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Post by armyjunk on Oct 27, 2010 5:12:37 GMT 8
Hello everyone
I thought I would post a little something giving credit to George Munson and Danny Howell, back in the early 1990's I asked George if he knew anything about the Navy tunnels at Mariveles. He was nice enough to send me this letter from Danny about the tunnels. Well in 2001 I was there with a group and saw the tunnel pictured at the top of this thread (that's my pic). For many years I wanted to get over there from Corregidor but most everyone I knew said "no tunnels over there" so that pretty well stopped me. Last year heavy seas and the Coast Guard stopped us.
I would like to thank Karl for finally getting there, but a lot of credit should go to George Munson and Danny Howell for keeping the memory of the tunnels alive. George is one of the folks that had an early interest in the campaign and has many first person accounts of the battles.
This is the first of eight pages of Danny’s notes, notice he says North when it should be South.
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Post by EXO on Oct 27, 2010 14:04:04 GMT 8
Well you're just in time to pledge for the "Reopen the Mariveles Tunnels Fund" which Karl and I started. Being a very wise citizen, Karl has arranged for a local someone or two, who will dig out the tunnel on a contract basis.
Those familiar with the Philippines will probably realize that means a few fellows turn up in the morning, expecting to find all the tools that they require to complete the job laid out and ready for them.
"No, we are not trying to find Gold."
(I thought we should have T-Shirts made up with that printed on them.)
Should there be an Oozlefinch or a History Hound on the front?
Karl flew to Germany today.
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Post by armyjunk on Oct 27, 2010 19:55:08 GMT 8
Maybe a Navy "Squid"
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Post by chadhill on Oct 29, 2010 9:39:34 GMT 8
Careful now with those "squid" remarks, dogface  These photos are from the book "Philippine Expeditionary Force", by Gasei, published by the Japanese in occupied Manila in 1943: Japanese troops outside US Navy Base Mariveles:  The US military cemetery at Mariveles, after the fall of Bataan:  |
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Post by Karl Welteke on Dec 15, 2010 19:58:32 GMT 8
Entered No 1 Navy Tunnel in Mariveles, 28 images Friends The No. 1 Navy Tunnel in Mariveles has been opened on the 13th of Dec 2010 and here are 28 images: s74.photobucket.com/albums/i265/PI-Sailor/Manila%20Bay%20Forts-Other/Mariveles%20WWII/No%201%20Navy%20Tunnel%20entered%2013%20Dec%202010/Roger Davis, a very active member of the Coastal Defense Study Group organization (CDSG) wanted to visit these tunnels, but we never managed to do it. He gave me a report on the tunnels which was made by Danny Howell, a retired Marine Officer of Corregidor Fame, who had visited these tunnels several times in the past. Roger got this report via George Munson an other active individual interested in the WWII history in this theatre. Well that all got me interested and so far we found only one open but had 2 feet of water in it. That is No. 3 tunnel by Danny Howell’s description. Paul Whitman and I entered it but failed to get pictures. No 4 Tunnel is completely filled with water. Recently another local individual made me aware of another one which I call No. 5 Navy tunnel but it is hopelessly shut by land slides and judging by the water hoses coming from there it also must be filled with water. I speculate that that No 4 and No. 5 were used by the USS Canopus AS-9 crew in 1942. No. 2 tunnel I have not found yet. No 1 tunnel may be the biggest one and it appears to be two parallel tunnels next to each other. The right entrance is hopelessly closed but the left entrance looked feasible to open without too much effort. Mr. Nerlito Versoza who practically lives in front of that entrance made the offer. We made a deal and he and his helpers done a great job of opening the left tunnel of the No 1 Navy tunnel complex. I think some other interested individuals might want to look at that tunnel. Just find Mr. Nerlito Versoza and he will be happy to help. What did I find? Well like expected there is nothing left to pick up. Generally at many places sections of the ceiling dropped and made it rough walking. It is not lined! It looks rough but is big. One can walk upright at most sections. There seems to be many rectangle holes dug, maybe 6 feet to 4 feet and they are filled with clear water. Interestingly, Roger Davis holds a copy of a Navy letter from the Sixteenth Naval District Public Works Department dated 17th Jan. 1942 which speaks of 9 tunnels and tasks expansions of those tunnels. We have not found them all yet. Karl |
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Post by The Phantom on Dec 16, 2010 8:10:34 GMT 8
Thanks for the information Karl.
Very interesting seeing the inside.
Would you say the debris on the floor was washed in or fell from the ceiling when the tunnels were blown in 1942?
Where is all the water coming from, see any springs while inside?
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Post by Karl Welteke on Jan 7, 2011 13:35:21 GMT 8
On the 3d of Jan. 2011 John Moffitt and I entered Navy tunnels #1 and #3 in Mariveles again. Last time, in Oct. 2010, I failed to take pictures of #3 tunnel. This time I did and here are 22 images from tunnel #3: s74.photobucket.com/albums/i265/PI-Sailor/Manila%20Bay%20Forts-Other/Mariveles%20WWII/No-3%20USN%20Tunnel-Mariveles%202011-Jan-04/These numbers of the tunnels have been assigned by me just to help identifying them. I based it on a report about these tunnels from Danny Howell (of Corregidor Fame) which he sent to George Munson. My friend Roger Davis from the Coastal Defense Study Group got it from him and he shared it with me. We also noticed two new peculiar things in #1 Tunnel but that will be subject of another reply to this thread by me or John Moffitt or both in the near future. |
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Post by Karl Welteke on Jan 8, 2011 11:57:24 GMT 8
Surprises in #1 Navy tunnel in Mariveles! On the 3rd of Jan. 2011 John Moffitt and I entered No. 1 Navy tunnel in Mariveles again. I stand by my estimated distances on this graph from the 13th Dec. 2010: tinyurl.com/2f6tgyqAt the end of this about 400 feet long tunnel is big hole filled with water. This picture shows that you maybe could walk passed in on the left: tinyurl.com/2fvu4hsBut what is really amazing we could not determine how deep it is, we could not see bottom with our lights even though the water was very clear. John, weighted a chemical light, he turned off his light, let his eyes adjust to the dark and dropped the light. The light dropped and disappeared - it must be very deep. In the tunnel it looked like the diggers piled up dirt (and it mostly dirt, not rocks) right and left in the tunnel and in a big pile just before one gets to the end. Here is an image, me trying to point the light into the water: tinyurl.com/2cblgkdThe Gentleman who lives in front of #1 tunnel said “Over 10 years ago people came here from Bulacan and panned for gold”. There certainly has been a lot of post WWII activity in this tunnel. At the end of the only left lateral is a similar hole but you can see the bottom, maybe about 6 feet deep. I had noticed it on my previous visit on the 13th Dec. 2010: tinyurl.com/26eufdfWhat I had not noticed on my last visit that above this hole with water at the end of the only left lateral was rocks stacked like they were closing this tunnel from going further or prevent people to coming in from that side, your guess will be as good as mine: tinyurl.com/289ocfpI generated the above URLs with “tinyurl” software. I hope they will work for you. I tried to paste, upload the images, like I have been told many times how to do it but it won’t work for me. I must be doing something wrong! This is the album from when I first entered the No.1 Navy tunnel in Mariveles on 13th Dec. 2010: s74.photobucket.com/albums/i265/PI-Sailor/Manila%20Bay%20Forts-Other/Mariveles%20WWII/No%201%20Navy%20Tunnel%20entered%2013%20Dec%202010/We also tried to determine whether the 2nd right lateral is a connecting tunnel to a parallel tunnel to #1. But I don’t think we can say that with 100% certainty. It is collapsed at the end but John thinks it certainly might be a connecting tunnel. |
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Post by EXO on Jan 9, 2011 8:21:58 GMT 8
Great info Karl. Good work by you and John. I have done a permanent page of this post at corregidor.org/chs_welteke/mariveles_01.htmMaybe when I can get the better of my "to do" list I can add more field notes. Never ceases to amaze me at the efforts that the treasure hunters go to. My wife asked me why people would dig the tunnels for gold when everyone already knew that Marcos had gotten it. I replied that the local folk already knew that, but that when someone with more money than wisdom came to town and offered to pay them to dig holes, they would dig for as long as they were paid to dig. Quite logical really. |
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Post by fireball on Aug 4, 2011 18:01:00 GMT 8
Not much to add, except of course thanks to those who have provided all the useful info above. I only looked at tunnel #3 where I learnt that if you plan to visit other tunnels do not use your last set of dry clothes to wade through waist high water when a better way would have been to start with a dry tunnel (#1).
One thing I noticed were some seashells (along with plastic debris) just as you enter the third leg. Not sure how they got in - possibly washed in with rain from the blocked-off end of leg 2 ?
Plans to return have been delayed by recent earthquake (and the feeling it might be wise to let any loose rocks fall away) & heavy rains. But, hope to get back soon if anyone is interested.
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