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Post by cbuehler on Jul 4, 2019 6:36:15 GMT 8
It looks like it must be sweltering. All are wearing undershirts. It must have been pretty trying to be garrisoned for any length of time there.
CB
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Post by cbuehler on Jun 17, 2019 7:03:19 GMT 8
So hard to believe, I would never have recognized that as the road and Kalaklan ridge, which I was fortunate enough drive by with Karl at the helm some years ago. All of this area, as well as the Cabalan zig zag area, have changed so much and seem have no visible trace of what happened there. Karl mentioned the ridge as cemetery, but it struck me as a virtual town in itself today, the cemetery virtually covering the ridge.
CB
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Post by cbuehler on Jun 16, 2019 23:25:24 GMT 8
These photos, especially the last one shown creating a landslide, are quite massive as I mentioned; as if they were purposely prepared. Unless they were initiated by aerial bombs. I have difficulty thinking these were accidently caught on film and the plane which took them was prepared and waiting to photograph the results.
CB
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Post by cbuehler on Jun 13, 2019 1:44:35 GMT 8
A fascinating "what if" scenario. I have to wonder just how definite these plans were. Some of them seem to be wishful thinking, particularly the Air Corps aspect. Be that as it may, Pearl of course changed the picture making it all but impossible. Now even if these reinforcements were in place by December, MacArthur refusing a NG division makes this a less than massive force. I think the battles we now know would have been different in many respects, but the outcome would probably have been the same. The Japanese would have had a tougher time and certainly have had to increase the number of troops etc. to accomplish the job, however, the difference being is that they could be reinforced and resupplied relatively quickly, whereas even a larger USAFFE force would have eventually needed to be resupplied and reinforced in some manner as well. I doubt the Japanese would have given enough time to accomplish this as the forces earmarked for the Philippines would have had to have been correspondingly larger. Certainly they would not have been able withdraw the 48th division in the early days of Bataan, but if they did....
CB
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Post by cbuehler on Jun 13, 2019 0:32:04 GMT 8
Improving NAIA would be nothing short of a miracle! Along with all the other huge infrastructure problems in Metro Manila, this has been a particular problem that perhaps well meaning ( or in some cases not so well meaning...) but so far less than very effective government and private efforts have attempted to address. They keep mentioning a try at transitioning more international traffic to Clark, although a look at what Tokyo did with Narita over Haneda was never quite the success it was intended to be.
CB
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Post by cbuehler on Jun 13, 2019 0:21:23 GMT 8
Damn, wish I were there. Would love to help restore the old 105.
CB
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Post by cbuehler on Jun 13, 2019 0:18:06 GMT 8
Usual outstanding detective work here! All other matter aside, those were some pretty big explosions with an awful lot of earth going up, particularly the second one. Whatever caused them, the explosive was certainly not on the surface. If from aerial bombs, they would have had to penetrate down quite a bit.
CB
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Post by cbuehler on May 22, 2019 23:04:43 GMT 8
Yes, it is changing rapidly and is becoming unrecognizable from what it was a decade or so in some areas. This has not been without cost, as almost nothing of Old Manila remains but for a few tourist areas such as Intramuros. Even that has changed as well.
CB
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Post by cbuehler on May 19, 2019 8:43:25 GMT 8
I have to say that I am now a bit confused. Karl, you mention the bottom of the Pantingan Valley near trail 9. How does this differ from Chad's location, or does it to any great degree?
CB
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Post by cbuehler on May 13, 2019 22:52:23 GMT 8
Outstanding and fascinating work here! The actual site of the massacre is something I had long wondered about. The location is much farther south of the main road than I had ever imagined. Not an easy hike to get there and is trail 29 complete and trackable from the road all the way? There appears to be some cultivated land far in some areas, but the ravine itself would appear to be jungle and possibly unchanged over the years.
CB
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