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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2009 23:20:50 GMT 8
I would appreciate any information regarding the 60th Coast Artillery in the 1920s on Corregidor. My Grandfather, Charles Medford Lane, from Delaware served in this unit and was on Corregidor.
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Post by batteryboy on Mar 21, 2009 9:07:47 GMT 8
Hi,
Here is some info about the 60th CA in the 20s:
The 60th CA arrived on Corregidor Island on December 22, 1928 and occupied part of the infantry barracks at Middleside. Its origins come from 1922 when the War Department authorized the creation of the 60th Artillery (AA) battalion using the 127th and 128th companies which were orginally stationed at Fort Crockett in the coast defense of Galveston in 1922. More companies were added to bring the battalion up to strength and on 1923, the 60th AA Bn was then shipped to the Philippines with its first HQ at Fort William McKinley. It was here in the Philippines that the unit came up to its reimental stregth and 60th Artillery Batallion became the 60th Coast Artillery (Anti Aircraft) Regiment.
In 1924, the unit participated in Manila's 4th of July Celebration. It made such an impressive show and manuever at the parade and was awareded "For Best Appearance Presented by All Regular Military Forces of the United States, Manila P.I., July 4, 1924". That same evening, Battery A illuminated the night skies of Manila. Battery B's 3-inch AA guns and Battery C's AA Machineguins put up a firing display.
During its stint up to 1928, the 60th CA, travelled all around Luzon to attend firing practices at Fort Stotsenberg (located at the Clark AF compound) and even had practice firing at Fort Mills Corregidor. The last place of assignement in Luzon by the 60th was at Fort Stotsenberg from November 6, - Dec, 21 1928. The next day, it was shipped to Corregidor island to man the AA defenses of the island.
Garrison life in Corregidor was in the terms of one of the men "...really nice. We worked hard but we had ample time to ourselves". A typical day would be reveille at 6:00am, followed by Physical traning exercises, a shower and breakfast at the mess. First formations were usually at 8:00am and were followed by drills up to 12:00nn when they break for lunch. Work was typically finished at 3:00pm but the men usually retreat back at 4:30 - 5:00pm. Friday morning drills were spent doing beach defense training but stopped when the Marines arrived in 1941 to take over beach defense duties.
Every 26th of October is regarded at the 60th CA's Organization Day. On this day, the regiment is on holiday and is spent on recreation, sporting events and in the evenings a regimental dinner and a mess night for officers, cinema viewing. Several of the 60th batteries won frequent trophies for athletic prowess. Organization day also signaleed the end of indoor training and the start of outdoor training. This was due to the climate as the monsoon rains end on September.
Hope this helps in someways.
Cheers, Tony
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Post by okla on Mar 22, 2009 0:11:47 GMT 8
hey tony....really good stuff. where do you find this kind of info??? way back in the late 1940s, while in high school, i lived next door to an elderly (to me, at least) fellow who had served on corregidor in the 1920s. he talked many times to me about how it was such great duty. (best time of my life", he always said. he was an old tennessee farm boy when he enlisted just to get away from the drudgery of walking behind a mule all day. i would imagine that a tour of duty on corregidor, in those days, would have been a pleasant way for a young man to spend some time. i dont know which regiment,etc he was assigned to, but he did talk, at times, about serving the "big guns" so i would assume that he was in the 59th CA regmt. keep submitting that good info that you seem to have at your finger tips.
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Post by batteryboy on Mar 23, 2009 19:38:16 GMT 8
Hi Okla,
Just glad to share the info if I have it. Its a collection of documents, official history and reports, plus other stuff that I have collected thru the years coupled with my own research and analysis. Frankly speaking this kind of info is a little hard to find here in the Philippines. Its good that the internet, email and forums makes information exchanges a lot better.
If your friend mentioned "big guns" then you are spot on that this guy was with the 59th CA.
Cheers,
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2009 10:00:05 GMT 8
This may not be what you want, but I have a photo of B Battery 60th Coast Artillery in formation taken ca 1938. The only person identified is my father Thomas J Watkins (known then I think as surname Archbold or Archie" - or anyone who wants this or can tell me anything about any of the people then.
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