US 48 Star Flag raised on the 16th Feb. 1945 on Corregodr and at the 80th Anniversary.
1st Flag 1945-02-16 by PIR 503d Troopers of the 503d Parachute Infantry Regiment who raised the US flag on a power pole 1945-02-16 on the first day of the assault. Over the years the pole has disappeared. Friends of Corregidor made an effort to find it and did. Between a gracious donor (Mr. Clark and Karen Judy), the Kwiecinski family, Mr. Paul Whitman coordinating and the Corregidor Foundation INC. granting permission and doing all the work this new Memorial/Marker was established in 2015/16. The Corregidor Forum has this page for it, click here:
The web master of Coirregidor.org, many years ago, travelled to Corregidor to commemorate the liberation of Corregidor on the 16th of Feb. He invited and encouraged others to go along and so it has become an annual tradition to raise a 48 Star Flag on the Old Flagstaff on Corregidor. This 48 Star US Flag was donated to the Corregidor Foundation Incorporated (CFI) by the Gen. MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk. On the 16th of Feb. 1945 the Allied Forces, Navy, Paratrooper by air and Army Infantry by sea assaulted Corregidor, liberated it and presented it personally to Gen. MacArthur on the 2nd of March 1945, who excepted it and spoke his unforgettable words: “Let no enemy ever haul down these colors”.
We like to express our deep appreciation and thanks to TIEZA (the present manager of Corregidor) for granting us permission to continue the tradition. They also arranged to give word to the Bataan boat operator and Philippine Coast Guard that they gave us permission to travel to Corregidor for this special day. They supported us by providing the US 48 Star Flag and gave us transportation to Topside, the location of the First Flag Monument/Marker.
Today, the 16th Feb. 2025, indeed was a Special Day; a commemoration of retaking Corregidor, the 80th Anniversary, was conducted by the Province of Cavite, Philippine Government Departments, the City of Cavite and TIEZA on the day of the Allied Assault on Corregidor, 16th Feb. 1945. A group of veterans and history minded citizen from Olongapo City participated and took these pictures, we were invited. The first 23 images in this album were shot while waiting for the start of the commemoration.
68 pictures have been uploaded into this Flickr album in high resolution, Corregidor Collection, click here:
After the Commemoration of Retaking Corregidor, this small group of veterans and history minded citizen from Olongapo City walked to the First Flag Monument/Marker and conducted our commemoration and we took these pictures. The Corregidor on-island maintenance staff had prepared the monument site and even cut a path thru the Corregidor Topside Parade Ground grass to the monument and even improved the steps in the ground to the site, thank you Corregidor Island Maintenance staff; auf wiedersehen.
#D01. The dramatic image of the WWII image of Paratroopers raising the first US flag on Corregidor on the 16th Feb. 1945. T/5 Frank Guy Arrigo accompanied by Pfc Clyde I. Bates raised the flag. Photo courtesy of Corregidor.org. That is the reason we are here, this was the first step of the Liberation of Corregidor in 1945.
#D02. The Corregidor First Flag Pole and Monument/Marker.
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Jose M. Paderon, Filipino Olongapo Resident, my long time friend and I raise the US 48 Star Flag at the Corregidor First Flag Monument/Marker
#D03.
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#D05. The US 48 Star Flag, like in 1945!
#D06.
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#D07. The US 48 Star Flag is raised at the Corregidor First Flag Monument/Marker, I/we salute.
#D08. Our group poses at the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) port/harbor facility in Camaya Coast, Bataan. We are:
Jose M. Paderon, Filipino Olongapo Residentand long time friend
Wayne Bier, US Veteran, permanent Subic Municipality resident
Benamor Labadan, Filipino Olongapo Resident and neighbor, former diver cleaning hulls of US Navy ships.
Ferdinand Bolor, Filipino Olongapo Resident and brother in law and engineer
Karl-Wilhelm Welteke, US Veteran, permanent Olongapo resident
The Corregidor Maintenance staff prepared a path thru the former Fort Mills Parade Ground and renewed the steps in the ground to the First Flag Monument:
#D09.
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