This is an album and presentation of the 2nd day on our visit to Corregidor Island between 14th to the 17th June 2022. We basically wanted to reach the Rock Point area and look at things on the way and back. There are about 60 images in the album/presentation.
This album/presentation has about 60 images; I will upload them in three segments!
This is the 2nd of 3 segments!
First, this is my diary entry for that day!
2nd Day, Wednesday, the 16th of June 2022.
Woke up early and walked to the South Dock, from there up the road to the War Memorial Zone Gate, then down the concrete steps there and passed thru the CFI Garage area. I wanted to see the Engineering Ravine, to have a look there and see how the road contractor operated the concrete mixing plant, after that I returned to the MacArthur Café and joined the other for breakfast.
Miss Jhing prepared a good breakfast like all the meals she prepared for us. Looking out to the North Channel of the Manila Bay entrance, it was like a lake. The waters in this channel were like this all four days and during our boat passages on the 14th and 17th we did not got one drop of spray.
After milling around the (CFI) Corregidor Foundation Admin Area we watched the contractors and one did give us a ride some of the way towards Topside. Our goal for today was North Point and then walk back and look at all the things between.
Our first stop was the Ordnance Repair shop and we retold the terrible battle that occurred here. We confirmed at Battery Hearn that the Battery Spare Gun was gone; it is one of the gun barrels at the new replica gun turret at the Dolomite Beach in Manila Bay. The nearby plaque for Pvt. Lloyd G. McCarter needs to be replaced.
Then we proceeded to Cape Corregidor, which is the location of Battery Hanna. We walked thru the rail tunnel of Battery Smith, then down the Grubbs Ravine Trail. We decided against visiting Battery Sunset, it is too difficult and would take to much time; the road to the battery is very grown over.
At Battery Hanna we looked at the WW One defense positions X-F-I and X-F-II. Inside the magazine of the WW One X-F-I defense position the shaft down to a tunnel is still there but I don’t trust the wood frame anymore to climb down on it. At X-F-II we had a nice view of the Conchita Island at the Cape Corregidor area from its gun tub; we call now the “Veranda”.
From Cape Corregidor we walked down the culvert in Grubbs Ravine and just before one gets there are the two entrances to what the 503d Paratroopers called “The 1000 Men Tunnel”. Eric and I entered the 1000 Men Tunnel, thru the west entrance, the right one (opposite from left). The left, the east one is now too much blocked from fallen debris. My pictures did not turn out that good, but it is big. The 503d PIR Troopers believe the Japanese who night attacked on the night of the 18/19th Feb. started out from here.
The next goal was North Point, after we crossed the culvert at Grubbs Ravine it was difficult going; I had to use my bolo all the time. We reached the west Magazine, which is one of two magazines there. And we found one of the Panama Gun Mounts. We had plans to visit Searchlight #2 but our energy was spent. We started our return march the way we came but stopped at Battery Grubbs, which is a popular battery to visit because of the vista to Monja Island and the Mariveles coast line. And my partners needed to rest!
We stopped at the Fort Mills Hospital; we wanted to use the shortcut from there to Middleside. Believe it or not I could get an easy way to that shortcut, much grown over. We decided then to use the Stairway to Heaven to descend that way to Middleside. But we found the concrete steps and path from the Commissary to the Mile Long Barracks blocked do to fallen trees. Then Eric suggested, why we don’t simply use the paved road to go down, the one we came up on. That is what we did and that of course was an easy way.
At Middleside we were hailed by Mr. Jerry Rollin, he is the unpaid Operations Consultant for Corregidor and he is the husband of the CFI CEO. He was staying two nights on Corregidor and uses the former Aviary Residence as quarters, even though no electricity is available here. He invited us to chat and he told us what he would like to see done to encourage people to visit the Corregidor WWII War Zone.
We used the shortcut path from Middleside to the Stockade level, reached McArthur Café, our quarters and cleaned up. Again, we had an outstanding meal at Mac’s, Chicken rice and veggies. Later Jerry Rollin and we had a nice social evening. We made plans for tomorrow and were happy with our visit to this great historical site.
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This is the description for the next 8 images!
This is one of 8 images of the north shore, of Corregidor Bottomside. Pic. #1 is the CFI fee board at the boat landing area, pic#2 is the reception building at the boat landing area, pic. #3 is the WWII howitzer in front of the CFI admin Building, the boy scouts and other groups have not been able to come to Corregidor and do some of this painting work because of the virus from Red China which killed the Sun Cruise Enterprise which furnished discounted transportation in the past for these youth groups, pic. #4 shows the head of the Ft. Mills Lorcha Dock/Wharf and the stature of Gen. MacArthur, pic. #5 show the trees just inland of the Gen MacArthur stature, the trees are doing well because of the rainy season, pic. #6 is the Phil. Coast Guard Station on Corregidor, in front of the building is the Coastal Artillery sub-calibre gun (I always want to make sure it is still there), see this URL about this gun :
corregidor.proboards.com/thread/154/tank-gun-barrel-on-corregidor , pic #7 is the view of the Corregidor Bottomside coast line with all three pre war Ft. Mills Wharfs/Docks,Piers, pic #8 is the Ft. Mills Lorcha Wharf/Dock, showing a very high tide, this wharf is famous because Gen MacArthur departed from here as ordered by President Roosevelt.
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This is the description for the next 4 images!
This is one of 4 images of our walk to Topside; we pass the Ordnance Repair Shop, where a terrible battle occurred in 1945, 2 pictures show the approach to the 12 Inch Battery Hearn and we affirmed that the spare 12 Inch Gun Barrel of Battery Hearn is gone, probably to the replica gun turret at the Dolomite Beach in Manila Bay. #4 picture shows the plaque of the Medal of Honor recipient PFC Carter, it seems the plaque should be replaced.
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This is the description for the next 4 images!
This is one of 4 images of our walk to Cape Corregidor, pic #1 is the 12 Inch gun of Battery Smith, pic. #2 is the 155mm gun shelter on Grubbs Trail, pic. #3 is inside the magazine of the WW One defense position X-F-I and we see our 4th Partner Paul from Cabanatuan and the shaft going down to a tunnel which we believe was built by the Philippine Defenders (Phil. Army or US Philippine Scouts) in the US Army. During WWII this was Battery Hanna. Pic. #4 is a unique image of Conchita Island at Cape Corregidor on Corregidor Island. This picture is shot over gun tub bulwark of the WW One defense position X-F-2, In WWII this defense position, during the Siege of Corregidor was Battery Hanna.
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This is the description of the next 7 images!
This is one of 7 images of the 1000 Men Tunnel, Eric and I went in it but these pictures are very bad! Here are tree URLs that give you better information and quality pictures if you are interested
Location of 10000Men Tunnel in the Corregidor forum:
corregidor.proboards.com/thread/287/1000-man-tunnel-map-location1000 Men Tunnel PhB album:
app.photobucket.com/u/PI-Sailor/a/39857479-68a8-4fa4-b635-5e99f6487918Or read the 503d Paratrooper Story: MY DAY WITH THE RATTLESNAKES:
corregidor.org/BEA503/topics/rattlesnakes/rattlesnakes_01.htm[/URL