Thanks for the replies gents.
tiyoalan, I have the surrender photos at the east and west entrance but they really don’t match in my opinion. Note photos #1 (west entrance) and #2 (east entrance).
Yes okla, not much really matches Malinta tunnel that I can see. The trace of the tracks running under the GI may or may not be tracks.
batteryboy, at first glance I agree this might be the east entrance from the outside view only. It appears that they are exiting at an angle to the left of centre. However, note attached photos #2 (1942 surrender) and #3 (1945 MacArthur’s visit). Left of centre is blocked by the high barrier so the actual enter/exit path is straight down the centre line. There is no ‘ante room’ on the tunnel maps at this location. The interior view does not match Malinta Tunnel.
Photo #1
Photo #2
Photo #3
Photo #4 (lightened original photo)
I am still not sold on it being Malinta Tunnel for the following reasons:
(1) Neither of the east and west entrances of Malinta Tunnel are angled like that, they are straight out.
(2) There should be dual train tracks coming straight out the entrance as batteryboy’s photo shows. One track (or possibly two) may be visible but it is
parallel to the two rectangular interior entrances and not exiting outside where the men are walking.
(3) I say interior entrances for two reasons. First, I can’t imagine the military painting black rectangular areas on tunnel walls. In fact I have seen the very opposite in some tunnels in that they were painted white. I assume this is to increase visibility with subdued lighting. Secondly, when I lighten up that part of the photo it looks like equal height and width doorways to me. Between the doors is a large concrete pillar. (photo #4)
(4) Malinta Tunnel laterals are domed, not rectangular as we see here. Look at
www.pbase.com/fots2/malinta for lots of tunnel photos.
(5) Malinta Tunnel laterals are not this close to the outside, especially from the eastern entrance. From each end, you walk in a ways before coming to the first right side lateral.
(6) If you followed the link to military.com, you would know the man standing to the left of MacArthur is the subject of the original post. He was a private assigned to the 60th Coast Artillery, Battery C. Before Corregidor was under serious attack (since MacArthur was still there), why would a private be hanging around Malinta Tunnel instead of being in his assigned areas? Perhaps this location is elsewhere on Corregidor.
If you ignore the photo’s label for a moment, what would tell you this is a tunnel? All I see is loose rocks, sandbags, wood and concrete. No tunnel that I know of on Corregidor has the interior angled that way when you look into the entrance.
They may be walking away from a building. It may be a large magazine etc with a protected entrance. There are similarities in the photo to magazines with multiple rectangular entrances built near hillsides. These do exist on Corregidor. The track may be part of a rail line (or lines) in front of the doors. Many large magazines have such rail lines in front of them.
Off hand I do not know where the photo was taken so that is why I am asking. If you think this is Malinta Tunnel, please reply to the points above.
The jury is out, lets not give up.