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Post by victor on Jul 20, 2016 3:23:44 GMT 8
Thanks. I've been researching this for a while... I made note of all these references I'd encounter over the years.
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Post by victor on Jul 19, 2016 21:54:59 GMT 8
oralhistory.rutgers.edu/military-history/30-interviewees/interview-html-text/668-calderone-thomas-g
---excerpt--- SR: How long were you in the defense line before you started getting attacked?
TC: Oh, man, we was there about ten days, and then we went to (Abu cay Hacienda?), we had an engagement with them, and the only thing that saved us was the M-1 rifle. We had good firepower.
EC: Can you describe your first combat experience?
TC: Frightening, man, frightening.
EC: Did you see them? Did you actually get to see the enemy?
TC: No, I heard them when they made their Banzai charge. They scream like banshees, that will scare the hell out of you, but, you stiffen up because, "I got to do it." You know, nobody leaves the line, you got to do it, you stay there and fire away as you can, and the firepower is what prevented them to come in. You know, you take five guys with an M1 rifle, they got good fire. They could hold down a Japanese
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Post by victor on Jul 19, 2016 21:53:45 GMT 8
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Post by victor on Jul 19, 2016 21:52:36 GMT 8
From the book, "Undefeated"
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Post by victor on Jul 19, 2016 21:52:06 GMT 8
(interview with Maj. Richard Gordon)
www.historynet.com/world-war-ii-interview-with-major-richard-m-gordon-bataan-death-march-survivor.htm
---excerpt--- MH: How were you taken prisoner?
Gordon: General Lough gave us the word of our unit's surrender. After hearing this, we camped in combat positions on Mount Bataan, known at the time as Signal Hill. A small group of us went farther up the mountain, in an effort to avoid surrender. Several days passed with no sign of the enemy. Hungry and in need of provisions, Corporal Elmer Parks (of Oklahoma) and I volunteered to drive down the hill to our last position in search of supplies. Elmer was driving and I was riding shotgun in a Dodge pickup truck. We gathered up a number of Garand M1 rifles at our former position, left behind by the Japanese, who did not want to use them. Loading the rifles aboard the truck, we decided to go a little farther down the road to where other units had been. Driving down the mountain road, we came upon a huge Philippine banyan tree, so large it served as a road divider. As we approached the tree, a lone Japanese soldier holding a rifle stepped out from behind it. Elmer stopped the truck, and we stared at one another, wondering what to do next. The thought of attempting to run occurred to both of us, as did the thought of picking up one of the newly acquired Garand M1s. But neither of us did a thing, other than stare at the Japanese soldier. Finally, he motioned to us to get out of the truck. At that moment 10 or 15 more Japanese came out from the brush lining the road. They surely had us in their sights all the time and probably would have enjoyed shooting us more than capturing us and adding to their burden
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Post by victor on Jul 19, 2016 21:51:50 GMT 8
From the book “Odyssey of a Philippine Scout” – by Arthur Kendal Whitehead (26th Cavalry)
--Excerpt--
As the weather cooled, woolen shirts replaced the khaki worn during the hot season. Otherwise the uniform remained the same year around; khaki breeches, boots, and campaign hat, which was exchanged for a steel helmet in the field. The Scout wore an ammunition belt with suspenders, on which were attached his first aid packet, a pouch holding two pistol clips of .45 ammunition. The rifle ammunition pouches on his belt were filled with eight-round clips for the M-1 rifle. Rifle ammunition was ball, except for one clip of armor-piercing and one of tracer. The gas mask hung on his left side.
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Post by victor on Jul 19, 2016 21:51:16 GMT 8
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Post by victor on Jul 19, 2016 21:50:02 GMT 8
“Baby of Bataan” Memoir of a 14 Year Old Soldier in WWII By Joseph Quitman Johnson (31st Infantry)
Chapter 7 – Recruit Training Page 85
…Other days we would do the same routine with the .45 automatic pistols. We learned about the hand grenade. Eventually each squad was given a Garand M-1 rifle. As a heavy weapons company, we did not carry rifles, but we learned how to take one apart and reassemble it and how to use it. All in all, our platoon was shaping up quickly and doing well. It was obvious that Sergeant Metcalf was now taking pride in his platoon.
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Post by victor on Jul 19, 2016 21:49:31 GMT 8
"Corregidor" The American Alamo of WW2 By Eric Morris
Pages 270-271 (Abucay Hacienda battle)
…
Garleb rolled into a deserted foxhole, and a man with a Garand followed. The young soldier, who was shaking with fear, threw the rifle at him. “I can’t stand it anymore!” he cried. “My buddies are dead!” He begged Garleb to shoot him through the hand. Garleb felt disgusted and revolted; he wanted to shoot him through the head.
Just at that moment Garleb heard a noice behind him and the fire of a heavier-caliber weapon. Garleb grabbed the Garand, turned to the back of the foxhole, clipped off the safety catch, and curled his finger around the trigger. In close country such as this the Garand was an ideal weapon; it didn’t have the bolt action of the Springfield but instead could be pumped like a submachine gun… <omitted text>
The bushes parted and out stepped two American officers and a Philippine Scout. The latter wore a canvas vest that had pockets bulging with drums of ammunition; in his hand he carried a .45 caliber Thompson.
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Post by victor on Jul 19, 2016 21:48:38 GMT 8
“Racing the Sunrise” The Reinforcement of America’s Pacific Outposts 1941-1942 Glen M. WillifordThis excerpt talks about how MacArthur requested garands for the Philippine Army but was turned down. There was not enough to go around even for the US Army. The US Army combat units get priority for any new garand shipments. Again, it says that the regular US Army combat units were issued M1’s.
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