Battle of Bataan Memorials and Markers

[Karl Welteke]

1ST LT JUAN JULIAN ALDABA MARKER AT PILAR TOWN BRIDGE

On one of my many walks I came across this Monument honoring LT. Aldaba and his “Gave it All Sacrifice”.

1st LT Juan Julian Aldaba was born on October 19, 1907 in Malolos, Bulacan to Amado and Estefania Aldaba. A Lawyer by profession, he was commissioned in the Philippine Army in 1941. While leading a reconnaissance patrol, he was killed by the Japanese Army on this Spot on February 21, 1942. This monument was erected by the Province of Bulacan headed by then, Govenor Alejo Santos, 1st LT Aldaba’s Commanding Officer during the war.

I uploaded 10 images in the below album. The pictures are numbered C1 to C10 and show the Memorial Marker for 1st LT. Juan Julian Aldaba. He was in Company C, 31st INF. P. A. and was killed in action on this spot, February 21 1942. All these pictures were shot 27th Nov. 2007.

s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Death%20March%20Markers%20Death%20Camps%20and%20Memorials/Memorials%20and%20Markers-any%20other/Pilar-Bagac%20Markers?sort=9&page=1

Four pictures are presented here and they are smaller than in the album:



W140 (C1) 1st LT. Juan Julian Aldaba has a monument erected at a bridge in Pilar Bataan. He was in Company C, 31st INF. P. A. and was killed in action on this spot, February 21 1942.



W141 (C3) the Google Earth map shows where the Monument for 1st LT. Juan Julian Aldaba is located at.



W142 (C7) approaching the bridge over the Pilar River on the old National Road from the south. The square pyramid at the right, before the bridge and fenced in, is home of two plaques for 1st LT. Juan Julian Aldaba.



W143 (C10) the square pyramid for 1st LT. Juan Julian Aldaba has two plaques. This one says: In memory of 1st LT. Juan Julian Aldaba C CO, 31st INF. P. A. Killed in action on this spot, February 21 1942. Close-up of the last image #C9 in the album above.

[Karl Welteke]

SWORD OF PILAR IN BATAAN

At the intersection of the old National Road, the East Bataan Road and the Pilar to Bagac Road is an impressive sword monument. It has attracted me several times over the years and I have taken pictures. I never saw a plaque there, saying it what it represents. I assume it is a symbol for WWII standing up against aggression.

I uploaded 21 images in the below album, called the Sword of Pilar.

s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Death%20March%20Markers%20Death%20Camps%20and%20Memorials/Memorials%20and%20Markers-any%20other/Sword%20of%20Pilar?sort=9&page=1

In this forum reply I only present 5 images and the 1st one is from the www:



W144 this picture is from Lt. Leroy Jones USN (Ret.); he was the Officer in charge of the U.S. Naval Radio Transmitter Facility, Capas, Tarlac, in the early 1970. He supported a Boy Scout outing to the Death March route where this picture was shot.

U.S. Naval Radio Transmitter Facility, Capas, Tarlac was established exactly on the site of the Japanese POW Camp O’Donnell where the Allied POWs were kept and died by the 1000s in the hands of the Japanese Imperial Army in spite of what a Senior Japanese Staff Officer said to General King that they, the Japanese, were not barbarians! Here are the sources of the picture.

Original the picture came from Lt. Leroy Jones USN (Ret.) in his below web page.
www.navy-transmitter-facility-capas.com/
But I actually got this picture from one of the many Battling Bastards of Bataan www pages.
www.battlingbastardsbataan.com/



W141 a closer Google Earth image of the Sword of Pilar location and Pilar town proper.



W145 the next few pictures were shot going clockwise around the Sword of Pilar marker. The building at left is next to and south of the Pilar Municipality Hall. Both buildings are east of the Sword Marker. This is a 2007 picture of the Sword of Pilar.



W146 I am now back on the west side of the Old National Road, actually standing on the lanes of the Bagac-Pilar Road as they merge with the Old National Road and we are basically looking north and at the Sword of Pilar. This is also a 2017 picture but shot about a month later that the previous image.



W147 this picture of the Sword of Pilar was shot on the 16th Sep. 2012 when I toured the Bataan Battlefield with the Great Grandson of General Vicente Lim; the Pilar Municipality Hall is in view and still no plaque exists at this monument.

[Bob Hudson]

Looks like I need to go there with my permanent markers and color in the the text on Lt. Aldabas memorial. Thanks for the post. Always enjoy all your posts Karl.

[Karl Welteke]

JAYAC JUNCTION, FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE MARKER, 38TH INF. DIV. MONUMENT, DEATH MARCH MARKER # 68

DMM #68, Layac Junction Monument, The First Line Defense Marker has been seen by many, anyone traveling to Bataan, Zambales or Subic Bay got to go thru this intersection and passes this marker. But how many had a closer look?

Some of us had closer looks over the years and many threads and albums have been established, this is a partial list of the URLs available:


Corregidor Proboard, Layac Junction, 4 pages already, from Vic and Karl
corregidor.proboards.com/thread/703/layac-junction


Layac Junction from fots2 aka John Moffitt.
corregidor.proboards.com/thread/741/layac-junction-bataan

DMM #68, Layac Junction Monument, Photobucket. The First Line Defense Marker has been seen by many, anyone traveling to Bataan, Zambales or Subic Bay got to thru this intersection and passes this marker. But how many had a closer look? In 2007 I stopped by when I walked the Death March and posted these images
s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Death%20March%20Markers%20Death%20Camps%20and%20Memorials/DMM%20No%2068%20Layac?sort=9&page=1


38th Div. Facebook; 38th ID Monument in the Philippines album; Photos from Steve Mitchell who saw this 38th Infantry Division monument at a roundabout in the Phillipines. It's dedicated to the Cyclone Division, the Avengers of Bataan.
www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.889868204392404.1073741899.152461594799739&type=3


2013 Bataan Memorial Death March from the 38th Inf. Div Facebook page.
www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.512253262153902.1073741826.152461594799739&type=3

FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE MARKER (Rotunda, Layac, Dinalupihan), Phil Gov. says it was built by the 38th Inf. Div.
www.bataan.gov.ph/ragingpeninsula/firstline.html





First Walk to the Layac Battle Area.
Several friends of mine are interested in the First Line of Defense at Layac. I am planning to walk there several times. This was the 1st walk and was with my Army friend Chris. We drove to Culis, Hermosa and looked at the rice fields between the National Hwy and the Culo River from the new Hermosa Public Market. That will be another walk, that is were the Philippine Army 71st Div was manning the defense line. Then we parked at the entrance of the Hermosa Economic Industrial Park (HEIP). We basically walked the road along the north perimeter of HEIP towards the village Little Baguio and continued west to Bacong and then returned checking out the low ridge line running towards Layac which come from the Mt. Natib Volcano. This area was manned by the 31st Inf. US Army, 26th Cav. Philippine Scouts and the 23rd and 88th FA Philippine Scouts. We wanted to look for possible artillery positions that may have been used.
s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Walk%20in%20the%20Philippines/No%202%20Walk%20PI%20Group/Layac%20Project/HEIP%20to%20Bacong%202010-06-15?sort=9&page=1
or
tinyurl.com/nwujdlf


Second Walk in Layac!
On the 19th of June 2010 I did my 2nd walk in the Layac Battle area. My Army Buddy Chris was my partner again. This walk was in the area where the Tama River flows into the Colo River and I believe we were at or right behind the front line which the two Battalions of the 31st Inf. manned. We came across some spots that made us wonder whether they were Artillery impact holes. In the album above I recommend that you look close at the hill I labeled CP Hill. I think it was important for observation and placing artillery behind it.
s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Walk%20in%20the%20Philippines/No%202%20Walk%20PI%20Group/Layac%20Project/to%20Colu%20Rv%202010-06-19?sort=9&page=1
or
tinyurl.com/o574c4y


Third Walk in Layac, 21st June 2010 This walk had the purpose to look deeper into the rear for the possible Artillery Positions and to have a closer look at holes in the ground near the Culo River at Layac. Where they Carabao wallows or WWII artillery impact holes? John, fots2, had come to join in this effort. We had a good walk and considered several locations where the artillery positions might have been.
s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Walk%20in%20the%20Philippines/No%202%20Walk%20PI%20Group/Layac%20Project/Around%20rear%20of%20Arty-Positions%202010-06-21?sort=9&page=1
or
tinyurl.com/o7ybm8g


Fourth Walk in Layac, 2013-06-22
My friend John and I decided to scout out and get a picture of the area the Philippine 71st Div. defended. Basically this area was between the national Highway and the Culo River.
We walked a circle around the area where the 71st Division of the Philippine Army had their positions
s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Walk%20in%20the%20Philippines/No%202%20Walk%20PI%20Group/Layac%20Project/71st%20PA%20Div%20area%202010-06-22?sort=9&page=1
or
tinyurl.com/ncoed2y


Here's a good background on the battle, lifted from the John Whitman book. Good for reference.

www.historynet.com/battle-of-bataan-brigadier-general-clyde-a-selleck-commands-the-layac-line.htm


This album is from the visit of Victor Verano and his friends to Bataan. We visited the Layac Defense Position of the 88th FA PS, the Mabatang MLR Marker, the Balanga Church, the Alangang River Last Defense Line Marker, the Gen. Wainwright Surrender Marker, the Death March Zero Marker in Mariveles and the Longos Kawayan Point Battle area. Most of the images have been upload with a high resolution.
s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/X%20for%20HR%20Albums/Bataan%20HR%20images/Bataan%20w%20Victor%202013-07-08?sort=9&page=1



As I said Vic is a most energetic man, his first priority is his family and his job of course. Whenever he has time he is contributing to this bulletin board but he also participates on the Facebook Battle of Bataan page, is the secretary of the Philippine Scout association and has his own web page:

www.facebook.com/groups/bataanbattle/

www.philippine-scouts.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl

pinoyhistory.proboards.com/



W330 the below government webpage says that this monument was erected by the 38th Inf. Div.
www.bataan.gov.ph/ragingpeninsula/firstline.html



W331 the Philippine Government has not forgotten this junction and in this year 2015 all the roads around the monument have been redone. I do not have an up-to-date picture.

[Karl Welteke]

U.S. ARMY COL. BEN SKARDON IS HONORED BY THE CLEMSON UNIVERSITY CAMPUS.

The Colonel is 98 years young, graduated in 1938 from this university and joined the Army. He served in the 92 Inf. Reg. Philippine Army as a company commander and survived the Death March, the camps and the sinking of his POW Hell Ship.

The story is presented in the below URL, I think it is the university paper and the URL was sent by the webmaster of the Battling Bastards of Bataan:

newsstand.clemson.edu/mediarelations/clemson-university-dedicates-memorial-stadium-flagpole-to-wwii-hero/

It is an inspiring story and here are three small captured pictures from the above URL and they have descriptions:



W463 U.S. Army Col. (Ret.) and Bataan Death March survivor Ben Skardon is surrounded by media and well-wishers, including Clemson University President James P. Clements, as he reads the plaque at the base of the Memorial Stadium flag pole that was dedicated to him. Image Credit: Ken Scar



W464 two ROTC cadets raise the American flag up the Memorial Stadium flagpole for the first time after the pole was dedicated to Clemson alumnus Ben Skardon. Image Credit: Ken Scar



W465 Clemson graduate David Stalnaker looks on as Ben Skardon speaks during a ceremony that dedicated the plaque that honors him at the base of Clemson University’s Memorial Stadium flagpole.
Image Credit: Ken Scar

[Karl Welteke]

WWII Dioramas at the Bataan Tourism Center

With a friend, we visited the Bataan Tourism Center 2017-08-08 along the Bataan Expressway. This time I wanted to document the well done WWII Dioramas in the center. I took pictures and made this album with 23 images. I think they are a great WWII educational exhibit. This is the Photobucket album URL:

s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Death%20March%20Markers%20Death%20Camps%20and%20Memorials/Memorials%20and%20Markers-any%20other/WWII%20Dioramas%20in%20Bataan?sort=9&page=1


In this Forum presentation I used only 9 images and only 3 of the 10 dioramas. There is also one BAR exhibit donated by the people at the Battle of the Points via Bob Hudson.



Bataan has many memorable WWII remembrance sites:

If you are interested look at this web page:

bataan.gov.ph/tourism/destinations/bataan-tourism-center





Za061. Bataan Tourism Office (BTC)
Bataan Tourism Center (BTC), this image and text is from the BTC web page: bataan.gov.ph/tourism/destinations/bataan-tourism-center

The Bataan Tourism Office is open every day to cater all the needs and concerns of tourists from where to go, what to buy and everything about Bataan! It is a must to start your experience in the peninsula by visiting the centre to be more knowledgeable, equipped and ready for the adventure waiting for you.

It houses the Provincial Tourism Office, an Exhibit hall, Audio Visual Room and Pasalubong Center showcasing the finest products, handicrafts and delicacies that will surely be a lifetime souvenir of every tourist visiting Bataan. Indeed, Galing Bataan!



Za062. Death March Markers Mini Replicas.

At the Bataan Tourism Center one can buy these mini-replicas of the Death March marker I bought 5 so far; they make a fine meaningful souvenir. This picture came from this URL:
bataan.gov.ph/tourism/destinations/bataan-tourism-center





Za063. Bataan Tourism Center Location.

This Google Earth map shows you the location of the Bataan Tourism Center {BTC).









Z064. WWII Death March Box Car Diorama.

WWII Death March Box Car Diorama at the Bataan Tourism Center (BTC) from Teresita J. de Guzman.






Z065. WWII Death March Box Car Diorama Description.

The Description of the WWII Death March Box Car Diorama at the Bataan Tourism Center (BTC) from Teresita J. de Guzman.






Za066. Bataan Involvement in WWII Diorama.

The Bataan Involvement in WWII Diorama at the Bataan Tourism Center (BTC) from Teresita J. de Guzman.






Za067. Bataan Involvement in WWII Diorama Description.
The description of the Bataan Involvement in WWII Diorama at the Bataan Tourism Center (BTC) from Teresita J. de Guzman.





Za068. Hospital #1 & 2 Diorama.

Hospital #1 & 2 Diorama at the Bataan Tourism Center (BTC) from Teresita J. de Guzman.





Za069. Hospital #1 & 2 Diorama Description.

Description of the Hospital #1 & 2 Diorama at the Bataan Tourism Center (BTC) from Teresita J. de Guzman.

[Karl Welteke]

Bataan 2018 views

During my recent visit to Corregidor 6th to the 8th of July I took some pictures and put 26 into this Photobucket album:

s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Walk%20in%20the%20Philippines/No%201%20Walk%20PI%20Group/Bataan%20Other/Bataan%202018%20views?sort=9&page=1

Here are 2 sample pics:



Zc272. The Alangan River Last Line of Defense Memorial Marker which is near the river bridge needs some attention. It would be nice if Barangay Alangan or the Limay Municipality would adopt it and take pride in the maintenance of the National Marker in their community.





Zc273. This is the Battle of Bataan Surrender Memorial, put up her by the Battling Bastards of Bataan in honor of Gen King who made that courageous decision to prevent further needles death of his troops which were mostly Filipinos. How many more would have died in captivity if the hopeless fight would have carried on?

The fence around the memorial has been removed and it looks more attractive plus all the venders that had wares all around it are gone. I wonder when both National Flags were flown from those to flagpoles, the last time?

[Karl Welteke]

The Fall of Bataan Historical Marker



Zo004. The Fall of Bataan Historical Marker

This image came from this URL:

List of historical markers of the Philippines in Central Luzon:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historical_markers_of_the_Philippines_in_Central_Luzon

The plaque is located in the City of Balanga, but the exact location will be in the next entry.



Zo005. SB 7 NO 007 Admiral Spruance unveils plaque, 1954, from The Gen. MacArthur Memorial



Zo006. SB 7 NO 002 Admiral Spruance and Mrs. Vincente Lim dedicated plaque 1954, from The Gen. MacArthur Memorial

The last two pictures came from the MacArthur Memorial
www.macarthurmemorial.org/

Zo007. Admiral Raymond Ames Spruance was the Ambassador to the Philippines. Picture and text are from this Wikipedia URL:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historical_markers_of_the_Philippines_in_Central_Luzon

Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 – December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral in World War II. He commanded U.S. naval forces during two of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. At Midway, Spruance scored the first major victory for the United States over Japan; most historians consider Midway the turning point of the Pacific War.

He was appointed as Ambassador to the Philippines by President Harry S. Truman, and served there from 1952 to 1955.

[Karl Welteke]

Fall of Bataan Plaque Location and it is still there!



Zo009. Bob Hudson got it covered, right here in this Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2179330882105307&set=gm.834988300171907&type=3&theater&ifg=1



Zo010. Bob Hudson loaded this short video showing the location of the Fall of Bataan Plaque.

www.facebook.com/groups/179174439086633/permalink/834988300171907/
Scroll down to the video. The Plaque is located right in front of the Bataan Capitol Building in Balanga on Bataan.


Bob Hudson also has an interesting Blog:
bataanson.blogspot.com/


And he also runs the Facebook page for the Bataan WWII Museum.
www.facebook.com/groups/179174439086633/

[victor]

Thanks again Karl. Thanks for the emailed updates too, they remind me to visit the forum and check out the latest posts.

My wife graduated from the International School of Manila in 1994 (it was in Makati then). She mentioned that their gym was named Spruance Gym. I asked her if she knew who Spruance was. She had no idea. But now she knows