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Post by cbuehler on Oct 29, 2012 6:26:22 GMT 8
The major towns all had garrisons, just as the rest of the Philippines. At the time of the liberation when the 38th Div. pushed up the peninsula, most of the Japanese forces had retreated to the fortified line along the Zig zag road which connects northern Bataan to Olongapo, but that is another story. It is a fact that many of the Japanese garrison troops were often not first line combat troops and indeed many of them were replaced with conscripted Koreans. It may be hard for some on this forum to accept, but Sherwino's grandfather is not the only one that had no problems with the Japanese during the occupation. One of my specialties is the study of the Philippines during the Japanese occupation. It is a subject that is starting to become more open as time goes by, but without opening a can of worms here, suffice to say it was not quite what the popular post war conception of it usually portrays.
CB
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Post by cbuehler on Oct 29, 2012 6:11:47 GMT 8
Hi Karl! This is an outstanding contribution. You are doing all my work for me! These are the kinds of activities I so love to undertake when I am in PI. I have of course been to the Samat area a number of times before but never had the time to explore in depth as you have done here. There is much more to see and be done than I had thought. I too was never aware of that memorial gate with the helmet on top. About 10 years ago I was fortunate to go with family friends into the hills above Orion about a mile or so behind Samat. The location was said to be a field hospital and we did indeed find some pottery shards, a US Army spoon and a spent .45 caliber bullet, so something was indeed in that location which I now unfortunately no longer remember how to get to. On my last trip to PI in January (when I was on Fort Drum and Carabao island as you recall) I also explored the area Mt. Mataba/Pacawagan area in San Mateo. I am alway puzzled as to the complete absence of any evidence of war in landscape of these battlefields. I would expect to see at least some evidence of shell hole or something, but nothing is to be noticed, at least without minute inspection. There may be a chance for me to come back again this coming February and I certainly hope to finally meet up with you!
Conrad Buehler
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Post by cbuehler on Mar 16, 2012 8:08:36 GMT 8
One other thing! The blast radius marks are at a different angle to that of the hole. Note the lifted up ridge or lip that would indicate the trajectory closer to Ternate.
Conrad
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Post by cbuehler on Mar 16, 2012 8:05:58 GMT 8
Salamat Pare. Well, the blast radius, pointing to the north east as it does, causes a problem here to my aging mind. The angle from Sapang or Maragondon does not match. The blast radius should point to the north west if eminating from these areas I would think. Could the Japanese heavy 240 have moved south of this area for awhile?
Conrad
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Post by cbuehler on Mar 16, 2012 7:40:59 GMT 8
These items were brought back by Lt. Thomas R. Marshall, G Co. 503 PRCT. He was from Clarence Center NY, just next to my old home town of Amherst. My brother obtained these for me, but I was not able to aquire his A2 flight jacket with the 503 patch. The pocket rank patch is the most interesting one I have and appears to be a design similar to designs seen on the vertical stabilizers of Japanese Army aircraft. It is plastic covered and very unusual. Same for the map pouch. It has a field expedient belt attachment made from Japanese cords as found on their parachute equipment! I dont know just where he obtained these, but it was said to be PI. Conrad Conr Attachments:
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Post by cbuehler on Mar 16, 2012 6:57:46 GMT 8
Hi Darthdract, The uniform he is wearing is typical of course for the Span Am war period. The shirt is actually dark blue. The Krag Carbine and those buckskin gloves were only used by mounted men, eg., the Cavalry, Field Artillery or perhaps by drivers/wagoneers of the Quartermaster Dept. I cant quite make out what he is wearing on the right of his ammo belt, but it might be a revolver or perhaps some kind of tool?
Conrad
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Post by cbuehler on Mar 16, 2012 1:45:48 GMT 8
Judging from what batterboy (Pareng Tony) has said, it would appear to be from a 240. The angle of the blast radius points to the north east, so the shot (or shots) could only have originated well south of the Ternate area and close to the coast off of Limbones island facing the southern point of Carabao Island. Does anyone have more info on the locations of the Japanese Artillery prior to the move to Bataan? I am aware that they were scattered and frequently moved.
Conrad
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Post by cbuehler on Mar 14, 2012 6:02:29 GMT 8
Hi okla, There is no penetration, but a mighty big and deep gouge! It is the biggest one on the top by far and I wonder if some of it was the base or mounting of something that became enlarged by an artillery or air strike?
Conrad
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Post by cbuehler on Mar 14, 2012 2:11:55 GMT 8
More of the same. C Attachments:
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Post by cbuehler on Mar 14, 2012 2:10:21 GMT 8
This massive damage appears to have been caused by very large projectile or aerial bomb and is just behind the blown off casemate top of Btry. McCrea. I almost looks to have been enlarged at sometime subsequently? Note the splash marks eminating only from one side. Although everyone who has been on Fort Drum has seen it, I have not been able to determine more about it. Conrad Attachments:
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