|
Post by victor on Jan 20, 2008 22:03:16 GMT 8
|
|
|
Post by victor on Jan 24, 2008 10:01:12 GMT 8
Thanks okla, just taking advantage of the wonderful world of the internet as a research tool. I wish the web was around when I was in school.
|
|
|
Post by victor on Jan 22, 2008 4:30:44 GMT 8
|
|
|
Post by victor on Jan 11, 2008 19:07:43 GMT 8
I never EVER tire of these stories. Thanks for sharing them. If you remember more, I'm all ears.
I'll post whatever new material I come across with too. Thanks.
|
|
|
Post by victor on Jan 10, 2008 20:38:33 GMT 8
Thanks. Been fascinated with the campaign since I was a kid. Can't explain why. Here is my treasured copy of Bataan, Our Last Ditch. I'm in the process of having as many Bataan vets I meet sign it. Also, this book has quite a bit on the 31st Infantry (click link) Click this link for Baby of Bataan book
|
|
|
Post by victor on Jan 9, 2008 17:57:32 GMT 8
|
|
|
Post by victor on Jan 7, 2008 11:36:19 GMT 8
I just realized that this shot is almost identical to the one that Col. John E Olson (57th Infantry PS adjutant) sent me taken in 1941. I just used some zoom while the camera that took his version didn't. Col. Olson's photo This is Lt. Olson in 1941 Col. Olson is in the top row, fourth from the right. Here he is earlier this year with Major Urbano Quijance, a former NCO in the 57th Infantry.
|
|
|
Post by victor on Jan 7, 2008 11:31:39 GMT 8
|
|
|
Post by victor on Jan 8, 2008 21:29:59 GMT 8
Will do. I would love to explore the Abucay Hacienda area if I find exactly where it is and if it's accessible. A Philippine Scout from the 45th Infantry with the same name as mine was KIA in Abucay Hacienda. I've been trying to research if he was a grand uncle of mine. It will be a while though since it will be at least a year before I visit the PI again. Karl may have a better chance of exploring the area.
|
|
|
Post by victor on Jan 7, 2008 11:25:28 GMT 8
Thank you everyone for the appreciation. I originally wanted to visit Longoskawayan Point because I've never seen anyone's pictures of it anywhere. Karl told me that it's not accessible. Not wanting to have to rent a boat, I realized I had a way more accessible, more photographable historical location I could go instead, Mabatang.
I'd have wanted to walk along the length of the road heading west away from Mabatang to see the adjacent positions that were manned by the 41st Division PA, but we were running out of time. We passed through it coming from the Roman Highway. The area is more pristine with no buildings nor houses. The road also becomes unpaved and may have looked more like the narrow trail to Mt. Natib that it once was.
I also wanted to possibly walk all the way to Calaguiman river but again we didn't have enough time.
As far as the Bataan government is concerned, it so happened that my mother went to high school with the Governor, Enrique Garcia, and is close friends with their family. Later that day, I found myself chatting with the wife of the governor during the Balanga Capitol Christmas party. The wife of the governor apparently is the traditional tourism chairperson of the province. She was very interested in what I went to Mabatang for. I promised to send her material about it. She asked me if there were any markers or memorials there, and pondered it when I said I didn't see any.
She said they're also reviewing options on what can be done about the monument in the town of Layac where Filipino soldiers are depicted in action. The problem with the monument is that the Filipino soldiers are sporting Japanese helmets (talk about faux pas).
They're also soliciting more material to add to the Mt. Samat shrine's museum display. So there is genuine interest by the gov't in keeping the memory alive.
I agree with you wholeheartedly about the people in the PI too busy eking out a living to care about the history. I guess that's where we come in. The farmer who tills the portion of the Mabatang fields I visited now knows what happened there and why he digs up spent cartridges once in a while. Maybe he'll take even better care of the crops to "earn" what his forefathers and fellow countrymen "bought" for him.
-victor
|
|