S E C R E T
REPORT BY THE ENGINEERS, XI
CORPS ON
FORTIFICATIONS, MINES, BOOBY
TRAPS, AND DEMOLITIONS
ON
CORREGIDOR
SECTION I - GENERAL:
The information in this
report was obtained from the
officers of Company "C",
161st Engineer Prcht Bn.,
Company "B", 113th Engineer
Combat Bn., and from the
operations report of the 3rd
Platoon, Company "C", 3rd
Engineers, and from a
personal inspection of the
island itself.
As this report was
compiled from Engineer
sources, it will undoubtedly
differ in some respects from
those of other branches and
services.
The major differences
will be concerning the
effect of the Naval and Air
bombardments, both
pre-landing and those in
direct support of ground
operations.
It was again
demonstrated here that it is
the Infantry that fights the
final and decisive battle,
and that all other arms and
services merely lighten this
task.
SECTION II - MINES AND B00BY TRAPS:
1. Booby Traps:
a. Reports indicate
that only three (3) possible
booby traps were employed by
the enemy.
(1) A light machine gun
near the shoulder of a road
had a string tied to the
barrel with a pull friction
igniter in a box of picric
acid. The enemy made no
effort to conceal the trap.
The entire installation
being visible and out in the
open.
(2) Two
infantrymen-making entry
into a cave met with an
explosion. One was killed,
the other seriously wounded.
A statement was made by the
wounded soldier that there
was a booby trap in the
entrance. No other
information is available.
(3) While exploding a
mine field of small AB
mines, one of the mines made
a crater approximately six
(6) feet deep. All other
mines in this field that
were exploded, made craters
about one (1) foot six (6)
inches deep. The Engineers
that cleared this field
believed that the mine was
activated. |