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Post by beirutvet on Sept 9, 2014 23:07:19 GMT 8
Hey Fots2
OMG! That is hysterical! And you are correct, unfortunately, how many people will read this drivel and assume it is accurate?
And just where was this "writers" info coming from? I can understand missing a date or fact here and there, but this person would actually have to work hard at coming up with info that is just so far removed from reality. Did you even bother to write and give them a ration of s#$%? Not that I think even the editor really cares if this is a sample of their work.
14 foot guns? Pristine beaches? Kamikaze pilots? I want some of whatever that guy was smoking.
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Post by beirutvet on Sept 7, 2014 3:29:55 GMT 8
Hey Karl
Thanks for the picture, it is great to see. You have it labeled Y26, what does that stand for?
You may like to know that when I did my med cruise in 82, we had one of your sister ships in our amphibious squadron, the USS Hermitage LSD34. In all we had the USS Guam LPH 9, the USS Nashville LPD 13. the Hermitage, and two LSTs the USS Manitowoc LST 1180 and the USS Saginaw LST 1188. Our LSD was of the Thomaston class, do you remember what class the Belle Grove and the Fort Snelling belonged to? The Thomaston was LSD 28 so your Fort Snelling was no doubt a Thomaston class but your Belle Grove was much earlier and couldn't find it's class.
As best that I know, the LPHs were named after Marine Corps WWII island campaigns, the LPDs named after state capitals, the LSDs named after estates of famous Americans, and the LSTs after American indian tribes.
In keeping with the thread topic and I realize that it was a long time ago, but do you remember what the chow was like on the Belle Grove? I do not recall ever having spent time on the Hermitage, so I cannot give an accurate appraisal of the chow served there.
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Post by beirutvet on Sept 5, 2014 1:11:52 GMT 8
hello Karl Welteke
I noticed in your previous post on 7/13 you mentioned being aboard ship in an amphibious squadron, or "Gator Navy" as it was derisively referred to by the majority of the surface fleet community. We Marines, however, LOVED the label of Gator Navy and were proud to be shipmates of a select few ships in the navy with such a specialized mission. We always found our Gator brethren to be not only very professional but always willing to go the extra mile to support us in situations that were not exactly "in the book".
As for the food, now that was different. But as I stated in my previous post, when you are feeding 2700 guys in several different galleys, you can't expect a 5 star experience. It seemed the smaller the vessel the better the food. Can you confirm or refute that assumption?
What ships were you on in 60-64? I would be interested in seeing if any of them were ships I had sailed on as well.
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Post by beirutvet on Sept 4, 2014 23:26:36 GMT 8
Hello again, m225318440
No problem on the timing of your replies, there is no rush here on this site. Besides, it sounds like you had a lot on your plate and those kind of family events take precedence over most anything you can think of.
If you know your grandfathers unit, many people on this site can help you fill in gaps that you have about where he went and what he saw there. There were many different units landing at different places and all had different objectives. Your grandfather may not have recalled many movements his unit made in the course of the campaign and our amateur historians here will be able to give you a good outline of timelines, place and date of landing, progress through Luzon, campaigns and battles fought, etc. Also, do you know what his job was in the Army, was he in artillery, an engineer, infantry? Do you have a listing of his awards/medals? That will also aid in locating his specific area of operation. Those are things all of us will be interested in and we all love hearing about it.
Whenever you get the chance, just get us some basic info and we will be more than happy to assist where we can
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Post by beirutvet on Aug 27, 2014 8:07:44 GMT 8
Hey Phantom
Got any details on that Lechon Cawali you mentioned? I am always up for food that is not good for me. And I had never had anyone so much as MENTION mango shakes or that would have been my drink of choice for lunch, saving the San Migs for dinner,,,,,oh what the hell, a shake before the San Migs at dinner would be OK, too.
You mention staying there for 10 days at a time, do you live in the Philippines? I would love to stay there for an extended period like 10 plus days, but when the trip is only 15-16 days total, it is tough to do most all of it on Corregidor. If it were up to me I would spend it all on The Rock, but family would probably disown us if we did.
I had no idea the monkeys were a problem for the inhabitants. How did they get there in the first place? I would think that the war would have pretty much wiped them out. Were they intentionally imported to the island? And if so, for what purpose? You guys would know that kind of stuff for sure. You have been there in one stretch more days than my 5 days over 2 trips. What a fascinating place that island is!
I wish I had known about this site and you guys BEFORE my last trip there when we spent 4 days there. The whole time I was there it felt like there was so much there just out of my sight and awareness and I would have killed for some guidance from someone to point the way. But I just didn't know who to ask or even what to ask for. LIKE MANGO SHAKES!
Thanks for your time
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Post by beirutvet on Aug 13, 2014 21:59:05 GMT 8
Fots2
Thanks so much for the info on the light and Morrison hill. I did not know that Morrison was the highest point, I always assumed it was where the lighthouse was. Very neat info on the light. So it was on some kind of rail system, I guess the system is long gone.
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Post by beirutvet on Aug 11, 2014 23:53:16 GMT 8
Hello Registrar
Yours is exactly the point I was trying to make. At the time it was seen as a humiliating defeat and highlighted the "hung out to dry" status of the Pacific theater as opposed to European theater. So the administration was anxious to sweep it under the rug as quickly as possible. And even the public, supporting the war as they did back then, wanted to forget the humiliation, so it probably didn't require much spin. Just put it behind us and focus forward was what was probably on every ones mind.
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Post by beirutvet on Aug 11, 2014 11:34:29 GMT 8
Hello m225318440
I am relatively new here as well but I will help where I can.
When are you going and how long will you be there? My first trip was the day tour, not knowing what was there and what I would find. As I am sure you saw when you were there (if it was only the day tour) there is so much more to see than can be seen in just one day. If you are there for just the day, you can't go wrong with the tour. They take you to the major sites and have time to see them and take pictures. But to see the out of the way places, you really need to stay there for several days. It is such a fabulous destination (history aside) that even when you are just casually hiking, it is so peaceful and relaxing there.
How physically fit are you and your father? While you won't exactly be mountain climbing, some of the out of the way places are over uneven terrain. Mix that with tropical heat, high humidity and you've got yourself a tiring day. If your dad is elderly, you will need to take that into consideration. If you and your dad are in good shape, then grab a good pair of hiking boots and long pants and you should be fine.
There are guides on the island who will help you get to some places that are not on the tour. You can ask at the hotel and they will fix you up.
However, you will want to talk specifically to several members on this forum who know the island better than they know their own home town. One that comes to mind is Fots2. You cannot be on this site without seeing his work. I think he is away now but has a great working knowledge and can offer you much assistance, I am sure. BatteryBoy is also someone who I believe can help you. From his posts I THINK that he lives in country, but I cannot confirm that, you will have to ask him. There is phantom, chadhill, weltke, exo, okla,,,,,, I could go on for HOURS citing people on this forum with outstanding knowledge of the Island. Just browse all the posts and you will get to know them all, they are ALL great people who share a common addiction, the island fortress of Corregidor. I have never personally met any one of them, but I already feel like I have known them for years.
You can book your hotel room right on line. I did and everything was smoothed out for me and I encountered no problems. Do not take stock in the reviews from other travelers as to the hotel. They have a monopoly as they are the only hotel there but they do not act like it. Everyone there was always helpful and smiling while performing any task asked of them. It is NOT a luxury hotel. But the rooms are comfortable, better air conditioned than many hotels I have seen overseas and the food is good and plentiful. A helpful hint, do not get the all inclusive package that includes all of your meals at the hotel. That will give you the opportunity to drop down to Mac Arthurs Cafe for a few of your meals. It is right on the water and when there are no tours coming through you can enjoy the peace and quiet. The Cafe and the patio of the restaurant of the hotel are great places to just chill.
Now for the important stuff. All of us here are avid history buffs and thirst for knowledge of the island, ESPECIALLY if it comes from first hand knowledge of the island. So, what can you share with all of us about your grand dad? Was he a veteran of the island, either during its fall or liberation? Or was his theater somewhere else in the Philippines? Do you know the name of his unit? Would you feel comfortable sharing his name and rand with us? Were you able to ever talk with him at length about his service? By your opening paragraph, it seems as though he may have been tight lipped about his time there, as my dad was about his time on Iwo Jima. Anything that you can share with us about your grandfather, I can assure you, will be not only appreciated but absorbed like a sponge. His letters and journals you mentioned are family keepsakes that you should never relinquish but believe me, are worth their weight in gold for the glimpses into the past they will afford.
Looking forward to seeing all you can share.
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Post by beirutvet on Aug 10, 2014 7:21:11 GMT 8
Greetings, Oozlefinch
Good swag on the dirt mounds, and since you were there and saw it so many years ago, I will yield to your more experienced views. Fots2 went right past that hole I mentioned that I saw a the 1:30 mark. Could all those mounds of dirt be from some recent tunneling starting at that hole? Though why someone would want to tunnel right there is beyond me. Perhaps there is another structure close by that they were trying to locate? Can't wait to get there and investigate myself, but if someone beats me to it I would not be upset,,,,,,unless they didn't bother to post and add pictures to share.
Fots2
I liked that shot of searchlite 8's platform and shelter. Tell me, do you know if the shelter was just for personnel or was the light itself on some kind of track system or wheels so it could be hidden and protected when not in use? I would think that something that delicate would need special protection, but I did not see any evidence of a rail system. Like I said, wheels, perhaps? I have only seen close up pictures of this kind of light and it does not look like something that is small enough to just wheel around. But again, I am speaking from confessed ignorance of this subject.
I also LOVED that panoramic shot of Topside taken from the top of Malinta Hill. It really shows a good view of the topography of Middle Side. There seems to be a large hill just past Engineer Dock. Does this hill have a name?
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Post by beirutvet on Aug 7, 2014 0:06:17 GMT 8
For Fots2
OK, never mind, I THINK I see the cause. 'after further review' at about the 1:30 mark I see what looks like they started to tunnel on the right side. You kind of went past it fast and I did not catch it till the second time trough.
Any thoughts on that location? Do you think it was Battle/suicide related,or were they just tunneling on their own? Possibly by the 20 or so Japanese holdouts who were there till Jan. 1, 1945?
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