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Post by fortman on Nov 14, 2011 22:40:32 GMT 8
darthdract, This must surely be a Spanish gun. Most probably an early breech-loader, but I could be wrong there. Looks quite similar to Gibraltar's "100 ton gun". fortman
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Post by fortman on Oct 30, 2011 13:50:56 GMT 8
xray,
Apart from Alibris you can also try Abebooks on the Net. Another book that you should try and get is The Fall of the Philippines, by Louis Morton. I think it is still in print. This is part of the official history of the US Army in WW2.
Fortman
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Post by fortman on Oct 29, 2011 22:56:40 GMT 8
Hi All,
Something that has intrigued me about the fixed batteries of the Manila Bay forts is that Forts Hughes, Frank and Drum have 14 inch guns while the biggest caliber on Corregidor is 12 inch. Why is this? Surely there was enough real estate on Corregidor to accommodate the bigger guns? I can only think that when Fort Mills was under construction only 12 inchers were available "off the shelf" while the 14 inch guns were still being proved. Any views on this?
Fortman
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Post by fortman on Oct 23, 2011 19:44:08 GMT 8
Karl, Many thanks for the fascinating photos. You and Fots are doing a great service to us stay-at-homes. Fortman
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Post by fortman on Oct 4, 2011 0:44:34 GMT 8
I second EXO's motion. Good show Fots. Thanks too to Dan for starting this interesting thread.
Fortman
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Post by fortman on Sept 25, 2011 22:27:19 GMT 8
Fots,
Many thanks for the quick response. This historical detective work is a very interesting business.
fortman
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Post by fortman on Sept 25, 2011 18:12:50 GMT 8
Fots2,
It would be interesting to mark the location of the "goal posts" photographed earlier by you on the photo of Malinta Hill sent by Dan.
Regards
fortman
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Post by fortman on Sept 25, 2011 18:07:53 GMT 8
Hi Batteryboy,
While trawling the web I came across a letter written by Col. Ray T. Elsmore to Col. Kurtz, pilot of the famous "Swoose". It deals with operations from Del Monte Field 1941-42. In the letter he mentions the hazardous flights by Capt. Bradford in his Bellanca to Corregidor:
Medical and other supplies brought in by these bombers from Australia for Corregidor and Bataan had to be flown in. A Waco, a Bellanca and a Duck; all old unarmed 'crates' were all we could scrape together for the task. Courageous fighter pilots, who had been at Bataan and therefore knew how desperately their beleaguered comrades needed quinine, flew those old single-engined airplanes through Japanese infested skies, trip after trip, into Bataan. While other fighter pilots made an occasional trip, it was Captain William R. Bradford and Captain Hervey H. Whitfield,(now Majors and in the United States), who flew the great majority of these missions. Then Bataan fell. Hundreds were dying on Corregidor for want of quinine. The Bellanca was all that was left. A one-way trip had to be made, as the field on Corregidor was to small for take-off even if a crash landing could be averted. We had about fifteen fighter pilots from Bataan, so lots were drawn for this last trip. Captain Bradford drew 'the number', and while not definitely known, it was believed by all present that he planned and arranged his lot. The quinine got in, but the plane was demolished. Captain Bradford, apparently doomed to Corregidor, was sent out on the Catalina Flying boat mentioned above, General Wainwright so rewarding him for his outstanding valor in making this flight.
Regards
fortman
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Post by fortman on Sept 22, 2011 1:06:01 GMT 8
batteryboy is surely right - that must be the explosion. Amazing photo.
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Post by fortman on Sept 20, 2011 22:47:47 GMT 8
Hi Fots2,
Many thanks! I would never have identified Ramsay in that condition.
fortman
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