Post by fots2 on Jun 9, 2009 13:53:45 GMT 8
It is now the rainy season in the Philippines so I have time to sort through numerous photos taken earlier this year. Here is a virtual tour for you all.
One location 99% of Corregidor tourists never see or even know about is the part of Malinta Tunnel known as the “Navy Tunnels”. Even after all the years since the war, mystery still surrounds that name. Accurate construction information and maps are unknown and the information we do have conflicts.
However, if you like stories (true stories) of gold, silver and torpedoes etc then this place is for you. I will quote some information I have been told and I invite others to add, refute or change anything. If accuracy and more details emerge regarding the Navy Tunnels, then some of the B.S. can be put to bed and history will be better served.
Recent investigations have shown that there were a number of tunnel entrances at the south-west corner of Malinta Hill.
In December 1941, five tunnels were mentioned in a report as to their completion status at that time. They were named Affirm, Baker, Dog, Roger and Queen. The first three are not visible.
For this trip report, I will concentrate on one of the two remaining Navy Tunnels. During the January, 2009 survey of the Malinta Storage System, it was noticed that the entrance (or the other one a few meters away) was in almost exactly the correct position as to be the originally designed “Malinta South Entrance”. In later years the design had significant changes, one being a new south entrance which was actually built. Don’t let anyone tell you the Malinta Tunnel South entrance does not exist anymore. Even though it is collapsed, you can still enter it a few metres.
The second existing Navy Tunnel is only a few metres north of the other one. It is totally collapsed just a short distance inside the entrance so actually not very interesting. Also, I will not cover the area inside Malinta that is south of the Quartermaster tunnels as it has been discussed elsewhere on the board.
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Saddle up at the hotel and start a leisurely walk towards the Malinta South Shore Road. Within ten minutes you will be at the tunnel entrance. You cannot see it from the road but it is easy to find. Our best guess is that this tunnel was called Queen.
The entrance is mostly sealed by debris but you can easily slide in an opening at the top of the tunnel. Once inside, walk down the sloped debris to the concrete tunnel floor. Note: before entering (and while inside) a search for crawling or slithering tunnel residents is recommended.
You will find a tunnel in quite good condition that goes straight in from the entrance and then turns approximately 45 degrees to the left. Soon the rectangular tunnel opens up into a larger one with a rounded roof. Straight ahead the tunnel deteriorates quickly as massive blast damage is evident which finally results is a high roofed rocky cavern where the tunnel ceiling has collapsed. You cannot go further.
Near the end on the left a suspicious collapse seems to indicate a smaller tunnel heading towards the other existing Navy Tunnel. One map drawn years ago suggests this is correct. Guys have been digging there.
This tunnel is dry (i.e. no stagnant or running water) and even though there is no second entrance or ventilation, the air seems ok. On one of my visits, it was quite hot and humid though.
In addition to leading to secret areas of the Navy tunnels, I would guess the section of tunnel we can visit today was part of Malinta’s electrical generation and air ventilation network. The floor has no rails and a 45 degree turn means no great amount of stored material or munitions passed through there.
Along the sides are many rectangular concrete pads with bolts for mounting generators or blower motors. Fuel pipes and drains can be seen plus numerous broken metal hangers for electrical cables or ventilation pipes are sticking out of the upper walls.
In one location, an exhaust pipe goes up through the tunnel ceiling. Near it is a long metal stand possibly for a battery string. Above it is an electrical junction box still containing an old rusty knife switch.
As you can see from the photos, this tunnel is not “cleaned up” for tourists and actually tons of rock and concrete hanging from above looks potentially dangerous. To me this is the real history of Corregidor. Some sanitized batteries on the day tour just don’t seem real.
The above information is not new to a few people on this board. Please feel free to expand on this topic. For others, do you have any information, stories or photos we would all be interested in?
Thanks.
fots2
This is as far as the remaining concrete tunnel goes. From here you can see the start of a pile of rock. You can climb this rock and make it another +/- 10 metres before a complete dead end. Above the rock is a high cavern so I would assume one of the WWII explosions was exactly in this area.
One location 99% of Corregidor tourists never see or even know about is the part of Malinta Tunnel known as the “Navy Tunnels”. Even after all the years since the war, mystery still surrounds that name. Accurate construction information and maps are unknown and the information we do have conflicts.
However, if you like stories (true stories) of gold, silver and torpedoes etc then this place is for you. I will quote some information I have been told and I invite others to add, refute or change anything. If accuracy and more details emerge regarding the Navy Tunnels, then some of the B.S. can be put to bed and history will be better served.
Recent investigations have shown that there were a number of tunnel entrances at the south-west corner of Malinta Hill.
In December 1941, five tunnels were mentioned in a report as to their completion status at that time. They were named Affirm, Baker, Dog, Roger and Queen. The first three are not visible.
For this trip report, I will concentrate on one of the two remaining Navy Tunnels. During the January, 2009 survey of the Malinta Storage System, it was noticed that the entrance (or the other one a few meters away) was in almost exactly the correct position as to be the originally designed “Malinta South Entrance”. In later years the design had significant changes, one being a new south entrance which was actually built. Don’t let anyone tell you the Malinta Tunnel South entrance does not exist anymore. Even though it is collapsed, you can still enter it a few metres.
The second existing Navy Tunnel is only a few metres north of the other one. It is totally collapsed just a short distance inside the entrance so actually not very interesting. Also, I will not cover the area inside Malinta that is south of the Quartermaster tunnels as it has been discussed elsewhere on the board.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Saddle up at the hotel and start a leisurely walk towards the Malinta South Shore Road. Within ten minutes you will be at the tunnel entrance. You cannot see it from the road but it is easy to find. Our best guess is that this tunnel was called Queen.
The entrance is mostly sealed by debris but you can easily slide in an opening at the top of the tunnel. Once inside, walk down the sloped debris to the concrete tunnel floor. Note: before entering (and while inside) a search for crawling or slithering tunnel residents is recommended.
You will find a tunnel in quite good condition that goes straight in from the entrance and then turns approximately 45 degrees to the left. Soon the rectangular tunnel opens up into a larger one with a rounded roof. Straight ahead the tunnel deteriorates quickly as massive blast damage is evident which finally results is a high roofed rocky cavern where the tunnel ceiling has collapsed. You cannot go further.
Near the end on the left a suspicious collapse seems to indicate a smaller tunnel heading towards the other existing Navy Tunnel. One map drawn years ago suggests this is correct. Guys have been digging there.
This tunnel is dry (i.e. no stagnant or running water) and even though there is no second entrance or ventilation, the air seems ok. On one of my visits, it was quite hot and humid though.
In addition to leading to secret areas of the Navy tunnels, I would guess the section of tunnel we can visit today was part of Malinta’s electrical generation and air ventilation network. The floor has no rails and a 45 degree turn means no great amount of stored material or munitions passed through there.
Along the sides are many rectangular concrete pads with bolts for mounting generators or blower motors. Fuel pipes and drains can be seen plus numerous broken metal hangers for electrical cables or ventilation pipes are sticking out of the upper walls.
In one location, an exhaust pipe goes up through the tunnel ceiling. Near it is a long metal stand possibly for a battery string. Above it is an electrical junction box still containing an old rusty knife switch.
As you can see from the photos, this tunnel is not “cleaned up” for tourists and actually tons of rock and concrete hanging from above looks potentially dangerous. To me this is the real history of Corregidor. Some sanitized batteries on the day tour just don’t seem real.
The above information is not new to a few people on this board. Please feel free to expand on this topic. For others, do you have any information, stories or photos we would all be interested in?
Thanks.
fots2
This is as far as the remaining concrete tunnel goes. From here you can see the start of a pile of rock. You can climb this rock and make it another +/- 10 metres before a complete dead end. Above the rock is a high cavern so I would assume one of the WWII explosions was exactly in this area.