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Post by rickthelibrarian on Aug 4, 2011 21:12:44 GMT 8
Although I'm registered on this forum - I have a long-standing interest in Bataan, Corregidor and the Philippines - I haven't checked in some time and have been very interested in the topics on USAAF aircraft in the Philippines. I wrote several articles on this subject back in the late-1980s. My most ambitious project was "And Then There Were None", an article in the October, 1987 Airpower Magazine. The most rewarding part of the research was getting a chance to write to, talk with and occasionally meet several pilots and groundcrew, who, nearly all of whom are now sadly gone. There has certainly been considerably more research since I published my article. I would really like to hook up with Batteryboy!!! ;D Here's the cover of that magazine and the first page or two. I also collected several hundred photographs of USAAF aircraft and facilities, mostly before the war:
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Post by okla on Aug 4, 2011 21:35:47 GMT 8
Hey Rick....You evidently have a treasure trove of material on this neglected period of pre-war history. I have always wondered just how much photographic record of Clark Field, etc might still be out there. Maybe in the hands of folks back in the states who received it from relatives/friends who were stationed in the PI with the USAAF and sent this type info back home prior to Dec 8, 1941. I guess the only mail/etc going out after the early days went by submarine, when and if one made the dash into Corregidor for a quick stop before heading for the open ocean again. Cheers.
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Post by rickthelibrarian on Aug 4, 2011 22:17:15 GMT 8
Are you the same "Okla" on Victor's forum of the Philippine Scouts?
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Post by okla on Aug 4, 2011 23:59:01 GMT 8
Hey Rick. Yes, I am the same old geezer who also frequents Vic's great website. I can never get enough of the Bataan/Corregidor saga. I gotta say that you have given me and other "geeks" plenty to "gnaw" on over the past years. I always enjoy your material. Cheers.
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Post by dmether on Aug 5, 2011 19:09:45 GMT 8
Here are two B-18s, which according to the caption on back "Bombers attacking Battalion of infantry troops during a road march, P.I. 24 July 1941" You can see a helmeted head below the bomber on the left. Attachments:
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Post by dmether on Aug 5, 2011 19:13:41 GMT 8
And some P-35s Attachments:
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Post by batteryboy on Aug 5, 2011 19:18:56 GMT 8
Hi Rick,
Welcome to the forums. Lots of interesting stuff here about the PI
Regards, Tony aka batteryboy
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Post by okla on Aug 5, 2011 20:38:41 GMT 8
Hey Dmether....I remember, sometime in the distant past, viewing the photo of the two B-18s, in a real "el cheapo" publication, being labeled/depicted as "two Japanese bombers strafing Filipino/American troops on Bataan road". Now, can you imagine anybody publishing something like that and actually getting away with it? Your photo is definitely the exact, same one that I viewed years ago. It caught my eye at that time and it caught my eye again with you post. Thanks for putting the true info on this photograph. Cheers. Postscript....The date that you said appearing on the reverse side of the photo is my 9th birthday, ironically.
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Post by dmether on Aug 6, 2011 9:28:28 GMT 8
Okla, it must have been a local publication. I have a Philippine history book that has a picture labeled "American troops raising the flag on Corregidor" that is actually two Japanese troops taking the American flag down.
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Post by okla on Aug 6, 2011 23:31:50 GMT 8
Hey Dmether....The list goes on. I dug up another ancient publication from my junk, titled "Fall of the Philippines" by Ward Rutherford, It is one of series of Softback booklets, by Ballantine's Illustrated History of the Violent Century. This little publication has the photo of the B-18s that we have already discussed, but this time the aircraft are incorrectly labeled as American bombers attacking Japanese troops in the Lingayen area. Of course, we know the pic is from maneuvers/exercises prior to the outbreak of hostilities. Another photo dipicts a B-25 attacking Japanese landing craft in Lingayen. No B-25s were used in repelling any Japanese landings to my knowledge. Seems that I have read that late in the campaign, maybe, a few B-25s (flown up from down south NEI or Australia) staged out of Del Monte for some type of mission to disrupt Japanese operations in the Visayans. I may be hallucinating on this latter point. My main point here is to show that some of these publications will use any photo in attempts to convey what their text is saying. I just wish that the shots they choose to use were a bit more authetic,etc. Always enjoy your contributions. Cheers.
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