Post by Karl Welteke on Aug 12, 2010 18:04:10 GMT 8
Friends
The webmaster of ‘corregidor.org’ (PFW) wanted to show Corregidor to a long time friend and associate, (Ivor). I teamed up with them and we visited Corregidor from the 24th to the 26th of July. On Corregidor a 4th Corregidor Friend, John Moffitt, was waiting for us who had preceded us by 2 days.
One specific goal we had was to find the pole that the paratrooper used to raise the US Flag on the 1st day of landing and they did it under fire. We found the stump that is left of it!!! Another thing we wanted to see how bad Corregidor had suffered from the typhoon ’Basyang’ (‘Conson’ international) on about 15th July.
We started in Subic Bay, visited the Hellships Memorial there first and proceeded by car to the bottom of Bataan. A military logistic ship happened to be in port.
Here is the album of the 1st of 2 days (42 images) it will be maybe a week more before I upload the images of the 2nd day:
app.photobucket.com/u/PI-Sailor/a/325d982d-8c13-4f1e-8e68-da241723cc00
Karl
I always try to write a diary of my visits to and activities on Corregidor Island. Here is ‘Day 1’ of this visit. The 2nd day dairy will follow in a week or so:
Corregidor Diary
2010, 24th to 26th Jul. w. AJM, PFW & Ivor
Day One, Saturday the 24th Jul. 2010.
PFW got together with his long time friend from Brisbane so he can show him his Corregidor. We left Olongapo City by car on the 24th, communicated with Mr. Ron Benadero to have the boat at Camaya Point at 1030H. Camaya Pt. is on the bottom of Bataan, by the LPG complex. The boat was ready, paid 1250 peso-one way, the sea state was great, checked into the hotel. We got together with John Moffitt, ate at MacArthur Café and made plans.
Two things we got aware of right away, the Corregidor Inn sustained a lot of rain damage and many of the rooms were not available, they needed repair. Also the day to day management staff at the MacArthur Café changed, (don’t know the reason) but the good available service is still the same and one old employee was still there.
After lunch we had the hotel drop us off at the Spanish flagpole, PFW and Ivor went to see the Battery Wheeler area; John and I went to the Radio 1 area and looked for the flagpole on which the flag was raised on the day of assault. We found it after a while but it only had small pieces of the bottom left. It had been set inside a concrete foundation.
While there we also looked at Radio 1, then we walked along an old road (south of the 3 NCO Barracks/Quarters towards Battery Wheeler and noticed many ex structures which were built off the ground , most likely out of wood and had concrete foundation blocks. All these buildings are not on any map! I’m sure they all were for the NCOs, this whole area must have been the NCO corner.
Our next goal was to find the two emergency fire control stations in front of Battery Wheeler. When we crossed the road to Battery Cheney we seen a couple trees, downed from the recent typhoon, laying over the road. Up to this point coming from the Spanish Flagpole via Radio1 we didn’t see any significant wind damage.
When we entered the bush at the destroyed Battery Wheeler Tunnel entrance the wind damage was severe. We did notice the small emergency exit of the tunnel, the trail to the tunnel cliff entrance was gone, it was not traceable anymore..
After some trial and error we found the two emergency control stations: E’4 and E’’4 both have “Wheeler” indicated on the 1935 map.
After that John and I went to C1 and were astounded by the amount of clearing that has been done around C1 by the CFI folks. It was a most difficult job, even dangerous in front of it because of the steep cliff. The thorny stuff at the rear of it must have been most difficult also. But the view was great although it was not the best weather for it. On the new cleared path walk to C1 there was hardly any wind damage from the last recent typhoon.
John, with help of his GPS, showed me Col. Bunkers retreat tunnel, real fast. Then I looked for the emergency control stations E’’19 (Second Fire) and E’’18 which are at ‘two a clock’ and -three a clock’ of C1 and found them fairly easy. After that we looked at the Battery Boston area and John showed some underground bunkers, now open but which were built with railroad ties or other heavy lumber. We also looked at three of the AA gun positions.
We reunited with PFW and his friend Ivor, they waited for return transportation from the hotel but John and I went to find B’6 after making a pits top at the Lighthouse vender shops, those ladies were working late today.
Passing by BC B’’7 (Way) and G’’3 we found B’6 real fast with John guidance. After that we beat our way to the QM ware houses, went along building #76 (1935 map) and followed the trolley line to Battery Geary until we intercepted the main road coming from topside.
Following the road down all the way to bottom side we noticed some of the recent typhoon damage which CFI had cleared in a hurry to keep the tourist operation going without delay. John and I showed each other some rifleman defense positions we had found over the years. We also looked to find the vent opening to the 1921 map AA gun block and magazine (near the start of the Ramsay Ravine). It is partially destroyed.
We called it a day, got together for a few beers and dinner.
END
The webmaster of ‘corregidor.org’ (PFW) wanted to show Corregidor to a long time friend and associate, (Ivor). I teamed up with them and we visited Corregidor from the 24th to the 26th of July. On Corregidor a 4th Corregidor Friend, John Moffitt, was waiting for us who had preceded us by 2 days.
One specific goal we had was to find the pole that the paratrooper used to raise the US Flag on the 1st day of landing and they did it under fire. We found the stump that is left of it!!! Another thing we wanted to see how bad Corregidor had suffered from the typhoon ’Basyang’ (‘Conson’ international) on about 15th July.
We started in Subic Bay, visited the Hellships Memorial there first and proceeded by car to the bottom of Bataan. A military logistic ship happened to be in port.
Here is the album of the 1st of 2 days (42 images) it will be maybe a week more before I upload the images of the 2nd day:
app.photobucket.com/u/PI-Sailor/a/325d982d-8c13-4f1e-8e68-da241723cc00
Karl
I always try to write a diary of my visits to and activities on Corregidor Island. Here is ‘Day 1’ of this visit. The 2nd day dairy will follow in a week or so:
Corregidor Diary
2010, 24th to 26th Jul. w. AJM, PFW & Ivor
Day One, Saturday the 24th Jul. 2010.
PFW got together with his long time friend from Brisbane so he can show him his Corregidor. We left Olongapo City by car on the 24th, communicated with Mr. Ron Benadero to have the boat at Camaya Point at 1030H. Camaya Pt. is on the bottom of Bataan, by the LPG complex. The boat was ready, paid 1250 peso-one way, the sea state was great, checked into the hotel. We got together with John Moffitt, ate at MacArthur Café and made plans.
Two things we got aware of right away, the Corregidor Inn sustained a lot of rain damage and many of the rooms were not available, they needed repair. Also the day to day management staff at the MacArthur Café changed, (don’t know the reason) but the good available service is still the same and one old employee was still there.
After lunch we had the hotel drop us off at the Spanish flagpole, PFW and Ivor went to see the Battery Wheeler area; John and I went to the Radio 1 area and looked for the flagpole on which the flag was raised on the day of assault. We found it after a while but it only had small pieces of the bottom left. It had been set inside a concrete foundation.
While there we also looked at Radio 1, then we walked along an old road (south of the 3 NCO Barracks/Quarters towards Battery Wheeler and noticed many ex structures which were built off the ground , most likely out of wood and had concrete foundation blocks. All these buildings are not on any map! I’m sure they all were for the NCOs, this whole area must have been the NCO corner.
Our next goal was to find the two emergency fire control stations in front of Battery Wheeler. When we crossed the road to Battery Cheney we seen a couple trees, downed from the recent typhoon, laying over the road. Up to this point coming from the Spanish Flagpole via Radio1 we didn’t see any significant wind damage.
When we entered the bush at the destroyed Battery Wheeler Tunnel entrance the wind damage was severe. We did notice the small emergency exit of the tunnel, the trail to the tunnel cliff entrance was gone, it was not traceable anymore..
After some trial and error we found the two emergency control stations: E’4 and E’’4 both have “Wheeler” indicated on the 1935 map.
After that John and I went to C1 and were astounded by the amount of clearing that has been done around C1 by the CFI folks. It was a most difficult job, even dangerous in front of it because of the steep cliff. The thorny stuff at the rear of it must have been most difficult also. But the view was great although it was not the best weather for it. On the new cleared path walk to C1 there was hardly any wind damage from the last recent typhoon.
John, with help of his GPS, showed me Col. Bunkers retreat tunnel, real fast. Then I looked for the emergency control stations E’’19 (Second Fire) and E’’18 which are at ‘two a clock’ and -three a clock’ of C1 and found them fairly easy. After that we looked at the Battery Boston area and John showed some underground bunkers, now open but which were built with railroad ties or other heavy lumber. We also looked at three of the AA gun positions.
We reunited with PFW and his friend Ivor, they waited for return transportation from the hotel but John and I went to find B’6 after making a pits top at the Lighthouse vender shops, those ladies were working late today.
Passing by BC B’’7 (Way) and G’’3 we found B’6 real fast with John guidance. After that we beat our way to the QM ware houses, went along building #76 (1935 map) and followed the trolley line to Battery Geary until we intercepted the main road coming from topside.
Following the road down all the way to bottom side we noticed some of the recent typhoon damage which CFI had cleared in a hurry to keep the tourist operation going without delay. John and I showed each other some rifleman defense positions we had found over the years. We also looked to find the vent opening to the 1921 map AA gun block and magazine (near the start of the Ramsay Ravine). It is partially destroyed.
We called it a day, got together for a few beers and dinner.
END