SWIMMING AROUND CORREGIDOR

[Karl Welteke]

CORREGIDOR CONQUERED BY PETER PARSONS
AND BY SPYRON-AV MANILA 2014-03-01

Peter Parsons turns 78 today, March 1. He is considered as the oldest and ever to swim around the island of Corregidor finishing a distance of 13 km for a time record of 3:51 hrs.


“I have swum around an island in the Philippines-3 km. That's the furthest I have swum. I have raced in colder waters, ocean race of 2 km in Southern Spain- three times. These were difficult due to cold water and also due to my propensity for getting off course, and adding to the stated distance”, said Peter.


The above is quoted from SPYRON-AV MANILA Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/Spyron.AVManila?hc_location=timeline



SPYRON-AV MANILA is in the business of marketing images and it is managed by Mr. Lucky Guillermo. He ask me to participate for this event by being in the boat to assist Peter, the swimmer, my main job turned out to be to tell Peter where he was so he could judge his progress.

While in the boat I took pictures and uploaded 32 images into this album:
tinyurl.com/nrwxdn4

Here are 16 sample mages but they are much smaller than the images in the above album:



Y405. Lucky Guillermo and Peter Parsons are discussing the project of swimming around the island at the MacArthur Cafe on Corregidor Island. Peter Parsons hoped that he could swim around Corregidor Island at ideal conditions. Frequently he went to the north shore, Bottomside Corregidor Island, and checked the tide, sea conditions etc.



Y406. We are at the starting point and Peter eased into the water to swim around Corregidor. We can see that we are on the East Point of Corregidor Island. We are looking thru the gap between East Point and Hooker Point. Caballo Island, the ex Fort Hughes is in back. It is used by the Philippine Navy now.



Y407. Now Peter is swimming around Hooker Point on Corregidor Island.



Y408. This picture is from SPYRON-AV MANILA and we are at the starting point. We will hand Peter his gear, give him water, stay close and tell him where he is. This is the safety boat hired by Peter from Lenard the Supply Shopping Boat for Corregidor, Lenard and his crew member are aft. Peter’s helper is in front and I am in between.



Y409. This a Google Earth image of Corregidor, I drew in Peter’s track and all the geographical points mentioned herein and in the album above.



Y410. Peters first water stop, Caballo Island is in back and the SPYRON-AV MANILA film crew is on that boat between the island and us. We just passed the famous Monkey Point, this is where the Navy Intercept Tunnel is, that helped defeat the Japanese in the Battle of Midway; infamous because the catastrophic tunnel explosion on 26th Feb. 1945.



Y411. Our fleet to support this project of Peter Parsons swimming around Corregidor Island; the manger of SPYRON-AV MANILA, Mr. Lucky Guillermo was able to charm the Philippine Coast Guard to support us.



Y412. We are now passed the south shore of Bottomside on Corregidor Island.



Y413. We are approaching Geary Point, it was very important to Peter that I was able to tell him exactly where he was so he could judge how much was accomplished and how much further he wanted to go.



Y414. Peter is even now with the No-Name Point and is approaching Wheeler Point on Corregidor on his swim around the island.



Y415. Passing Cheney Ravine now, look at that thick and large layer of garbage along the shore line, on this side of Corregidor at this time were several large patches of garbage along the shore line. Peter said IT WAS VERY SAD BUT THERE WAS GARBAGE ON THE BOTTOM ALL ALONG HIS SWIM ROUTE.



Y416. I do not have a good picture but Peter just swum thru the large ark in the Rock Point and we are making another water stop.



Y417. We are leaving Rock Point behind us and in the far distance we see Monja Island. The Army at one time was planning to put some heavy guns on the island also for the Manila Bay defenses, but the Naval Treaty put that plan into a drawer.



Y418. Peter was extremely happy that he accomplished his goal to swim almost all the way around Corregidor on the 2nd March 2014, his 78th Birthday. This was also for the troops, on this day 1945 they presented this island back to the United States into hands of Gen. MacArthur and on this day he ordered the US flag hoisted on the old Flagstaff Topside and said that no enemy should ever take it down again.



Y419. Back ashore he is received by his lovely wife with a hearty and warm hug; Paul Whitman the web master of corregidor.org is capturing the moment on film and in back was a Peter’s loyal friend from Baguio who took care of his gear and water.



Y420. This evolution would not be complete les Lucky Guillermo and his SPYRON-AV MANILA crew conducts a formal interview with Peter Parsons to put it on record.

Why did Peter Parsons swim almost around the whole island of Corregidor?

-Well, he is 78 and wanted to proof to himself that he can still do things.

-This day was his 78th Birthday and the accomplishment would be a great gift to him.

-He done it to memorialize the troops and people who defended the Philippines and the USA in 1942. Also it was to memorialize the troops that recaptured Corregidor in 1945. They assaulted the Rock on 16th Feb. and tomorrow, the 2nd of March, when Gen. MacArthur returned to Corregidor, the Rock Force presented to him and the Free World the liberated island and Fort Mills.

[Karl Welteke]

I AM PROUD TO BE A FRIEND OF PETER PARSONS

Peter Parsons is the son of Chick Parsons, who was a WWII War Hero. In Wikipedia is this page about him and I copied some paragraphs and a picture from it:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick_Parsons

-A postgraduate course in commerce and his increased fluency in the local dialects allowed Parsons to find work with the Philippine Telephone and Telegraph Company. Then in 1927, he went to Zamboanga in Mindanao as a buyer of logs and lumber for the Meyer Muzzell Company. This company, financed by Mayor James Rolph of San Francisco, exported timber to the United States. This job required Parsons to travel extensively throughout Mindanao, learning details about the island and its inhabitants that would save his life many times during World War II.

-In 1929, according to Ingham (1945), he also made another important career decision. He joined the U.S. Naval Reserve as a Lieutenant (jg), and took active duty with the Pacific fleet whenever possible.[1] However, Peter Parsons, his son, states that his father joined the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1932, and was assigned to submarines.

-That same day, their home was designated as the Panamanian Consulate by the Japanese and they continued to live there in relative freedom. It is interesting to note that before the war, Parsons had worked with numerous Japanese citizens, some of whom became his friends, who knew of Parsons' position in the U.S. Naval Reserve. At least one of these Japanese acquaintances, "Pete" Yamanuchi, was now a Japanese naval officer. However, none of these Japanese informed on him to the occupying Japanese forces.

-Parsons’ extensive knowledge of the Philippines and its culture plus an established network of trusted contacts made it possible for him to travel throughout the vast archipelago and communicate effectively with Filipino and American guerrillas, escaping enemy detection. During the Japanese occupation, Parsons undertook eight secret submarine missions to the Philippines, as well as several more by air, supplying guerrillas with arms, radio equipment, medicine and other supplies. His first such mission was to Mindanao to supply and evaluate Lt. Col Wendell Fertig's guerrilla organization. He also organized and maintained extensive intelligence networks and coastwatcher radio stations throughout the country, which transmitted Japanese troop movements to the allied forces.

-In 1944, Parsons returned to Leyte nine days ahead of MacArthur to help prepare the guerrillas for the invasion. Later, he accompanied the first troops into Manila where he arranged supplies for the starving civilians newly liberated from the Santo Tomas Internment Camp. After the war, Parsons resumed his business activities in Manila and assisted in rebuilding the country.



Y421. Chick Parsons

[Karl Welteke]

PETER’S ESSAY ON HIS FATHER

It is on the web with this URL:
www.us-japandialogueonpows.org/Parsons.htm

I copied here some paragraphs from the above URL:

-This is a story about my father, Commander Chick Parsons, who was instrumental during WWII for organizing a fleet of submarines to supply the resistance in the Philippines. He was the connection between General Douglas MacArthur’s GHQ and the guerrillas.

-My grandmother, Blanche Jurika, protested, saying that Chick was a Panamanian Consul and had diplomatic rights. She pointed to the very large flag hanging from our porch. The officer walked up to her and hit her across the face. Down she went. For me, this was the beginning of the war. The earlier bombings had merely been a prelude. I stood there shivering in the hot sun.

-When Parsons arrived in New York on the Swedish exchange ship, Gripsholm, he was sequestered by the FBI and questioned regarding his being freed by the Japanese. They felt he had no diplomatic privileges or rights, and he had been president of a Japanese company. In short, they suspected him of being a Japanese spy. Friends in Naval Intelligence and in the State Department came to his rescue. But before he went ashore to freedom, he remarked to his interrogators that they were nearly as bad as the Kempeitai!

-Ten days before the MacArthur’s famous “Return” (the Leyte Invasion of Oct. 20, 1944) Parsons was flown to Leyte by “Black Cat” PBY. His task was to scout the invasion landing areas, contact local guerrillas, and warn civilians away from planned bombardment areas—all this without revealing news of the imminent invasion.

-Almost immediately after the hostilities were over, Parsons began reconstructing Luzon Stevedoring Co. and concentrating on the activities of the Far East Molasses Co. These efforts brought him to Japan where he assisted in putting companies back on their feet again. He supplied molasses to Mitsubishi, Mitsui and to the large chemical concern (and alcohol producer), Kyowa Hakko. He was able to get permissions from the GHQ for these companies to operate and to import product from the Philippines. He was instrumental in supplying much-needed capital investment at least for Kyowa Hakko.

[sherwino]

I read some internet articles regarding Chick Parsons. I am admiring his character.

[Karl Welteke]

SPYRON A V MANILA

produced two short videos about Peter Parsons Swim and published them at YouTube:

Description of this Media Company

SPYRON-AV MANILA is in the business of marketing images. These take in the form of multi-media design and production of audiovisuals, corporate identity, TV/Film and Radio commercials, print and collaterals, event management and other “below the line” requirement. Organized as a photography outfit in the 80’s, it has evolved into providing communications production services for local and international companies.

Here is the 1st one (Peter prepares) and I captured 3 still images:






Y474. Corregidor Island, a scene from the above video.



Y475. This whole event, Conquering Corregidor, was sponsored by these companies.



Y476. Peter Parsons, the 78 year old Birthday Swimmer

Here is the 2nd video executing the swim and I also captured 3 still images:




Y477. The famous scene of raising the US Colors on the Old Spanish flag Staff on the 2nd of March 2014, Gen. MacArthur personally gave the order.



Y478. That’s me shooting with a camera, this boat escorted the swimmer, provided water and gave position reports to the swimmer.



Y479. Naturaly, Peter could not resist swimming thru the arc in the Rock Point.

This is the SPYRON Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/Spyron.AVManila?hc_location=timeline

[Karl Welteke]

SPYRON AV MANILA DOCUMENTARIES!!!!!!

Peter Parsons and Lucky Guillermo and all there many helpers have teamed up and have produced at least 6 documentaries. All of these documentaries present WWII stories which seem to get more and more forgotten. This team is helping that mankind remembers and that we learn from it.

In this Facebook page they share some information about their accomplishments:
www.facebook.com/Spyron.AVManila?hc_location=timeline

I am proud to know both of these Gentlemen personally and I call them my close and dear friends.

In this thread we learned that Peter is the son of famous WWII hero Chic Parsons and I understand that Lucky Guillermo’s roots reach to the Bolo Men of Ilocos Norte.

The six videos and 1 book I know about:



Y504. “Anchored In Freedom, Enshrined In Friendship”. This is an about 18 minute long video about the Bolo Men in Ilocos Norte and Navy Submarine special supply operations run by Peter Parsons father.



Y505. “Corregidor The Road Back”. This is the most recent finished production and the inaugural showing was in the US embassy in Manila, Dec. 2013. This video is now being shown on the Corregidor Ferry daily runs.



Y506. “Ships From Hell”. This is an 83 minutes production with many survivor interviews.



Y507. “The Secret War In The Pacific”. This is what Peter Parsons says: “This is a story about my father, Commander Chick Parsons, who was instrumental during WWII for organizing a fleet of submarines to supply the resistance in the Philippines. He was the connection between General Douglas MacArthur’s GHQ and the guerrillas”.




Y508. “Manila 1945 The Forgotten Atrocities”. This is from Facebook: Manila 1945: The Forgotten Atrocities
"A humbling and superior work of archival research, academic commentary, and oral history about a country, a time, and a battle that too many people have never remembered, much less forgotten. At the age of seven years, my father lost his two older brothers to cholera in a barrio that did have enough clean water for all the people trying to get out of harm's way. That was in Cavite. This documentary focuses on the desperate Japanese defense of Manila three years later. As the title suggests, imperial troops did a lot more than conduct military operations against the attacking American army. Let us just say that many men, women, and children in Manila, especially today's tourist traps of Ermita and Malate, suffered and perished from a spree of violence that had no military objective. Luckily, Manila 1945 has recorded the first-hand accounts of many who were there, including Filipino National Artist Francisco Sionil Jose. Their testimony will burn their war memories into yours, so be prepared." - Manila 1945: The Forgotten Atrocities (DVD) - hosted by Cesar Montano



Y509. “Unsurrendered 100 Voices” This is from the Philippine Scouts Heritage Society: Peter Parsons and Lucky Guilermo have produced an excellent, often inspiring, documentary chronicling World War II mainly through the eyes of men and women who took part in the guerrilla movement against the Japanese following the surrender of the USAFFE troops in April and May 1942. As the title implies, the story is told through footage from that period and the videotaped interviews with 100 who took an active part in the resistance. There is no narrator, so the veterans of nearly three traumatic years of guerrilla combat tell the story unedited and in their own voices. This was a fortunate production decision, as it lends enhanced credibility and poignancy to the tale.



Y510. “Bolo Men, Stories Of The Civilian Resistance In War Time Ilocos”. This is the book and there is much about it the above Facebook page.

Note: In the future I may present some pictures about these films!

[Karl Welteke]

HOW TO ORDER DVDs FROM PETER PARSONS

Several people have asked how to purchase the videos. I inquired and Peter Parsons wrote this:

We ship from our office in Baguio, Philippines. It takes about a week to get to the USA destinations.
Each video is $25 (postage and handling included).
If you order one, it is $25; order two and pay $45; order three or four and pay $60 or $80.

TO ORDER:
First: Contact us at this email address: [e-mail] OR [e-mail]. Give us your mailing address and let us know
what to send you (and how many of each). We will send your order prior to receipt of your check.
Second: Send a check made out to Peter Parsons for the amount of your order to this US address (it is a good idea to include a note indicating
which DVDs you are paying for):

C/O Dolores
6820 Indiana Ave; Suite 230 Riverside, CA 92506 USA

Importand Note if you order from or to the Philippines:

**Thanks very much for your interest. If you are
located in the Philippines, let us know, as that
involves a different process.

Here are the four DVDs:



Y617.



Y618.



Y619.


Y620: Ships from Hell. A documentary of the
inauguration of the Hellships Monument in
Subic Bay. It includes four interviews with
American POWs whose experiences include:
hellships. Death March, Corregidor, and
Cabanatuan. About 90 minutes. [Currently
unavailable. Do not know when it will
become available.]

[Karl Welteke]

Swimming or beach time on Corregidor.

That subject came up recently in our Corregidor Discussions.

The MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk made a contribution with two old pictures of the Corregidor/Fort Mills Officer Beach. The Memorial made this comment: “Maybe they will open the old officers beach and get the beach cabana/locker room operational again………………”



U862. The Corregidor/Fort Mills Officer Beach, a pre WWII image from the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk.



U863. The Corregidor/Fort Mills Officer Beach Cabana and Locker-room, a pre WWII from the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk.

Three other comments about the beaches and water around Corregidor.

Comment #1. When we wanted to swim at the South Beach, it required a careful traverse of very unclean sand - nothing close to the sand in that promo photo - followed by even more very careful path-finding in the shallow water, through slippery pebbles, stones, rocks, and boulders. And more trash. Once we reached deeper water and could ignore the footing issues, there were still plastic bags and other floating or semi-submerged items to watch out for. Other than that... yeah, the water felt great!

Comment #2. Swimming around most all of Corregidor nearly killed Peter Parsons.

Even though the headlines might say that fecal coliform rates in Manila Bay have fallen, (they are reduced from 7.16 million mpn/100ml to 4.87 million mpn/100ml) the level for healthy swimming is 100 mpn/100ml. That’s one hundred, not 4.87 million.

Source: ABS-CBN News posted 18 Feb 2021.

Comment #3. I was a Navy Diver and we dove in all kinds of water, no question asked during my time in the Navy. And I'm still alive and kicking, 79 years young!

[EXO]

Peter Parsons (who "swam Corregidor" in March 2014) has written a reply to the idea that Corregidor is a great swimming beach. I have edited it for those easily offended.

EXO             

________________________

"I thought being tough ol' _ _ _ would have given me some measure of immunity.

I had not studied the ecoli count before the swim. Even then I used a snorkel thinking I would not get any water into my mouth. Watching the videos later is saw the occasional shot of water being ejected.

A few months later when I finally visited my Baguio doctor (a lung specialist), he told me "You should have been dead by now. You were very stupid, and very lucky."

Manila Bay is a cesspool. Do not accept anything but the science. Enter its waters at your own peril. You might be as stupid as I, but you might not be as lucky. And being a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ gives no protection whatsoever.

BTW, I have successfully dissuaded other groups of enthusiasts from swimming in the bay, so I guess I have achieved some partial redemption."

Banzai,
Pp