Post by Jane HOEKSTRA on Jul 15, 2008 17:11:19 GMT 8
My dad, TM1 Emerson J. "Mike" Milliken, was a crew member of USS Canopus, and the story he tells of his cature on Corregidor takes place in the early pre-dawn morning.
The Japanese came into the tunnels (notice tunnels is plural) and ordered us outside. On the road they made us take off our clothes and tied us with our hands behind our backs in groups of four. Because I had been one of the first out of the tunnels I was among the men at the head of the line and my group of four was first to face the two machine guns the Japanese had set up. We knew that when the sun rose we would be shot. There was nowhere to run: tunnel behind us, mountains on one side and cliff on the other. Our only chance was to charge. A Japanese officer appeared and stepped in and there was no firing once the sun rose.
I have read several accounts of the surrender and all of them say the surrender took place at noon.
Does my dad's story sound familiar to anyone out there? If so, where on Corregidor did this take place?
My husband heard another account that my dad told him. Dad and some others volunteered to man an anti-aircraft gun on an anchored and abondoned ship. They would be taken there during the day and taken back later in the day. This went on until the ship was bombed.
Has anyone heard of this action?
Finally, it was confirmed by a family member of Ens. James McGrath of USS Canopus, that my dad saved his life.
This could have occured when Canopus was at Cavite or when Canopus was at Marvelis when Canopus sailors were involved in the Battle of the Points as Ens. McGrath was taken prisoner on Bataan.
I would like to know if anyone has knowledge of this.
(James named his son, Michael, after my dad - he couldn't very well give him the name Emerson.)
The Japanese came into the tunnels (notice tunnels is plural) and ordered us outside. On the road they made us take off our clothes and tied us with our hands behind our backs in groups of four. Because I had been one of the first out of the tunnels I was among the men at the head of the line and my group of four was first to face the two machine guns the Japanese had set up. We knew that when the sun rose we would be shot. There was nowhere to run: tunnel behind us, mountains on one side and cliff on the other. Our only chance was to charge. A Japanese officer appeared and stepped in and there was no firing once the sun rose.
I have read several accounts of the surrender and all of them say the surrender took place at noon.
Does my dad's story sound familiar to anyone out there? If so, where on Corregidor did this take place?
My husband heard another account that my dad told him. Dad and some others volunteered to man an anti-aircraft gun on an anchored and abondoned ship. They would be taken there during the day and taken back later in the day. This went on until the ship was bombed.
Has anyone heard of this action?
Finally, it was confirmed by a family member of Ens. James McGrath of USS Canopus, that my dad saved his life.
This could have occured when Canopus was at Cavite or when Canopus was at Marvelis when Canopus sailors were involved in the Battle of the Points as Ens. McGrath was taken prisoner on Bataan.
I would like to know if anyone has knowledge of this.
(James named his son, Michael, after my dad - he couldn't very well give him the name Emerson.)
Jane Hoekstra