Here is a little report of two trips I made to Corregidor for a total of 11 days on the island. There were two main reasons for the trips plus I had time to wander around on my own. Since Karl is AWOL for a few more months,
there have not been many recent photos from Corregidor. Here is an update for everyone.
The first trip was to assist the Coast Defense Study Group in finding a few remote locations they wanted to visit. The group consisted of mostly Americans plus others from the UK, Poland and Switzerland. With the Philippine contingent, batteryboy, his son and myself, the group numbered about 30 people. They were a great group with similar interests to everyone on these forums and it appeared that everyone had an enjoyable trip.
The second trip was to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the 503d PRCT airborne assault onto Corregidor. This was the start to retaking the island from the Japanese on February 16th, 1945. What made the trip memorable was the presence of the last remaining paratrooper who jumped on Corregidor that day. Dick Adams at 98 years old was a pleasure to meet again. By the way, he still smokes cigars and drinks Red Horse beer! He was accompanied by his daughter Alyson who is retired from the USAF. I even had a brief chat with one of our forum members, Will Walker who was making his first visit to the island.
It was a pleasure to meet Peter Parsons again. Anyone familiar with Philippine WWII history is well aware of Chick Parsons, Peter is his son. Peter himself who was a boy in Manila at the start of the war has amazing stories of his own. You can read all the books you want but how many opportunities remain where you can hear first-hand accounts of battles and wartime memories such as this.
EXO and three other Corregidor friends, John Byrne, Harald Klose and Mike Ross rounded out the group.
Satellite view of Corregidor Island
Most of the CDSG group at Battery Hearn
CDSG at Battery Cheney gun #2
Alyson Adams, Dick Adams and Peter Parsons arrive on Corregidor from Manila
Dick Adams and Peter Parsons
At the Corregidor Museum is a photo of General MacArthur driving by some soldiers when he visited the island on March, 1945. Dick is looking at himself in that photo.
Dick and Alyson Adams on Topside, February 16th, 2020
Dick Adams, 503d paratrooper
Dick Adams in front of the 503d memorial at the Topside Parade Ground
Peter Parsons with Dick and Alyson Adams
EXO (Paul Whitman) and Alyson Adams unfurl the US 48 star flag as jump time approaches 75 years ago
503d Parachute Regimental Combat Team
Here are some photos from the rest of my days on Corregidor this month
Battery Morrison 6” gun #2
Inside a disappearing gun mount
Inside a disappearing gun mount
Destroyed battery control station
Underground magazine two stories below the surface
Near the top of the first stairs is a “T” intersection. Turn left or right to take another stairs up to the surface.
Sunlight straight ahead
Typical fire control station
The only round emergency observation station on Corregidor. This one was for East/West mine control.
Note the powder cans filled with rocks and soil to create a defensive position at the entrance to an underground magazine
The entrance to the Battery Morrison Plotting Room
Inside the room looking out
Battery Chicago “Range Secondary” position
“C-60th, 1941” etched in concrete at Battery Chicago
In some disappearing gun mounts the counter-weights still remain. When the gun fired, the counter-weights were pulled up (and locked) by the recoil of the gun as it returned to the loading position. When loading was complete, the weights were dropped which raised the gun into its firing position above the parapet.
Shrapnel from a Bataan originated artillery shell created this pattern in the concrete roof
Corregidor has quite a few underground structures such as this.
Speaking of things underground, I have counted over 50 tunnels remaining from small to large. Here is a sample of some smaller ones.
The Pacific War Memorial on Topside
Fort Mills Administration Building
Late last year Corregidor got most of it’s roads asphalted or concreted. Here we are passing Middleside Barracks.
Topside asphalt
Bottomside concrete
This is MacArthur’s Lodge where many of us eat, shoot the breeze and stay in rooms at the back. It is a bit run down these days but there are plans to renovate it later this year.
Jing Jing’s food keeps up going.
The Corregidor Inn is in view as you walk down from Middleside
For those staying at the Inn there is one last hill to climb at the end of the day
Corregidor Inn lobby area
Inn’s restaurant
Second floor hallway to guest rooms
Tranvia buses are gathering to pick-up today’s day tour visitors at the North Dock.
Visitors are serenaded as they arrive on the island
Groups often come to Corregidor
The Navy delegates get a Philippine Navy escort
The North Dock area with Malinta Point in the distance
Engineer Dock
The 8” railway gun that was installed at Battery RJ43. Sea salt is starting to take its toll.
Lorcha Dock
Corregidor has more monkeys now than I have ever seen in my 24 years of visiting the island
Big daddy watching over his group (and me)
Black Beach, the location of the 1945 amphibious landing.
Another view of Black Beach
Since sunrise photos require one to get out of bed, these are the first and probably last ones you will ever see from me. They were taken in the Bottomside South Dock area.
A zoomed view of Corregidor’s tail including East Point, Razor Island and Hooker Point.
Malinta Hill to the left, Caballo Island (Fort Hughes) to the right
Black Beach after sunrise
It’s time to head back home. I hope you enjoyed the tour.