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Post by EXO on Jan 29, 2024 12:12:49 GMT 8
People ask if there is any overnight accommodation available on Corregidor while the Corregidor Inn remains closed. This is what it is, as of January 2024. Believe me, it's not too bad after a few Red Horse beers!
I'll spare you the plumbing.
(I'm hoping that's just water that has dripped through the ceiling.)
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Post by EXO on Jan 29, 2024 7:12:30 GMT 8
IS CORREGIDOR SACRED OR NOT? At least 340 gamers, a defunct CFI and the Mayor of Cavite don't think so. I see in Facebook that 340 airsoft gamers have each paid 4000 peso to sign up for a profit-making enterprise so that they can visit Corregidor in February for a 24-hour airsoft tournament. (I won't link to the page. This is a critique, not a traffic-generating advertorial.) These gamers are not reenactors. They are not going for the purpose of reenactment. They are going for a modern shoot-em-up, pretend modern soldiers in a pretend modern battle. It's the parting gift of Corregidor Foundation Inc., which gave them permission as one of its final "up yours" presents marking the failure of its stewardship of the island. The CFI has been dissolved since December 31, 2023. The group's facebook ads, touting the name OP CEMETERY FALL 5, say that Mayor Denver Chua of Cavite City also approved the event. Corregidor, together with certain designated areas of Bataan, are sacred grounds declared as national shrines by President Magsaysay in 1954 with the issuance of Executive Order No. 58. Well, doesn't that set back efforts to get Corregidor back on the international tourist map as a place of reflection, history, heritage, a place of environmental protection, a place for the furtherance of Filipino spirit! Nah, stuff all that, lets have a shoot-em-up gallery. A responsible management can't come too soon.
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Post by EXO on Jan 27, 2024 13:59:32 GMT 8
Three new identified members today:
Hello! My name is Anastasia Harman. I research, create, and host a WW2 podcast called "Left Behind." I tell the stories of the people -- servicemen and women, civilians, guerillas, and more -- who were left behind when the US surrendered The Philippines. My great-grandfather was captured on Corregidor and was one of the 511 men liberated at Cabanatuan. His memoir inspired my research and the podcast. I've become familiar with the Corregidor Proboards during my research, and I would like to become a more active part of the community. I especially hope to connect with other researchers who can assist me in my research.
___________________________
Rifatbabu5: "I am a student at the AA School of Architecture in the UK, and I am currently conducting research on the Philippines. I am very interested in Corregidor Island and would like to discuss it in more depth with everyone. I will be traveling to the Philippines in two weeks and am wondering if this island is still open to the public."
" I have sent Rifatbabu5 a personal message recommending he pursue Marianito Malacaman via the Corregidor Historic Society facebook page. - EXO"
___________________________
4sfed: "I was stationed at Camp O'Donnell 1975-77."
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Post by EXO on Dec 28, 2023 10:01:00 GMT 8
Andrew Lagonick was posted to the Philippine Islands in the era now known as "pre-war". Of no particular skill or accomplishment, he lived the life of an average member of the Coast Artillery, being posted to batteries at Fort Drum. He collected photos of his experiences, and compiled them in an album. I do not know what happened to Andrew, although the photo album contains images from a visit in China, indicating that he may have been returning to the USA prior to the outbreak of the war.
The album survived, and was loaned to me by Steve & Marcia Kwiecinski, who were residing on Corregidor at the time. I used the images, many of which were unique, across a number of books - most notably LOST & FOUND - Unit Histories of Corregidor and Manila Bay.
This book reproduces the photo album as it then was, including its errors and lapses. It is 56 pages. It is now released in a SOFTCOVER (Cheap Charlie) version.
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Post by EXO on Dec 16, 2023 6:06:56 GMT 8
What is happening with Corregidor? EXO Reply: Concerning your visit to the CFI Business Office - It's CFI's Office, their face to the world, they should have left a NOTICE on the door. Don't they have a sheet of paper, a felt-tip pen and a bit of sticky tape? Anything would be better than nothing. Heck, this is not rocket science!
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Post by EXO on Dec 15, 2023 19:51:49 GMT 8
Thanks Karl for those facts. It doesn't speak well for the wake that Carrion left behind her when she shipped out to her next command. Many of the CFI staff gave good and faithful service, and they deserve a continuity of employment. They need empathy, the failure of Corregidor to restart after the Covid lock-down is not their fault. CEO's and CO's get paid the big bucks because they are supposed to take responsibility. My life experience has taught me not to be enthusiastic about large governmental organizations running small commercial operations. Their hearts might be in the right place, but they need to take the advice of experience. I believe that Corregidor (PVAO) needs to learn from the US National Parks Service, which allows tourism operations to be conducted on their lands by concessionaires subject to close supervision of standards. Many people think Corregidor is a National Park, but the truth is it never was. Maybe it's time. In Corregidor's case, I believe that the "tourism" business is a single business - i.e. that the boat and the Inn, and the tourist busses are all parts of the same operation - that they are better operated by the same entity. Corregidor is not a real-estate opportunity, it is not some place to be sold off to developers. It needs to maintain its dignity as one of the world's historic battlefields, a place where men of three nations sacrificed and died. And what do we get? Visions of tone deaf urban architects - Years ago, I likened the relationship between Sun Cruises and CFI to two people locked in a dance, a waltz, each with a knife pressing in the back of the other. I think we've just witnessed what happened when Covid came along, and the music stopped. Both of them shafted each other, fighting over the ever-decreasing cash flow, and the costs that simply could not be avoided. I sure hope that sort of thing doesn't happen again.
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Post by EXO on Nov 21, 2023 8:31:08 GMT 8
President Rodrigo R. Duterte had directed CFI to save Corregidor from a slumber of over two decades and to restore its strength as a memorial shrine and a world-class tourism destination in order to arrest the consistent decline in the number of visitors to the island over the past 15 years.
COVID, however, brought Corregidor to a standstill. The Concessionaire who operated the daily boat withdrew it from service, and Corregidor Inn was closed down. Currently, neither are operating. CFI is still present on the island, acting in caretaker mode.
Carrion's vision was that CFI should be self-sustainable in the development of Corregidor by actively attracting more investments and soliciting donations that will provide support for the perpetual maintenance and preservation of its historical relics and facility infrastructures.
Whether that vision failed for being "a bridge too far", or whether the the COVID PANDEMIC lockdown caused its tourism traffic to collapse, I do not know and cannot say. Maybe a bit of both. Other tourism attractions have reopened around the Philippines, but to date Corregidor has not. There are presently no daily tourism trips from Manila bringing tourists to Corregidor.
Tourists need to have certainly if they are to take a day trip. Corregidor needs to be a taxi-ride away.
The Board of Trustees of CFI is currently comprised of the Secretary of the Department of Tourism, the Secretary of the Department of National Defense and PVAO, the Chief Operating Officer of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Authority, and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Cynthia L. carrion has resigned and taken up an appointment as General Manager / CEO with the Philippine Retirement Authority.
Goodbye Cynthia Carrion, "We hardly knew ye."
COMMENTARYIt's been how long since the high impact of the Covid-19 pandemic misery, and the tourist industry in the Philippines - generally speaking - has been busy reopening and reinventing itself in an effort to get its earnings to "bounce back". In January 2021, the Manila Times reported that the government had announced that it was confident the Philippine tourism industry would bounce back. That may have been a mite premature, particularly as the news never did seem to make it all the way to Corregidor, which is still suffering a deep freeze. The concessionaire of Corregidor's transport and accommodation arrangements did not seem to be all that keen to start again. Well, not under the same rules. With next to zero traffic, CFI's financial position became even more parlous. There needed to be confidence that CFI could arrange a kick-start. Well, it didn't happen. The success of Corregidor, as an income-earning entity, requires a reliable boat service for TBIS (Tourist bums in seats). Tourists want an easy day, they don't want to have to make their way down to Bataan and spend all morning trying to hire a banca at cartel-inflated prices. It requires coordination to provide transport on the island, and food services. It requires skilled governance. It requires comfortable - and not overpriced - accommodation. (TBIB's? Tourist bums in beds?) Speaking of overpricing, and I do a lot, the last time I stayed in the Corregidor Inn, the room rate was higher than the room rate in the Manila Hotel. I have been preaching for years that Corregidor needs to renew itself, in terms of the tourism life cycle. What has been served up time and again, in justification of all things inadequate, is the "force of circumstance" approach - "We have no budget," and "Oh, there can be no long-term investments made because all income is set by the number of day trips." Whatever. Do we get long term capital improvement, or fresh coat of paint over the cracks tourism? Sooner or later, the word gets around. Tourist resorts/attractions have a life cycle. In 1980 a tourism researcher Richard Butler developed a well regarded model called the Tourism Area Life Cycle that describes the evolution of the economy of resort regions. Here are the stages" 1. Exploration: A secret spot is discovered, no amenities, must "go feral". 2. Involvement: A few locally-run concessions are established 3. Development: A well defined tourism industry is developed via advertising the destination 4. Consolidation: Tourism becomes the dominant feature of the local economy 5. Stagnation: Tourism growth slows and carrying capacity is reached, the area is no longer a new hotspot, maybe its overbuilt or loses its charm. 6. Decline or rejuvenation: Decline results as tourists choose other destinations, rejuvenation typically requires attracting a different kind of tourist. So, with the other tourist attractions reopening, Corregidor never did. It literally "missed the boat." Whether CFI was at fault or not, they were in a position of authority in which they were responsible for the rebuilding of the attraction. Our Corregidor Historic Society has been involved in being customers of Corregidor for more than twenty years. Some of us started coming in the 1970's, others of us have visited more than sixty times. We have members from all the major continents, and our interests are as diverse as our residencies. Those interests extend to all aspects of History (not just WWII), education (the next generation of experts has to be trained somehow, somewhere), hiking, off-trail hiking, bushwalking, diving, ornithology. We are cavers and spelunkers. We are protectors and aficionados of wildlife. We are visitors of tourism resorts worldwide. We have had experiences that many bureaucrats would never conceive of. We have brought our family members, we've brought our friends. We are writers, publishers, engineers, military men, pilots, lawyers, accountants, and yes, even dreaded middle managers. We know what won't work on Corregidor. We know what won't work FOR Corregidor (that's not the same as "on" Corregidor.) We know what shouldn't be put there. We know that two years of unrestricted natural growth have concealed Corregidor's visual landscapes. We know that roads became trails, and that trails have become impassable. We know that a government department has removed Corregidor's assets, just like the scrappers did all those years ago. Two of Corregidor's gun barrels are now in Manila, and their origin concealed. We know that " spend the money programs" are are more capable of ruining Corregidor's landscape, and hiking trails, than not spending the money at all. I have no time for schadenfreude.
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Post by EXO on Nov 18, 2023 9:39:40 GMT 8
Mr. John Lindgren Sept 16, 1987
Dear Sir, Thank you for your letter of Aug. 27, 1987 and it is surprise and pleased to know that an enemy soldier who fought a desperate fight has similar battle fighting line records, only difference is that you were an officer of warm country and I am N.O.C. of defeated nation but both of us had same experience of so sad and miserable war. I feel like I knew you long before and think fondly and if I could meet, we should talk and agree that we should never repeat miserable war. It is so grateful that you are healthy and working hard and I am too. The reason why I joined Japanese gov’t sponsored Remains Collection Party for Philippines Islands Area was bring many remains as possible together with it soul to home country which waited lonely over the years and pray for repose of soul with hope that I would be able to clear out bad war memories in my mind. I was so gratified that when we surrendered to your army after we found war is over you have accepted and treated us so warmly and kindly we were prepared for death (to be killed). I thank you again that I could return to home and rejoin with family.
As to your questions, I can tell you about only my activities of at that time of war and that activities are so limited and narrow. The other information which I have maynot correct since it took over 40 years. However we will have big memorial service which will be held in coming May, 1988 for the remains we brought back and should like to have a gathering with our survivor group and some of those captured during the war and I would be able to get some more information which you might interested and hop your patience until then.
Best Regards Yoshiaki Yokota 2-5 Wakabada, Higashi Kasuga-shi, Fukuopka Pref. 816
-o-0-o- My personal answer to your query:
1. Due to heavy bombing which started early part of Jan, two batteries Ramsey were destroyed and lost many soldiers and total approx. 40 were alive. Commanding Officer of Hasegawa seriously injured. We have moved into Malinta Tunnel under the command of Warrant Officer Ichikawa with one rifle for two and five hand grenades. 2. Feb. 16 1945 heavy bombing and bombardment from warship started from early morning and we could go to look outside of the tunnel. Due to excitement and confusion in the tunnel, I could not count how long it took and after very quiet moment passed sudden heavy shooting of machine gun started at entrance of the tunnel and we take up challenge and everybody excited but we could not do anything with the rifle. It looked that no command or control were in the tunnels. We could not find our commanding officer Ichikawa. We suffered from thirsty and found no water but whisky and whisky makes more thirsty. 3. We heard that Nagasawa, a company commanding officer sent as scout but never returned and some confusion existing in the tunnel. One night (illegible) without any drink of water or food. More severe shooting and more confusion caused at entrance with those of soldiers who rush to get drinking water many of them were killed or heavily injured and it was looked like to see a hell on the earth. Again thirsty and hungry night came and we do not know who issued orders but those of soldiers who can fight, got out of the tunnel thru a hole in the top of tunnel, in the dark knight. I have joined in the group of attack with a rifle and hand grenade, and lead other soldiers as I have an experience of New Guinea and tried to reach enemy position but sudden shoot of an illuminating shell and searchlight lighted our charge like daytime action and machine gun, yellow phosphor bullets and we could not move and have lost many soldiers. I have injured left hand back. We have returned to the tunnel before the daybreak. Our company soldiers became few and the night of no water and no foods reaching and after dark four of us jumped out from the tunnel toward the direction of Landing Field underthe Trench Mortar fire. We did not know how long it took but finally we reached at beach near the Landing Field.
I told them to swim to somewhere where we can find our army. To my regret one of them who could not swim, committed suicide. I found a piece of log and jumped into sea and have no idea how long it took and found I am floating near Battery Pt. and daybreak reaching so I swimed toward James Valley before the torpedo find me out and machine-gun start shooting. At last, I could hardly hide myself at shade of a big rock and fell into sleep like dead, under the beautiful moon light.
Dreamed about my companion who committed suicide, fights at New Guinea, Parent, Brother, Sister in home country. Suddenly I heard sounds of footsteps and took position with hand grenade and hear Japanese conversation. There were two scouts and they took me to Army/Navy H.Q. at Battery Monja and were feeded with water and foods, after long days. 4. Information for afterward will be informed to you later as a group of action. The dates I have mentioned in the above may not match with archives. P.S. Your letter was translated into Japanese by High School Teacher who lost his father at Leyte War. My draft letter to you was translated by Mr. R. Ishikawa, a member of survivor at Corregidor Is. And who found the war is over by picking up newspaper, magazine at beach in night and recommended the surrender.
-o-0-o- K. ISHIKAWA, Ex Pfc., Japanese Army born March 1915.
The following is my career in the Army:-
1. Drafted by the army 15th June 1944 in Kawashki (I was exempted entry of Military Service at age of 20 years because of not qualified for the service) approximately 1500 drafted on the same day.
2. Shipped out 18th of July 1944 for Burma after one month training. A convoy fleet organized at Moji Harbor with regiments from Manchuria etc. 3. Due to heavy damage of the convoy fleet it was unable to proceed for Burma and landed at Manila on August 8th, 1944. 4. Bombing of Manila City by U.S. Air Force started early part of Sept. 44. 5. Our Infantry Battalion organized for defence of Manila Bay under the command of Defence H.Q. in sometime Oct. 1944. 6. Landed on Corregidor Is. On Nov 8, 1944.
7. Heavy air bombing and bombardment from warship started Jan. 1945. 8. Parachute Troop landed on Corregidor Is. On Feb 16, 1945 while I was near top side shelter as a runner from Sakai Company. 9. Surrendered to U.S. Army at Corregidor Is., on 1st Jan., 1946. (We thought it was 5th of Jan 46 as we celebrated New Year as we may be killed. Our calendar was 5 day ahead of actual one.)
10. Repatriated end of Dec. 1946.
11. Two more men of the same career mentioned in the above are in our SURVIVORS group except repatriated date.
-o-0-o-
Answer to your question on Corregidor Is. By K. Ishikawa:-
1. As mentioned in my career statement, I am lowest rank of soldier and did not have any freedom to go around the island area therefore my observation and experience of was so limited area. I however, try to answer your question as much as I can. 2. (a) Your computed strength of 850 on Corregidor Is. may correct up to around Sept. I think reinforcement of strength was made afterward. There were no Filipino working as I have not seen any of them.
Since Manila City bombing started by U.S. Air Force, Manila Defence H.Q. organized Ichinosawa Battalion in Oct.44, with Officers locally drafted and the Battalion arrived Corregidor on Nov.8, 1944. This is the battalion which I belonged. (b) There were NAVY Suicide Boat Group (attack U.S. boat in night with dynamite loaded boat) stationed. No idea when they arrived and No. of strength.
(c) There were poorly armed Navy Soldier group (one rifle for 4-5 men) landed in Dec.44 and Jan. 45, survivor of warship MUSASHI which sunk at Leyte War.
(d) Field Artillery company arrived in fall of 1944. I do not know strength of the company.
(e) It is said to be the total strength was 6850 when U.S. Army attacked. 3. We did not expect Parachute Troop attack on the small island top side but prepared for landing from North & South Dock and other area of sea.
4. The company I belonged, positioned at near the Power Station area. 5. While bombing continues most of them hidden in the shelters or MALINTA and were too late to find parachute troop’s landing. 6. Communication:- As far as our company concern the communication with H.Q. was maintained by telephone but after damage by bombing the communication kept by runners. 7. Navy kept good amount of good quality of food in shelter but the Army did not have as supplied from Manila with short interval. 8. Water:- After landing of U.S, force we depended 100% on spring water. The supply was serious problem and many of soldiers died because of water. I have no idea how water supplied before landing of American troops.
9. I have no idea of ENDO. 10. I was lucky because I equipped with old type of rifle while most of NAVY and Artillery had but one rifle for 4-5 men and others are equipped with spears. 11. We kept contact with our SURVIVOR Group with telephone or letter as required basis. 12. We do not have any particular organization but used have an annual gathering mostly in Spring Season.
13. We have, in our group some of veterans who captured during the war and sister or widows of the war. The gathering used to be 10-15 attendants including above 3 categories. Attendants of those surrendered of Jan 1, 1946 usually 6-7 as 4 of them already passed away. All together, 18 still alive but they are spread over the all Japan and some of them are sick or lost contact. P.S. I have visited the Corregidor Is. twice, one was Dec 1962 on the way back from New York and other was Jan. 1980 with wife to pray for the soul which died for Mother Country. Regret writing with poor English but it is tiresome for old men to translate in English & Japanese.
Best Regard K. Ishikawa 4-9-
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Post by EXO on Nov 14, 2023 17:53:01 GMT 8
Very interesting series of pics there Karl.
Images #27 to #30: What a cringe to see how they lined the road in front of the Diesel Power plant with a series of ugly, unsuitable, unsympathetic power poles!
Whoever is running the island clearly cannot see it through the eyes of a tourist.
Are they deliberately trying to make Corregidor more ugly and less historic?
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Post by EXO on Nov 14, 2023 14:37:52 GMT 8
I wanted to make a point about scrap thieving on Corregidor. Scrapping is too nice word for thievery. Thievery comes in all sorts of guises. Official, semi-official, and outright. Surely it doesn't happen these days? Oh yes it does. At all levels. Why is it so? ANSWER IN ONE: It is pre-1945 steel. In the desirability stakes, pre-1945 steel is the premium price model of scrap metal. It justifies wreck removal, no matter how significant. Here's an example. This image was 2008. In all the years I've visited Corregidor, this is NOT a place where boats dock. But it needed to be cleared. Why is pre-1945 steel so valuable? In short, because it is so rare. Most steel created before nuclear testing began is long gone, having been recycled, scrapped, or repurposed. Pre-1945 steel, more accurately termed low-background steel, is any steel produced before the first nuclear bomb was detonated on the 16th of July, 1945. Codenamed "Trinity," this detonation would change the world in many ways, including chemically. Nuclear explosions released into the atmosphere dozens of radioactive isotopes that had never before existed in nature, such as Plutonium-239, Strontium-90, Caesium-137, and Technetium-99. Over the next 35 years, the United States, Soviet Union, Great Britain, France, and China conducted more than 1,000 atmospheric nuclear tests. This resulted in the spread of huge quantities of isotopes across the entire planet — and its atmosphere. The Bessemer Process, used to make steel, involves blowing atmospheric air through molten iron. Consequently, the isotopes not only ended up in the air, but also in nearly every piece of steel produced post-1945. This may not seem important, but the contamination is actually enough to disrupt some scientific apparatus made from this steel. Pre-1945 steel is precious for applications requiring little contamination from radionuclides. This includes scientific equipment, medical equipment, and some aerospace applications. That means a premium price in the pocket if you bring Corregidor steel into the local scrap merchant. Not that he might tell you, if you're just a run of the mill thief. Or if you work on Corregidor. I've seen it. Stuff disappears. Small stuff, big shells. Stuff I've handed in. It's collected, placed where no one sees it, stuffed behind a tree on Bottomside, or under a few bushes at Middleside, and then it disappears. Sorry, I just don't subscribe any more that CFI, throughout the years, worked up a sweat to stop it. Nor the Department of Tourism. (I heard it called "The Depravement of Tourism" the other day. I had to laugh!) I think CFI needs to be reinvented, reconstituted, revamped. Corregidor has never been a National Park. Instead it's been run as a fiefdom. There has never been a "National Park" mindset. They may talk about it being "sacred" or a "place of remembrance", but anyone with eyes to see can see how it has deteriorated under the stewardship of those who were supposedly appointed to protect it. Scrap metal you can sell only once, Tourism you can sell by "day trips" for ever and ever.
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