.
On 6 February, Japanese artillery opened fire on Corregidor and the
fortified islands from positions in Cavite Province. The forts were
shelled eight more days and bombed twice in February. Occasional
shelling and bombing hit the fortified islands until 15 March, when
the Japanese began preparations to renew their offensive on Bataan.
The bombing and artillery raids now continued unabated until the end
of the siege. The Japanese conducted attacks spaced over every
24-hour period after 24 March to prevent any rest by the defenders.
Japanese harassing artillery fires, conducted every 25-30 minutes
throughout the night, caused the Marines to dub the annoying cannon
"Insomnia Charlie." The artillery spotting balloon over Bataan was
nicknamed "Peeping Tom."
The events of 30 March typify
the constant Japanese bombardment. There were two periods of
shelling, beginning at 0950 and 1451, and six bombing raids,
beginning at 0040 and spaced throughout the day. One Marine, Private
First Class Kenneth R. Paulin of Company M, 3d Battalion, was killed
during the day by shellfire from the Cavite shore. The bombing raids
finally ended at 2205. The attacks were renewed at 0102 on the same
schedule, except 10 bombing raids occurred on 31 March.
Photo:
Austin C. Shofner
Papers,
Personal Papers Collection, MCHC |