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Zo923. One of the Senior Officer Quarters, Topside on Corregidor, Fort Mills which was used by one of the parachute companies as a head quarter when recapturing Corregidor from the Japanese on the 16th Feb. 1945.
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Album Description:
The purpose was to show my friends Bill Loudermilk and Scott Simms, the famous island of Corregidor, the former Fort Mills of the Manila and Subic Bays Harbor Defense, Coastal Artillery Command. A relative of my wife went along also.
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Zo917. We started here, the north shore of the Manila Bay North channel in front of the Villa Carmen Resort in Cabcaben, at the SE corner of Bataan. We rented one of their boats.
Zo918. Relative, Bill (we go back to Viet Nam in 1966), the partner of Scott (hidden) and Scott (we go back to our 2004 retiree days in Pearl Harbor) are waiting for the Carmen Resort boat crew to get ready to take us to Corregidor.
Zo919. We are on Corregidor at the Japanese Garden of Peace. Mr. Ron Benadero is checking up on us; he is the senior representative of the Corregidor Foundation Inc. on the island. I consider him a friend.
Zo920. Ron Benadero and I at the Carmen Resort boat. I see, my little belly has started, 64 years young now and 15 years since retirement from the U.S Navy.
Zo921. Ron Benadero and I at the Japanese Garden of Peace. I see, my little belly has started, 64 years young now and 15 years since retirement from the U.S Navy. I used to be a smoker but was able to quit in 1999; tried to talk Ron into quitting but did not succeed.
Zo922. The MacArthur Café also had a souvenir shop, but I forgot now where this was, at the Japanese Peace Garden or Topside near the Corregidor Lighthouse?
Zo923. One of the Senior Officer Quarters, Topside on Corregidor, Fort Mills which was used by one of the parachute companies (Parachute Regiment 503) as a head quarter when recapturing Corregidor from the Japanese on the 16th Feb. 1945. Bill (we go back to Viet Nam in 1966), me-Karl, Scott (we go back to our 2004 retiree days in Pearl Harbor), Jemma-partner of Scott.
Zo924. Battery Wheeler, Gun #2, in Fort Mills on Corregidor Island in Manila Bay with a Filipino relative of my family.
Zo925. Battery Wheeler, Gun #2, in Fort Mills on Corregidor Island in Manila Bay with a Filipino relative of my family.
Zo926. Battery Wheeler, Gun #2 area, in Fort Mills on Corregidor Island in Manila Bay with a Filipino relative of my family. My friends are taking pictures.
Zo927. Battery Wheeler, the gun barrel of Gun #1 at the location of Gun #2, in Fort Mills on Corregidor Island in Manila Bay with a Filipino relative of my family. During the war, I was told the Japanese occupiers had the American POWs move the gun barrel here, what a hard job!
Zo928. At the end of a long promenade, displaying the WWII Battles of the Pacific War, the eternal Fame of Freedom has been installed. This is part of the Pacific War Memorial on Corregidor, which I believe was completed in 1968. In 2006 the water was still here but it took a lot of service to maintain the quality of the water and the water eventual was put away.
Zo929. The view is across the North-Channel between Corregidor and Bataan and we see the SE corner of Bataan, the Lamao industrial area. This view is from the end of a long promenade, displaying the WWII Battles of the Pacific War, which at the east end has the eternal Fame of Freedom installed. This is part of the Pacific War Memorial on Corregidor, which I believe was completed in 1968.
Zo930a. map of Corregidor Island, the former Fort Mills, Head Quarter of the Manila and Subic Bays Harbor Defense, Coastal Artillery Command. I marked in all the relevant location of the image items in this album.
Zo930. The Eternal Fame of Freedom is now solar powered since 2005. This plaque shows the history of this effort. This is part of the Pacific War Memorial on Corregidor, which I believe was completed in 1968.
Zo931. A look back onto the Pacific War Memorial on Corregidor from the Eternal Light to Dome.
Zo932. Inside the Pacific War Memorial Museum on Corregidor, the former Fort Mills of the Manila and Subic Bays Harbor Defense, Coastal Artillery Command.
Zo933. One of only 7 images in the Pacific War Memorial Museum on Corregidor (there are many images), the former Fort Mills of the Manila and Subic Bays Harbor Defense, Coastal Artillery Command. This is the Headquarter building.
Zo934. One of only 7 images in the Pacific War Memorial Museum on Corregidor (there are many images), the former Fort Mills of the Manila and Subic Bays Harbor Defense, Coastal Artillery Command. This is the Cine and the so-called “Mile Long Barracks” behind it.
Zo935. One of only 7 images in the Pacific War Memorial Museum on Corregidor (there are many images), the former Fort Mills of the Manila and Subic Bays Harbor Defense, Coastal Artillery Command. This is a picture of one of the suicide boat units which were stationed on Corregidor and perished.
Zo936. One of only 7 images in the Pacific War Memorial Museum on Corregidor (there are many images), the former Fort Mills of the Manila and Subic Bays Harbor Defense, Coastal Artillery Command. This is a memorial page to 5 suicide boat units which were perhaps stationed on Corregidor and I count over 700 men who perished.
Zo937. One of only 7 images in the Pacific War Memorial Museum on Corregidor (there are many images), the former Fort Mills of the Manila and Subic Bays Harbor Defense, Coastal Artillery Command. This is an extra ordinary picture; it says it was found by a GI in the US. who recognized it and brought it to the attention of the authorities? It shows the area where the Japanese Garden of Peace is now; it was completely over grown then. Japan authorities interned the soldiers and made into a memorial. In my view a good thing to do and this was the right place to honor the dead.
Zo938. One of only 7 images in the Pacific War Memorial Museum on Corregidor (there are many images), the former Fort Mills of the Manila and Subic Bays Harbor Defense, Coastal Artillery Command. GIs and Filipinos rig a temporary ferry service with Philippine boats
Zo939. One of only 7 images in the Pacific War Memorial Museum on Corregidor (there are many images), the former Fort Mills of the Manila and Subic Bays Harbor Defense, Coastal Artillery Command. It always warms my heart to see WWII pictures when Filipinos enthusiastic welcome the American Liberators and jump right it the action and help in many ways.
Zo940. The Philippine American Friendship Memorial was here reestablished to concentrate more historic item in one place, closer together. In this picture we also see the cine and the museum building.
Zo942. The 12 Inch gun, Battery Hearn with a friend/ friends, Topside on Corregidor most people visit this gun, it is kept clean and free of obstacles for the tourists.
Zo943. The 12 Inch gun, Battery Hearn with a friend/ friends, Topside on Corregidor most people visit this gun, it is kept clean and free of obstacles for the tourists.
Zo944 The YMCA at Middleside, the recreation center for the GIs, stationed in Fort Mills on Corregidor Island before the war.
Zo945. This was the location of the Philippine-American Friendship Memorial before it was moved to Topside, maybe between 2004 and 2005. This is part of the Stockade Level and around here were barracks for Philippine Scout Troops and NCOs before the war.
Zo946. The Sun Cruises Ferry is approaching the Corregidor North Dock, the former Army North Mine Dock. It is bringing tourists. In back is Mt. Limay, to the right of the ferry. My friends and I came from Barrio Cabcaben on Bataan by a smaller boat.
Zo947. The Sun Cruises Ferry is approaching the Corregidor Engineering Dock; it is bringing tourists. My friends and I came from Barrio Cabcaben on Bataan by a smaller boat.