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Post by fots2 on Oct 24, 2013 16:02:52 GMT 8
Chad, good collection there.
I realize it was a long time ago but I was wondering, does your 1986 memory of the south system (expecially the semi-collapsed section), look the same as what you see in my photos? I have seen a sketch or two that shows perhaps more of the tunnel could have been explored years ago.
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Post by okla on Oct 24, 2013 23:39:01 GMT 8
Hey Chad...Methinks, another SWAG might be in order here regarding that spring gizmo. Could that be from an Iron GI cot??? Seems to resemble those that were on my upper bunk during Basic Training at Lackland AFB, way back in March/April 1951. On the other hand, if Torpedoes were stored in this area, the spring probably was part of some storing/moving mechanism, when sheer brute strength wasn't employed. As I said, it was just another SWAG. Cheers.
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Post by wwalker on Oct 25, 2013 9:54:47 GMT 8
Fots2,
What a fantastic treat your presentation on the Malinta Tunnel is! Thank you very much for sharing your hard work and allowing people across the globe to take a visual tour. Your maps of the tunnel system are the most complete I have ever seen and I especially enjoyed looking at the photos of the navy tunnels. Great work!!!
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Post by The Phantom on Nov 30, 2013 6:25:15 GMT 8
Did we ever find these? From Eric Morris' book "CORREGIDOR THE END OF THE LINE"
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Post by The Phantom on Nov 30, 2013 6:53:39 GMT 8
Historical coverage in pictures and detail of Malinta Tunnel Fots, reporting, and detail, we have all come to expect from you, but never the less still been impressed by.
Did we ever find these hidden tunnels inside the Malinta Hill tunnel complex Fots? I went though all references to Malinta Tunnel in a few of my books and found the information we talked about in the past. But no clear directions to follow.
From Eric Morris' book "CORREGIDOR THE END OF THE LINE" (Epilogue, page 478) After the surrender in 1942 the Japanese led..............
"Sergeant Bigalow was drafted to work with the Japanese Engineers detail. Their officers had a complete set of finely detailed and scaled plans of the laterals that led from the main Malinta Tunnel. Under the officers direction, Bigalow paced off steps into a particular lateral and marked a point on the rock wall. He was given a pick and shovel, and within a few minutes had pulled away what proved to be a thin crust of rough cement to reveal a complete new lateral.
This process was repeated at a number of other places in the tunnel complex.
These secret laterals were packed full with materials, foodstuffs, even canned water. There was a field hospital complete with stores and tentage, together with large quantities of medical supplies, including quinine and morphine.
Bigalow and other marines, including Cpl. Bill Finken and Sgt. Bill Griffins, and private John McCann, worked in the chain gang the Japanese then formed to move this and other war booty to the south dock. There, three small freighters were loaded by the prisoners, and the ships sailed across the bay to Manila Harbor."
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Post by fots2 on Nov 30, 2013 13:58:16 GMT 8
Now that is text that can certainly get ones imagination into full gear. I have read it before however nothing of what I have seen in the laterals today gives me any indication that it is true. That does not mean that it isn't true though. Unlined tunnel can be ignored as any section without a solid rock wall or deviating in any way from the blueprint would be very obvious. The text mentioned concrete lined laterals and what is behind parts of those is anybody’s guess. Since the laterals were blasted and not drilled, the actual rock passageway is very rough. You can see that in many of my photos of damaged concrete lined laterals. In some places the rock touches the concrete lining and in most others, it does not. (i.e. walking down a lateral while tapping the wall and listening for a hollow sounding spot is a waste of time). The only unexplained mini laterals that I am aware of are the two that can be seen in the hospital. They are visible today because the concrete lining has been destroyed there. Both of these mini laterals are shown on a drawing that I posted so they are not really any secret. I have not really noticed patches in the concrete lining which may or may not have any significance. If you know of any pocket-sized concrete penetrating radar on sale for around $10 then let me know please. I would be nice to know if any of the guys mentioned in Morris’ book are still alive. To confirm this story and get some details would an interesting thing to do.
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Post by fortman on Nov 30, 2013 17:20:31 GMT 8
I want to add my thanks to those above. Great work Fots.
fortman
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Post by The Phantom on Dec 2, 2013 8:41:52 GMT 8
If we had the drawings from the engineers who constructed these hidden tunnels/laterals........were they labeled hospital supplies, food supplies on the maps the Japanese had but not on anything on the U.S. copies? Or the laterals didn't exist ON MAPS, but those who set them up weren't authorized to talk. I would think if I was one of those starving in those dank tunnels, or in need of the so called stored medical supplies, some word might have slipped out.
The Japanese got their copies supposedly from stores in the Mariveles area. If you were setting these up before everybody got onto the island, say 1940, early 1941, and the many people squeezed into the tunnel complex,(for secrecy sake),I would think they would be in laterals not open to the pubic, like Mac Arthur's headquarters lateral, or the hospital with 3 tier stacks of beds against the walls. Maybe behind the gas and oil storage area.
You're right fots, it would be nice to be able to contact one of those men mentioned in the Morris book.............maybe some laterals WERE MISSED........
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Post by fots2 on Dec 4, 2013 8:18:38 GMT 8
This is definitely another little Corregidor mystery that we can add to the list. Okla and I could have a great time with this one in those dark and damp laterals.
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Post by The Phantom on Dec 4, 2013 8:30:37 GMT 8
Have I been calling the author of 'CORREGIDOR THE END OF THE LINE" MORTON? Sorry it's Eric Morris, old age and referencing to many books for the above information confused me. Or was it the BLASTING PINK FLOYD and 12 YR OLD SCOTCH, BUCHANAN'S, TALKING?
At any rate, more info from the book about where the information of the "ghost" tunnels comes from.
Morris interviewed 40 different veteran's personally. Here is more information about those who had a hand in the tunnels the Japanese had blue prints for, and were broken into after the surrender.
From the book...........
"CAST LIST"
"The following are those veterans of the campaign who were interviewed personally by the author. It is their story that is told in this book."
(Those involved in the breaking open and clearing of said tunnels, interviewed for his book.)
Edwin Bigalow Sgt.U.S.M.C. Co.H, 2/ 4th U.S. Marines. Shanghai and Beach Defense, Corregidor (He broke in the false walls.)
William Griffiths Sgt., U.S.M.C. Company B,1/ 4th U.S. Marines, squad leader, Shanghai, and platoon leader, beach defense, Corregidor
John McCann Pvt.U.S.A.A.C. 693rd Ordinance company, Aviation Pursuit, Nichol's Field enlisted at age 16 years.Provisional Air Corps infantry battalion, Bataan defense force, provisioned 4th battalion/4th Marines Beach Defense. (He saw it all it appears)
Bill Finken Cpl., U.S.M.C. 3/4 Marines, Shanghai: Marine detachment, Cavite Naval Base, and beach defenses, Corregidor
Some pretty solid references for the actual existence of said hidden tunnels.
Which leads us to ask the question, who knew where they were and didn't divulge the information even when it would fall into enemy hands? Especially the hospital supplies?
i would assume the Army set it up, not the Navy right? Maybe Morris knows.............
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