Post by Paul Whitman on Mar 10, 2007 8:57:52 GMT 8
In January 2001, Art Napolitano, Hugh Zillman and I were scrounging in a fallen area of Topside, and we found the remains of a parachute canopy, and a number of other items. Also with us on that trip were Maj. Arlis Kline, who commanded the 462nd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion when it jumped on Corregidor as a part of the Rock Force, and Al McGrew, one of the last survivors of Corregidor’s surrender in 1942. Al McGrew had been a long time visitor to Corregidor, had done much scrounging, and his knowledge of the terrain was extensive and encyclopaedic.
We took photos of our diggings.
The canopy had survived because, being used inside Mile Long barracks (probably) as part of the combat aid station, it had been buried under a cement slab when nearby munitions cooked off, causing the evacuation of the immediate area and a partial collapse of the building. The canopy was protected from the ravages of the weather by being entirely covered by a cement pillar. In the same area, we had found tiny pieces of silk canopy, small lengths of parachute risers, and also a crushed canteen.
We arranged to present the main part of the canopy to the 503d PRCT at its upcoming Biloxi Reunion, and arrangements were made for Art Napolitano to fly down from Boston’s Logan Airport for the formal presentation. Unfortunately, for the entire world, the day before Art was to fly, some other fellows (whose names should never be remembered) flew from Boston’s Logan Airport directly into an infamous historical event – “9/11” –and every civilian aircraft in the USA was grounded.
The canopy was then placed privately with Bob Flynn, the Official Historian of the 503d Parachute Regimental Combat Team of World War II Association Inc., and it was resolved that it be passed through to the 2/503 Infantry Division for their Regimental Museum.
Unfortunately, a heresy arose within the 503d Association that the canopy was not genuine. The only reason given was that “a canopy couldn’t survive that time.” In a hole unprotected from the weather, this would be true. But the canopy had not been found in a hole unprotected from the weather.
More unfortunately, this idiocy was subscribed to by a fellow who wielded some influence within the Association. At no point did this dubious fellow, a Pfc on Corregidor, take any steps to make enquiries of Maj. Kline. I have no doubt that Maj. Kline would not have suffered him gladly. Rather than face the truth, this fellow took possession of the canopy upon Bob Flynn’s death, and thereafter, all traces of the large canopy have disappeared.
Being aware of this, I revisited our diggings on Corregidor earlier this year. We had covered them up, and they had not been disturbed. There were pieces of the canopy there still, and I photographed them (again). I also recovered sufficient pieces for a presentation, should we not find the original portionof the canopy.
The fellow, who shall also remain unnamed – so as not to make him any less anonymous than I consider he deserves to remain on this forum, is no longer with us, and the search for the canopy has resumed. So too are attempts being make for arrangements for the presentation of the canopy to the serving units of the 503d Lineage.
We took photos of our diggings.
The canopy had survived because, being used inside Mile Long barracks (probably) as part of the combat aid station, it had been buried under a cement slab when nearby munitions cooked off, causing the evacuation of the immediate area and a partial collapse of the building. The canopy was protected from the ravages of the weather by being entirely covered by a cement pillar. In the same area, we had found tiny pieces of silk canopy, small lengths of parachute risers, and also a crushed canteen.
We arranged to present the main part of the canopy to the 503d PRCT at its upcoming Biloxi Reunion, and arrangements were made for Art Napolitano to fly down from Boston’s Logan Airport for the formal presentation. Unfortunately, for the entire world, the day before Art was to fly, some other fellows (whose names should never be remembered) flew from Boston’s Logan Airport directly into an infamous historical event – “9/11” –and every civilian aircraft in the USA was grounded.
The canopy was then placed privately with Bob Flynn, the Official Historian of the 503d Parachute Regimental Combat Team of World War II Association Inc., and it was resolved that it be passed through to the 2/503 Infantry Division for their Regimental Museum.
Unfortunately, a heresy arose within the 503d Association that the canopy was not genuine. The only reason given was that “a canopy couldn’t survive that time.” In a hole unprotected from the weather, this would be true. But the canopy had not been found in a hole unprotected from the weather.
More unfortunately, this idiocy was subscribed to by a fellow who wielded some influence within the Association. At no point did this dubious fellow, a Pfc on Corregidor, take any steps to make enquiries of Maj. Kline. I have no doubt that Maj. Kline would not have suffered him gladly. Rather than face the truth, this fellow took possession of the canopy upon Bob Flynn’s death, and thereafter, all traces of the large canopy have disappeared.
Being aware of this, I revisited our diggings on Corregidor earlier this year. We had covered them up, and they had not been disturbed. There were pieces of the canopy there still, and I photographed them (again). I also recovered sufficient pieces for a presentation, should we not find the original portionof the canopy.
The fellow, who shall also remain unnamed – so as not to make him any less anonymous than I consider he deserves to remain on this forum, is no longer with us, and the search for the canopy has resumed. So too are attempts being make for arrangements for the presentation of the canopy to the serving units of the 503d Lineage.