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Post by batteryboy on Aug 13, 2016 17:45:33 GMT 8
With regards to Manila Bay, all the conquerors of the Philippines (Spaniards, British, US and the Japanese) need to secure this bay area. Why? Its not because of Manila the capital per se, but Manila Bay is the ideal port that can handle both commercial and naval shipping and logistically it was easy to bring in materiel and you can practically supply most of Luzon with Manila Bay as your main embarkation and debarkation area.
Conrad's comment if the defenders had an inkling of how the Japanese would treat their captors is a good one.
more later...
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Post by batteryboy on Aug 12, 2016 22:14:19 GMT 8
Nice pics. Yes VII-F-2 was used to store ammo for the 120mm Type 10. There was another emplacement nearby where they stored it as well.
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Post by batteryboy on Aug 12, 2016 21:45:26 GMT 8
Wainwright had his reason why he surrendered on the 6th. I cant blame him for he was after the welfare of his men and he had his own assessment of the situation. He knew that help would not arrive and he was practically surrounded. If he did decide to fight on he would have lasted another week (or maybe two). He may have had some respite because Japanese supplies and ammo were about to reach as low point. For 27 days after the fall of Bataan, Japanese artillery pumped in 22,469 rounds of artillery shells to Corregidor and the other fortified island. Prior to that they expended around 41,321 rounds during the Bataan campaign so that is a total of 63,790 rounds. Note that they have to truck them all the way from Lingayen to Bataan which was not an easy task.
Hoarding of food was common. The Army and the Navy had their own food stores and men from each service accused each other of having the better rations. Another factor was then then the Fort Mills cold storage plant was damaged, most of the fresh foods had to be consumed immediately. For those who have explored the island you can see several storage depots, subsistence buildings and tunnels that were spread around the island. Other accounts mention that before the surrender (and even in Bataan), other than destroying their equipment the other priority was to consume the remaining food stocks and again, they were still in adequate quantities. Even after the surrender, the late Al McGrew, 60th CA, Corregidor survivor told us that the Japanese even allowed them to walk back and forth from the 92nd Garage (where they were detained) to Malinta to get food crates. (at one point he choose a case of Hershey chocolates over canned tomatoes).
more later...
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Post by batteryboy on Aug 12, 2016 14:02:53 GMT 8
Ok, now that I have some "half shut eye" and reading all the nice postings here, let me just add some thoughts: - On the water issue, there was never really a water shortage on the island. It was when the pumping stations got damaged that water in some parts were hindered but there was no real water shortage. Japanese fire added to the suppression of distribution of water either by transpo or by hand. - Obsolete Weapons, I don't think so because the men on Corregidor fought with the same weapons that was also available in the US. It was only in late 42 when newer armaments started to flow into the front lines. The Japanese also fought with late model armaments (from the beginning and even up to the end of the war. - the actual rations of food and medicine in Corregidor surprisingly were very adequate at the time of surrender. They could have held on much longer actually. - As for beach defense, if some of you have seen the Japanese propaganda documentaries about the capture of Corregidor, wherein it shows the beach and ridge line defenses of the Marines, well surprisingly a good portion of them were intact. As for the 75mms on top of Malinta, yes two were damaged but the one on the shed was still intact and could fire to both north and south. There were 155ms still firing at Stockade and the remaining roving batteries were throwing eggs at the landing barges in Cabcaben. Yes several 75mm were knocked out during the bombardment but there was still a relative number of them intact. I have a copy of the Japanese report on the captured equipment on Corregidor and the other island forts and if I am not mistaken, most of the 75mms were either destroyed by their crews prior to surrender. - On the artillery observation, the Japanese used both balloons and aircraft and even an unconfirmed use of the Kayaba, the Japanese auto gyro aircraft (or heli) that was used to spot USAFFEE positions in both Bataan and Corregidor. Now the CA gunners relied on grid coordinates and base end stations and observation post to rely on the effectiveness of their fire. The advantage of the Japanese was that they had Bataan and their artillery was mobile and with the high ground, they could easily spot targets. - As for the landing of the tanks on the island and not having anti tank guns to deal with them, I don't buy that reason. In reality the presence of the tank was more psychological than tactical. The Japanese late Type 97 even got bogged down and had to rely on captured M3 tanks to pull them out. You don't need AT guns to disable the Chi Ha or even the M3. A close range shot from a 75mm (even using HE rounds) is enough to disable them. - Lt. Lawrence position in the tail that caused a lot of casualties to the invaders is a fine example of a disciplined and well concealed unit. Imagine if there were two more units like him in the invasion site? The Japanese may not have landed on the 6th. ...more later.
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Post by batteryboy on Aug 9, 2016 22:01:08 GMT 8
This is an interesting question and also did ponder on this Although the outcome would have been the surrender, some are pondering why the island succumbed in less than 24 hours after the Japanese landings (which by the way did not go well in the early stages) given that a regiment of Marines together with a mixed bag of Philippine Scouts, Phil Army, Coast Artillery, USN and other men from various service units. On paper, the men defending the beach defense of the island is formidable with a number of land defense stations, field artillery emplacements and various MG emplacements covering possible landing approaches. The field artillery was composed of a number of M1917 75mm (or Brit 75mm), plus the Marines had a number of M1916 37mm guns (not to be confused with the M3 37mm AT Gun) located all around the island. Some of the 75mms were even deployed at the top of Malinta Hill. Plus the defenders also improvised other measures like dropping or rolling shells and explosives that were meant to impede any landing. Before I continue, I need some shut eye. Anybody who want to add to this please do so. Will post some observation tomorrow.
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Post by batteryboy on Jun 19, 2016 20:16:26 GMT 8
Welcome back Fots!
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Post by batteryboy on Jun 8, 2016 12:14:55 GMT 8
Armyjunk is right. The one on display at the North Dock of Corregidor is an army tube. It was part of the seven (7) 8-inch M1888 railway guns that are to be mounted on a modified barbette carriage for the Philippine In Land Sea defense project. Only two were mounted. One at Sasyain Point in Bataan and the other at Corregidor were it became Battery RJ-43.
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Post by batteryboy on May 24, 2016 8:17:27 GMT 8
Great find!! Yes its -IIb alright.
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Post by batteryboy on May 15, 2016 9:08:26 GMT 8
Welcome T2 and keep the photos coming.
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Post by batteryboy on May 14, 2016 15:14:57 GMT 8
Ok good you are able to post the pics. Now the round holes in the concrete with the iron rings are for handling mines. The concrete base you see is part of the mine handling platform. Originally the buildings were constructed for the Army and was later used by the Navy as a torpedo storehouse.
HTH B-boy
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