Widely admired for his bravery as a soldier and his compassionate treatment of his men, Dr. Charlie Bradford  passed away recently on 17 May 2000. John Lindgren writes of his death  (TAPS) and also recalls 'an afternoon in November 1993.'  Sit quietly with them at the Harvard Club for the afternoon, and listen to a truly extraordinary man. 

 Sometimes minor comments on our e-mail circle stir up the most mindbogglingly trivial topics. But what begins as an assessment of whether there were or were not trucks along the South Shore Road at the base of Crockett Ravine ends in a serious lesson on "Bayers' Theorem of Subjective Probability." 

 One of the things which a Corregidoros must learn is not to rely on a single book, or a single source, because some of them are worse than inaccurate.

 "It wasn't but a minute later that Capt. Amery yelled out, "Everyone take your small arms and hand grenades to your fox holes! HERE THEY COME!"

 Contrary to this purple prose extract from "CORREGIDOR - FROM PARADISE TO HELL"  there wasn't a Battle of Morrison Hill.  The real truth of Btty. Chicago follows in discussed in "Narrative Report of ActioN" by Captain G. R. Ames. 

"roster, personnel, 59th coast artillery corps"

As at 31 March 1942 (1.8 Meg)

PDF File Available on Membership CD Only

"roster, personnel, 60th coast artillery corps"

As at 31 March 1942 (2.1 Meg)

PDF File Available on Membership CD Only

"roster, personnel, FT. MILLS"

As at 31 March 1942 (50K )

"roster, personnel, HQ & HQ BTRY, HARBOR DEFENSES"

- As at 31 March 1942 (45K )

"The Best Warrior I Ever KneW"

- Bill Calhoun was Lloyd McCarter's platoon commander, and one of the officers who recommended him for the Congressional Medal of Honor.  McCarter's conduct on the night of the action came as little surprise to those who knew him.

Better have the books corrected!"

" MacArthur left the Rock - but from where? Even MacArthur himself got it wrong. Ed eats crow.

 - This is a preview of the manuscript written by Dr. Charles Bradford.  We are presently attempting to obtain a publisher and distributor for the manuscript, and to that purpose  we have placed the first few chapters of the manuscript on the website. Then let us have your comments.

 - Al McGrew has written a book,  "Mid Th'Encircling Gloom"  Sent to Corregidor as a naive recruit, he writes of the siege,  the surrender, the 92nd Garage confinement, the march to Bilibid Prison, Cabanatuan III POW Camp, Pasay School POW Camp, the Nichols Field Labor Camp, a hell-ship transfer to Japan, Omori POW Camp, slave labor on the smelters, and the B-29 Raids.  Here's a teaser.

 A short story by Al McGrew, the last bugler of "H" Battery at Corregidor. 

 - The Story of the Staff Sgt who was no hero. 

 - Not everyone on Corregidor was a hero. Some were deserters. This report was compiled in a  POW Camp, so that the official U.S. record of the battle would truly reflect both bravery and cowardice.

A series of approximately 50 photographs taken throughout the course of Chet Nycum's war.       

 - Chet Nycum spent the war as a private, and it is from this viewpoint that his experiences are  recorded.  Of his recollections, he says "these are the ones that still invade my dreams".  We travel with Chet through  Training, Australia, New Guinea, Noemfoor, Mindoro and to Corregidor (Day 1).

 Transcript of an interview, conducted by his grandson, of Maj. Perkowski, who was a corporal in the 59th Coast Artillery on Corregidor. He recalls his service on Corregidor and some of his experiences as a POW.

"They weren’t mean just to everyone else, they were mean to themselves, too.  They were mean people."

 Transcript of an interview, conducted by Shelly Zimbler, of Val Gavito, who was personal assistant to Colonel Bunker, Commander of the59th Coast Artillery on Corregidor.

"you could have your eyes closed and he would walk into the room and you  knew he was there, you felt it."

 Extracts from a 503rd veteran's 1986 visit including a detailed story about visiting Btty. Monja and Cheney Ravine.  

"It may be I don't notice the heat because I am a little excited as we rapidly make headway through the South China Sea toward Wheeler Point."

  A poem. It is it's own best comment.

- Immediately after the 1942 surrender, American troops were astonished to see one of their own emerge from Malinta Tunnel wearing a kimono and approach the Japanese offering to serve as an interpreter.  Truth or Legend?  "A bit of both," says contributor Hollis Blakesley.

- When Jim Mullaney found the remains of a  long dead US Defender in Corregidor's long grass he didn't realize that his own personal "mopping-up" wouldn't end until 50 years later, when he decided to send "The Letter."

-  Certainly one of Corregidor's more inspiring officers, this interview goes into the detail of how Colonel "Wild Bill" Massello gathered the men of his searchlight unit together on Corregidor after its evacuation from Bataan, and turned them into the unit which fired the last of the big iron on Corregidor.  

-  Some of our mail involves people looking for information on kin, and troopers wondering what happened to their colleagues.  Where we can help, we do.

When a shell fragment snapped the halyard of the American flag flying over Corregidor, Louis Roark responded to prevent the flag from falling, lest the Japanese mistake the signal.   Sixty-one years later he was presented with a Silver Star.  Article by Debra Roark Mourning.

  Val Gavito was present at noon, May 6, 1945 when the US flag was lowered over Corregidor, and the white flag raised. 

  There is more to Corregidor than defeat, surrender and vindication. It symbolizes war’s duality - destruction and creativity, brutality and comradeship, inhumanity and humanity, yes.  But before all of this, before World War II, it was an idyllic place for the Army families who lived there.  This is Selma Harrison Calmes' pictorial story of that other lost Corregidor. 

 - Comments about Mac's time on Corregidor.

 - After they were evacuated from Bataan, Btty "E" 60th C.A. (A.A.), under  Maj. Massello volunteered to reactivate Battery Way.  Eric Sprengle has compiled a short word portrait which helps to give an idea of the heroism which resulted.

  Ken Hess,  the son of a 503rd veteran has researched his father's war. 

"When you heard 'Banzai! Banzai!" the earth shook--someone was going to die right now."  

  - John Lindgren's  powerful and profoundly moving recollection of the night action of 18-19 February, 1945. 

 - But for Al McGrew, you wouldn't be reading this.

 - Extracts from a round table on pre-war appointments of Officers to the Philippine Islands.    Adams, Harrison, McGrew and Whitman each put in their 2cents worth

 A traumatic and inspirational diary completed over the years by Corregidor veterans as they reflected on their visit to the Rock. A historic document, of itself.  

 Medal of Honor Recipient from the 503rd P.R.C.T. - The Citation

  Eulogy for a notable Corregidor survivor by Al McGrew

 - Captain Duane Whitlock U.S.N. (Ret'd)  briefly recalls Corregidor, where life in the AFIRM tunnel was anything but trivial. 

"...We have discussed it between us and have decided we will not let a single one of you fall into their hands. When the time comes, we are going to shoot everyone of you,  then shoot ourselves." 

 from the 4th Marines viewpoint. This article premiers a number of Japanese pictures taken  immediately after the ceasefire. (Photos courtesy Al McGrew) from the 4th Marines viewpoint. This article premiers a number of pictures taken by the Japanese of the situation immediately after the ceasefire. (Photos courtesy Al McGrew)

 - The Philippine Scouts, writes Lieutenant Colonel John McM. Gulick, U.S.A.F. (Ret.) formerly of the 91st CA, ". . . completely outperformed the Americans."  Not only were they "intensely loyal" and "highly trained," "but were, I believe, somewhat aware of the failings of many Americans. Their literalness in repeating the same task in exactly the same way made them superior gunners.  Under fire they showed courage and did precisely as they were told."  Colonel Alfred J. D'Arezzo, U.S.A., insists "You would have to stand them up to the best soldiers of any country." (Corregidor - Belote & Belote, 1967) George Munson,  our resident expert on all Philippine Scout matters, introduces us to one of the four Coastal Artillery Units whose job it was to deny enemy access to Manila and Subic Bays. 

"The Story Behind the Story Behind TapS"

 - Showing how some internet folk won't let the facts get in the way of a good story. The story behind the story behind the bugle call 'Taps'.   Jari A. Villanueva plays Taps at Arlington National Cemetery and has researched this article on the true history of the bugle call.

 - When John Lindgren writes for us, it's with powerful insights, whether it be a "Visit With Colonel JoneS", an "AN Afternoon with Doc Bradford", or even a simple "Diary 1989".  His "Night at Wheeler PoinT" is amongst the most moving essays I have ever had the pleasure to become involved with.

Verne tells us of  his war, and the immediate circumstances of his almost fatal wounding on Corregidor.   

"During the time I was faking death it came to me that it was still a few days 'til my 20th birthday..."

- Don Abbott has contributed several authoritative articles relating to his experiences, amongst them how The Warden got his name, The "E" Company Attack on Btty. Monja, Return To Mindoro, and Purple Hearts on Noemfoor.  Particularly noteworthy are his comprehensive compilations of the casualty lists from Corregidor and of The 503d in WWII. The Corregidor Honor Roll contains individual links to tribute pages containing what is presently known about the deaths of the individuals involved. 
 

"War of Our Fathers"

- By permission of the photographer, Richard Marin, we feature the foreword from his newly released book,  together with some of his photographic interpretations of Corregidor. 

"WILD BILL'S MEMORIAL"

  -  Tom Murphy dedicated a memorial to Major William Massello on 6 May, 2002 at a small ceremony at Battery Way.

"Woody" - Pfc. Elwood H. Hearne

 -  "My name is Elwood Hearne. I am 22 years old and have been ever since 1945."  So starts an evocative first person retrospective of the life, times and death of "Woody" Hearne by Chris C. Scott.

"YESTERDAY WAS A DOWN DAY"

A Veteran recalls Corregidor's 6 May 1942.