Battery James

[oozlefinch]

Registrar - I still disagree with you that the RJ-43 tunnel was dug for the 8" gun. The tunnel was far too large for the battery crew of a single gun, even including all of the powder and shells for the gun. The mouth of tunnel is at least 100 yards from the gun, and what, 35-40 feet below the roadway? A 8" shell weights 260lbs. This is not something that is carried by one man, expecially not up a hill.

[Registrar]

I wasn't suggesting that tunnel it as a powder or shell storage for RJ43 at all, so you've misread me on that regard. I was suggesting that there is no obvious place closer to where the gun was situate where one could dig a tunnel and have sufficient protective overburden above it to afford personel protection against a heavy Japanese shell or aerial bomb. That was, IMHO, the problem that was illustrated by the tragedy at JAMES, where a tunnel could be dug nearby but that the tunnel afforded inadequate protection.

[Karl Welteke]

CONSRUCTION OF BATTERY JAMES 1908/09

Recently I voyaged to Corregidor with two Coastal Defense Study Group friends and both gave me a ton of material. They told me I could use it as I see fit. I intend to use some of the material just like I’m preparing this presentation now. But the stuff they gave me is so much, it only can be few tidbits at the time because it takes time and I do have other priorities.

I like to thank Glen Williford and Karl Schmidt for their gracious deed. I am sure those two Gentlemen and other CDSG folks have spent a lot of time and resources to find all that material in the Government treasure boxes.

Since Battery James was in the spotlight lately I chose 9 images of this battery and added it my Battery James album. It is this URL:
s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Corregidor%20by%20subject/Batteries-Coastal%20Artillery/Batt-James%202015-04-12?sort=9&page=1
or
tinyurl.com/oh2a9e2

In the album the images are larger and range from 136 to 447 KB. The original size of the images, Karl Schmidt gave to me, range from 6MB to 16MB. I learned today I cannot upload that large size to my Photobucket account. But I intend to keep them at the original size so if someone is really interested you have to contact me.

Here are the same nine images but in a smaller size:



X416. Date of image is 1908-June 1st. The excavation for the construction of Battery James, Fort Mills on Corregidor Island has begun. No heavy machinery for this job only real sweat is going to get the job done.



X417. Date of image is 1908-July the 4th. The excavation for the construction of Battery James, Fort Mills on Corregidor Island has begun.



X418. Date of image is 1908-09-13. The excavation for the construction of Battery James, Fort Mills on Corregidor Island has begun.



X419. Date of image is 1908-Nov.-1st. The framing for pouring concrete for the construction of Battery James, Fort Mills on Corregidor Island has begun.



X420. Date of image is 1909-01-31. The pouring of concrete for the construction of Battery James, Fort Mills on Corregidor Island seems to be done.



X421. Date of image is 1909-01-31. The pouring of concrete for the construction of Battery James, Fort Mills on Corregidor Island seems to be done.



X422. Date of image is 1909-05-25. The four guns are installed for Battery James, Fort Mills on Corregidor Island, Manila Bay and Subic Bay Harbor Defense Command.



X423. Date of image is 1909-08-21. The four guns are installed for Battery James, Fort Mills on Corregidor Island, Mariveles Bay is in the background.



X424. Date of image is 1909-08-21. The four guns are installed for Battery James. Is that a Government image or was it prepared for someone’s sweetheart. Job is complete!

If you like to review the sizes and number of guns go to this URL:
corregidor.org/chs_battery1/ordnance.htm

Table of Armaments & Coastal Artillery Assignments, FORT MILLS (Seacoast Arty.), Corregidor

[fortman]

Hi Karl,

Many thanks for the fascinating post. I think you should be cloned too!
As a structural engineer I continue to be amazed by the quality of workmanship of the concrete emplacements. The edges and corners are sharply defined and straight, in contrast to the work one sees these days. To think this was all done "by hand", so to speak; no concrete pumping machines, steel formwork etc.

Regards,

Fortman

[Karl Welteke]

MORE BATTERY JAMES INFORMATION FROM KARL SCHMIDT.

Karl sent three more items and I post them here now. He wrote this: “I ran across this in my files, thought you might like to add it to your piece on battery James on the web site, it's called a RCW (report of completed works) they were an official accounting of what was turned over to the coast artillery and its cost. I probably have them for each battery just ask and I'll see what I can find for you.
Karl



X478. A Battery James blueprint for the purpose of reporting completed work, updated to Jan. 1920. I learned that the space I called a utility space was a latrine and other spaces were designated as storerooms.



X479. Battery James Report of Completed Work (RCW), updated to 14th July 1936; it shows all 4 guns in place. I note this because a 1934 RCW had reported two guns were removed temporally. This image is from Karl Schmidt.



X480. Battery James RCW of 1934, it reported that two guns were temporally removed to protect Search Lights No. 2 and 3. This image is from Karl Schmidt and NARA. By 1936 the guns were put back.

[Karl Welteke]

Battery James grown over; cleaned again

In this forum, you can see, we were surprised in April 2015 that Battery James had gotten a real good clean-up-job.




Za091. Battery James Nov. 2015.

Battery James in Nov. 2015 was almost completely grown over again and that is only 5 month later from when we seen it completely cleaned up in April 2015.





Za092. Battery James Aug. 2017.

In Aug. a friend and I visited Corregidor again, when we heard that Battery James is clean again, we decided that my friend should see this fine and historic battery. We are looking over #4 Gun and towards the shores of Bataan.




Za093. Battery James Aug. 2017, looking east.

In Aug. 2017 a friend and I visited Corregidor again, when we heard that Battery James is clean again, we decided that my friend should see this fine and historic battery. We are looking east and along the Bataan North Road.




Za094. Battery James Aug. 2017 with a wreath.

This is the 2nd time that I got aware of, that someone organizes the cleanup of Battery James in the springtime, around March/April. On this visit I learned the person is a descended of 1st Lt. Amadeos Garcia who commanded this battery during the Siege of Corregidor1942.





Za095. Battery James Aug. 2017 with a wreath.

This is the 2nd time that I got aware of, that someone organizes the cleanup of Battery James in the springtime, around March/April. On this visit I learned the person is a descended of 1st Lt. Amadeos Garcia who commanded this battery during the Siege of Corregidor1942. This is a close-up of the wreath; I wonder what B77 stands for or what entity it is?





Za096. Battery James Aug. 2017, looking west.

In Aug. 2017 a friend and I visited Corregidor again, when we heard that Battery James is clean again, we decided that my friend should see this fine and historic battery. We are looking west and along the Bataan North Road.






Za097. Battery James Aug. 2017 with a 2009 Memorial Plaque.

I n 2009 this plaque and stand was created and inaugurated; it seems most of the sponsors are from the Philippine Coast Guard. Perhaps the descendent of 1st Lt. Amadeos Garcia who commanded this battery during the Siege of Corregidor1942 was in the Coast Guard service. On this visit I did not get a good shot of the Plaque.





Za098. Battery James Aug. 2017 with a 2009 battery history plaque.

This is an information plaque of Battery James. I believe it was also created in 2015 but it does not exist anymore today in 2017. It was not a good design that could stand up against the weather. You should be able to zoom-in on this picture to read it. This image was shot in 2015.





Za099. Battery James Aug. 2017 with a 2009 remembrance plaque.

This is a remembrance plaque of Battery James. It was created and inaugurated in 2015. It seems most of the sponsors are from the Philippine Coast Guard. You should be able to zoom-in on this picture to read it. This image was shot in 2015.