IS HOT IN APRIL!
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Post by oozlefinch on Apr 26, 2015 11:13:01 GMT 8
While not identical to Battery West, there were at least 2 other 155 battery positions that were not Panama Mounts, those being Battery Monja and Battery Martin. Can anyone think of any others?
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Post by fortman on Apr 29, 2015 18:12:53 GMT 8
According to the Osprey book "American Defenses of Corregidor and Manila Bay" by Terrance C McGovern and Mark Berhow the 155mm guns were emplaced as follows:
Battery Martin: 2 guns on gun blocks Battery Hamilton South: 3 guns PM Battery Kysor North: 2 guns PM and FM Battery Rock Point: 2 guns PM and FM Battery Sunset: 4 guns PM Battery Stockade: 2 guns FM Battery Monja: 2 guns Casemated (this is clearly wrong; only one gun in the casemate. A Life Magazine photo shows the second gun as a field mount. Battery Conception: 3 guns PM Battery Levagood: 3 guns PM Battery Ordnance Point: 4 guns on PM and FM
PM = Panama mount FM = field mount
Since there is an error regarding Monja there may be other errors too.
How about it Battery Boy?
fortman
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Post by batteryboy on Apr 30, 2015 0:23:53 GMT 8
Here is what I have on top of my head:
Battery Kysor - 2 PMs and one gun on limber by April 12, 1942 Levagood - 2 PMs (not 3)
Will get back to you on the others when I look into my notes.
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Post by batteryboy on Apr 30, 2015 0:40:05 GMT 8
While not identical to Battery West, there were at least 2 other 155 battery positions that were not Panama Mounts, those being Battery Monja and Battery Martin. Can anyone think of any others? Battery West was actually a two gun position. One is the cement gun block (as shown) and the other is an earth berm for a 155mm GPF. Its in the 1936 map if you look closely. In James Ravine, while we were exploring the old land defense positions, Ron Binadero found a tunnel (concrete lined) that was big enough to house a 155mm GPF, while not as identical as the casemate of Monja but it was plausible. We called it "Monja's Evil Twin" It was constructed after 36 as it never showed in the COE map (IIRC). On the same area, was another earth berm similar in size as the one near Battery West that can fit another 155mm GPF. I still cant find any records or reports if they were used (most probably not)
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Post by fots2 on Apr 30, 2015 8:04:14 GMT 8
oozlefinch, fortman and batteryboy,
I have an old US Army Corps of Engineers document showing one Panama Mount for Battery North which was later renamed to Kysor. Can you guys tell me where the information came from that this battery had two gun positions with Panama Mounts. The CDSG website says two Panama Mounts but I asked one of them and they did not know where that information came from.
Thanks.
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Post by batteryboy on Apr 30, 2015 12:05:41 GMT 8
Hi Fots and distinguished gents, let me get back to you on this later with the details of Kysor and the other 155mm batteries when I am home. Just travelling.
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