ABSTON,

Capt. Aarin A.

One bomb hit Btry Crockett around 3 May, piercing the double wall of the powder magazine. The powder did not explode. The ammunition hoist and the generator were destroyed by shelling about 23 April.

AMAROSO,

Col. . Arnold D., Executive Officer, 60th CA (AA)-

1.   With possibly one exception no AA guns were destroyed by enemy bombing. 

2.   I do not have detailed information of destruction of AA guns by shell fire. One gun on the golf course was destroyed by fragments from the Btry Geary explosion. AA guns were constantly moved around and about 12 of the 24 guns remained at the time of the surrender. As far as I know these guns were all demolished in accordance with the plans.

3.   A bomb hit in front of one gun of Btry Wheeler, damaging it. Ordnance later put it back into action. It was never knocked out by shelling although it was very heavy in that vicinity.

APILADO,

Pfc, Btry E, 92nd CA (PS) 

Our battery manned 75mm guns, first at Calvary Point then at Hooker Point. These guns were destroyed about 30 April by shelling from Bataan . We had plenty of ammunition which was not destroyed at the time of the surrender.

AUSMUS

Col. Delbert, 59th CA

1.   I was commander of all Beach Defense artillery during the campaign. We had about 20 75 mm guns and a number of 37mm guns previously used as ex-caliber for 155mm guns. None of these were damaged from bomb-ing and there was only limited damage from artillery fire until 3 May. On that date heavy artillery concentrations started to fall on the north shore of the tail of the island and later in James Ravine. Practically all guns were put out of action. There were three 75mm guns mounted on curved rails under concrete splinter proof covers mounted on top of  Malinta Hill. These guns were destroyed and the concrete cover of one was knocked down. The top of Malinta Hill was picked out particularly as a target and everything up there was damaged. By the time of the surrender about 80% of all beach defense guns were destroyed by enemy artillery fire. The remainder were damaged by demolitions. 

2.   Prior to the surrender every searchlight on the north side of Corregidor and the one in the east face of Malinta Hill were destroyed by artillery. As soon as a searchlight went into action a heavy concentration would be placed on it. 

3.   There was practically no damage to wire communications by bombing. However the artillery constantly cut cables and telephone lines and near the end communications were very poor, although most of the stations could be reached. 

4.   Malinta Tunnel was not damaged to speak of by either bombs or shell fire and remained intact throughout the campaign. 

5.   The officers club was badly damaged by bombs on 29 December. The headquarters building and the officers quarters were considerably damaged at the time we surrendered but not nearly so badly as they are now. 

6.   The three 3-inch seacoast guns on pedestal mounts set into tunnels in Malinta Hill were not put in by us. However from the photographs, I am convinced that they had been placed in tunnels we used for 18-inch beach defense lights.

BALOGONA,

1st Lt., Hq 91st  CA 91st ( PS)- 

1. I was regimental supply officer. 

2. The hospital was hit on the first bombing on 20 December and caught fire. 

3. The Middleside Water tank was hit on 31 December. 

4. One gun of Battery Way was knocked out by the bombing on 20 December. 

5. We were at Btry Hanna at the surrender. It had been knocked completely out of action. 

BANAGI,

 M/Sgt, Juan, R320249, Hq Btry, 91st CA (PS)-

1. During the entire siege I was in charge of the cable splicing crews at Corregidor . We were responsible for repairing all telephone cables destroyed by the enemy and for maintaining necessary communication lines, especially from the post switchboard to USAFFE. We repaired all power cables leading to different batteries. It was necessary to work day and night to keep these lines in repair. Communication was generally intact until the saturation shelling on 4-5 April. The following lines were damaged during the siege: 

2. Telephone cables from FC switchboard to Btry Geary. 

3. Telephone cables from FC switchboard to Harbor Defense Command Post. 

4. Telephone cables from TB-62 at Middleside to Btry Ramsey and the Bottomside terminal boxes, especially TB-1 that served the island outpost. 

5. All power and telephone cables in the duct between the two manholes in front of the diesel power plant. 

6. Telephone cables from the cold storage plant to TB-9 at Bottomside furnishing most of the lines to USAFFE headquarters. 

7. A 100 pair telephone cable leading from Malinta Tunnel. While repairing it in late April one of my men was killed from artillery fire. 

8. Telephone cables TB-62, to Btry Morrison and the MM-station were out by enemy shell fire, also during late April and early May telephone cables to Btry Hamilton and a 27 pair telephone cable from TB-9 to TB-3.

BAUTISTA,

1st Sgt, Francisco, 6614023, Btry G, 92d CA (PS)- 

1. Our battery manned  Btry Monja, two 155mm guns on Panama mounts. From January to 6 May we fired approximately 2000 rounds of high explosives. About 500 rounds without fuses were left.

On 29 December a bomb hit one of our machine gun positions about 10 yards to the right of Gun No. 1, destroying two .39 caliber machine guns, seven rifles and all equipment and tools of the machine gun squad. In March another bomb hit the battery office and kitchen, damaging office and food supplies. During March several bombs fell in the vicinity of the battery and hit the small hill between the two guns. No. 2 gun buried and it took seven days before we had that gun in action. The panoramic sights and lighting equipment were damaged. 

2. In April during counter battery engagement with enemy artillery, a Japanese shell hit searchlight No. 4, about 30 yards from our battery and put this light permanently out of commission. 

3. About 1130, 6 May we received orders to destroy our equipment before noon . We loaded both guns and placed one round in each muzzle, firing them with a long lanyard. The barrels of both guns split in two. We destroyed our rifles. We threw remaining powder and shells over the cliff. 

4. We had sufficient food and water during the battle. Our communications were cut during heavy shelling around 4 May,

BOUDREAU,

Col. , Napoleon, 91st CA  (PS). 

1. On December 6, I was in command at Fort Wint . The fort was bombed lightly for the five days ending 15 December. No damage was done? On 25 December all troops abandoned the fort. The breech blocks of all the guns were dropped into ocean but no other demolitions were carried out. At that time all wooden houses on the fort were still in good condition. I understand the Japanese shelled the fort about 30 December. Damage unknown. 

2. I was placed in command of Fort Frank . The island was subjected  to almost continuous shelling shell fire from Cavite for some time in January. Except when on required duty all personnel lived in the two tunnels leading to the 14-inch guns. During March one shell was dropped through the roof of the Crofton Tunnel, killing 34 men and wounding many others. The hole in the roof was soon repaired. The earth cover was only three feet thick at this point. 

3. No damage was done to Fort Frank by bombing.  4. There were no direct hits on the guns of Greer and Crofton but many shells bursts within the emplacements. These two guns were in operation to the last. There was no time to permit firing those batteries with empty recoil cylinders before 1200 6 May so that the breech blocks were removed and together with tools and loose spare parts thrown into the sea, Men broke off all parts possible with sledge hammers and battered the pistons in. About half the powder was burned. 

5. A number of shells from Cavite hit in the pits of Btry Koohler but the eight mortars were all in operation at the surrender. Prior to noon of this day all guns were rendered inoperative. The firing mechanisms and parts of the breech block that could be removed were thrown over the cliff into the ocean. The pistons were hammered with a sledge hammer and all other possible parts broken off with the hammer. About half the powder was burned.

6. Btry Frank North, four 155mm guns on Panama mounts, manned by Btry C, 92nd CA (PS) and by Batry B, 92nf CA (PS) was often shelled. Two of them were destroyed prior to the surrender. At the surrender the two remaining guns were fired with empty recoil cylinders. The firing mechanisms, breech block, fuses, tools and spare parts were thrown into the sea. All powder charges were burned. 

7. Btry A, 91st CA (PS), manned a 3-inch AA battery at Fort Frank . Two of the four guns were destroyed by artillery fire prior to the surrender. At the surrender the remaining two guns were fired with empty recoil cylinders. The breech blocks, tools, spare parts, and all ammunition were thrown into the sea. 

8. Before noon 6 May I had received a message which read in part as follows: “Destroy equipment, raise white flag at noon and notify Forts Drum and Hughes.” The decoded message was telephoned in full to Lt. Col. Kirkpatrick of Fort Drum . Repeated efforts to reach Fort Hughes failed. In addition to In addition to the demolitions describe above, the 3-inch mortars and the 75mm field guns were partially stripped and pushed over the cliff into the sea. All small arms and small arms ammunition , tools, and loose spare parts, telephones, observing instruments, telephone switchboards, field glasses and similar items were thrown into the sea, being first smashed when practical. The 60-inch seacoast and AA searchlights and smaller beach defense searchlights were smashed when practical, The 60-inch seacoast and AA searchlights and smaller beach defense searchlights were smashed. Replacement, books, maps, correspondence, typewriters, etc., were destroyed. The cable ways and dock crane were destroyed. All power plants, except one 25 KW set which was kept running for out own benefit, were smashed. All water reservoirs had previously been destroyed by shell fire except three 10,000 gallon tanks which were at each end of the three major batteries. These were kept intact for our benefit. 

9. During the trip from Corregidor to Manila 123-24 May 1942 I talked to Lt. Col. Kirkpatrick, commander of Fort Drum. He said he emptied all recoil cylinders of all guns, placed sandbags in the muzzles and fired them with full charges. The muzzle of one of the 14-inch guns was split and another 14-inch jumped from its carriage with the breech resting against the rear of the turret. He flooded the powder magazines with salt water and threw everything the men could handle into the sea except rations and medical supplies. 

10. Btry Hoyle at Fort Frank originally had two 3-inch guns. Sometime before the war started, one gun was removed and sent to Corregidor . Since the remaining gun was at the north end of Fort Frank and covered the same field of fire as Btry Frank North, during February it was removed and shipped to Fort Drum where it was emplaced on the east end of the upper deck. 

11. During late April and until the surrender, Fort Drum was almost continually shelled from Cavite , hundreds of shells hitting it on some days. Everything on the upper deck except the turrets were swept off, the AA guns, cage, mast, searchlight, etc. 

12. I visited Fort Drum on 23 May 1942 . One gun of Btry Roberts has jumped from its trunnions and its breach was against the rear wall. One of the 14-inch guns had its barrel jacket split and some of its wire wrapping was on the deck. I was not able to see all the guns, but the place appeared to me to be a total wreck.  

BOWLER,

Col. , Louis J. , Harbor Defense Adjutant

Col. Bower has written a story about 200,000 words on the campaign. This report was not available to the board

BRALY,

Col. Wm. C., Harbor Defense S-3 

Col. Braly has collected all available data on operations during the campaign, only a part of this data was available for use of the board. He visited many places on Corregidor after the surrender as a guide for Japanese officers.

CATAMAN,

Pfc Avalino, Btry F. 92d CA (PS)- 

1. I served at Btry Frank North, for 155mm guns. We fired many days and nights at targets on Cavite . About 15 April three of our guns were hit directly by artillery shells and damaged beyond repair. We kept firing the other gun until it was hit later. We threw the small amount of 155mm  ammunition left into the ocean. The battery was never hit by bombs. 

2. The battery then manned pit B of Btry Koehler. It remained in good condition until we surrendered. 

3. At the time of surrender we threw the breechblocks of our mortars into the sea. We cut all the communications lines, smashed the telephones, destroyed the plotting room  by smashing it and threw all loose equipment over the cliff. We tried to throw the 12-inch mortar ammunition into the ocean but the Japanese came before we could dump it all. The battery power plant was in good shape.

CRUZE,

Pfc Buenaventure, Btry C, 92d CA (PS) - 

1. Our battery  manned Btry North at Kindley Field, a two-gun 155mm battery, About 231 April an enemy shell knocked out one gun. We move the other gun to Ordnance where it was fired until it was knocked out by enemy bombs about 3 May. We destroyed the breech block. 

2. Our battery emplaced another 155mm gun near the Middleside Service Club late in the battle. I do not know what happened to it. We had plenty of ammunition, 

3. An 8-inch gun on a barbette carriage was emplaced near Btry North but it fired only about five rounds before it was hit by enemy bombs sometime in March.

DATOC,

 2d Lt., Btry C, 91st CA (PS)- 

1. I was first at Fort Wint. It was bombed once without damage. All the troops left Fort Wint sometimes after 7 December. Everything was destroyed . The mechanisms of the 6-inch guns were destroyed. 

2. Our battery manned AA guns on Bataan until it fell. 

3. The battery then manned Btry Morrison. About 12  April we fired 24 rounds. The enemy returned fire and hit both guns. There was no time to repair them. The plotting room, powder magazine, etc. were destroyed by the shelling. Btry DPF was hit directly. 

4. Our battery also manned Btry Grubbs. On our first action about 15 April we fired nine rounds. Enemy returned artillery fire but did no damage. Soon therefore No. 2 gun was hit and permanently put out of action. We continued firing No. 1 gun for a few days until it was knocked out by enemy artillery fire. One shell came through the window and into the observing station demolishing the DPF. The battery emplacement was badly damaged. 

5. After that the battery manned two 155mm guns behind the Commanding General’s quarters on Topside. One facing east and one facing north. We fired about 110 rounds. The guns were not damaged prior to the surrender. We removed the recoil oil and destroyed the guns. We had about 150 rounds of ammunition left, but it was not destroyed.

 DAVIS,

 Capt., Thomas W. Commanding Btry H, 59th CA 

1. I commanded Btry Geary. Pit A on the right had model 1895 mortars and pit B had Model 1908. It fired 401 rounds, mostly at Bataan . About 3200 rounds were left in the battery on surrender. 

2. On 15 April a heavy 240mm artillery concentration was placed on the battery. A shell hit the ammunition storage which blew up demolishing pit B. The retaining wall collapsed and the emplacement was wrecked. The enemy continued to shell us, often using aerial observation, and from that time until 2 May we were under constant fire. The power plant was wrecked on 29 April. On 2 May the rest of our battery was destroyed, except for one gun in Pit A. After Btry Geary was destroyed  I was on duty at the  C-1 station and received nightly damage reports from all batteries. 

3. Btry Hearn received one bomb hit 7 January placing it out of action for about four hours. It was not fired until the night Bataan fell when they fired about 30 rounds by field artillery method using map data. At the surrender the recoil cylinders were drained and the gun was fired. Power plants, plotting room equipment and all fire control instruments were destroyed. 

4. The remarks on Btry Hearn apply equally to Btry Smith as both action and damage sustained were almost identical. 

5. No.1 gun at Btry Crockett was subjected to both bombing and shelling. It was finally knocked out on 24 April. Considerable damage was done to guns and emplacement, and the plotting room, ammunition hoists room, and one gun were completely destroyed. No. 2 gun was serviceable but never used due to very limited field of fire presenting no targets. Recoil cylinders were drained and gun was tripped on surrender but did not leave the elevating arms as expected. 

6. Btry Chaney was serviceable to the end. There was considerable damage to the surrounding areas by shelling but no permanent damage to the battery. At our surrender the guns were drained and tripped. All instruments and equipment was destroyed. 

7. One gun of Btry Wheeler was put out of action by a hit on the base ring. There was considerable artillery shelling in the immediate vicinity but no permanent damage was done. All equipment except one gun was serviceable up to the time of surrender when the remaining gun was drained and tripped and all equipment destroyed. 

8. Btry James was almost completely destroyed by artillery fire about 18 April. Only one of the four guns remained at the time of surrender. 

9. Btry Way had only one gun left at the time of surrender. This battery fired all night of 5-6 May at the Japanese landing at the tail of the island. 

10. One 8-inch  Model 1908 railroad gun was emplaced in concrete just east of Malinta Hill. It was in a very expose position and fired only a few of the 300 rounds of ammunition on hand before it was destroyed. All shells fired were found to be duds. 

11. Btry Hanna was destroyed by enemy artillery fire. 

12. At the time of the surrender the James Ravine mine casement was undamaged, but I understand that all equipment was destroyed by our personnel. The structure remained intact.

13. The diesel power plant was never hit during the fighting. 

14. The cold storage plant received considerable damage before the surrender. 

15. Btry Roberts at Fort Drum was knocked out by a 240mm shelling from Cavite . 

16. The Harbor Defense Command Post was located in the bomb proof switchboard dugout near Topside on 8 December but was moved to Malinta Tunnel immediately thereafter. 

17. I was told that only six 155mm guns were left serviceable on Corregidor at the time of surrender. 

18. Dynamite stored in one end of Topside barracks was hit by bombs, destroying a whole section of the barracks. 

19. The hospital was heavily bombed early in the war and was evacuated. Only walls remained. 

20. Btrys Leach and Fuger at Fort Hughes were shelled badly from Cavite and finally destroyed.

21. Btry Woodruff at Fort Hughes had been condemned as unsafe prior to the war but was placed in action and did considerable firing.

DECARRE,

Col. , Octave, Cmd., 92d CA (PS).

DINEEN,

Capt., William B., Dental Corps - 

1. I served as medical officer at Btry Way during the time it was manned . It had previously been put out of action by bombing on 29 December but was put back in action by Ordnance. Btry E., 60th CA, commanded by Major Massello that had been on AA duty on Bataan manned Btry Way about 29 April. The battery fired about 15 rounds a day drawing heavy counter fire each time. During the night of 5-6 May heavy enemy artillery fire started about 2200 and by 0300 three out of the four guns had been knocked out by direct hits with 30% personnel casualties. One mortar protected by its position kept firing until 1100, firing over 100 rounds. The breech block finally froze up from overheating. By 1100 there were 55% personnel casualties. Considerable damage had been done to the emplacement during the night. Some ammunition standing in the ready dumps was blown up during the shelling. 

2. The First Sergeant demolished the last mortar before the surrender. All plotting room equipment  not ruined by shelling was demolished. Most of the 12-inch mortar ammunition had been fired bur I do not know how much remained. S considerable quantity of 6-inch AA ammunition remained stored in the galleries.

DOMANTAY,

 Pfc, Pastor. Hq 91st CA (PS).- 

1. I was a radio operator on a SCR-136 at Topside working all the outposts. We were on the air at all times. Our station was hit and we moved to the Topside barracks. Out station there was hit and our apparatus destroyed. 

2. So I was sent to Fort Franks where I operated the SCR-136 in a bomb proof  position. In February intense shelling started from Cavite and continued for two weeks. It was hit directly by a shell but there was no damage. 

3. At that time we could talk to Fort Drum , Hughes, and Mills on the telephone. During April the submarine cable between Fort Hughes and Corregidor was out. 

4. Btry Greer was hit and not repaired. 

5. Btry Crofton  was hit on the base ring but it was repaired. 

6. We received the message of surrender at 0930 , 6 May.  At 1130 we received instructions to destroy all equipment at 1200.

ENGLEHART,

 Lt. Col., Carl E., 91st CA (PS)-

1.  On 8 December I was in the office of G-2, Philippine Department. Upon evacuation to Fort Mills I was appointed mine director  principally because of my detailed knowledge of the new mine system. 

2. The mine casemate in James Ravine was hit by one bomb early in January. Several cables were cut but these were repaired within an hour. 

3. Two mine  fields had already been planted, one called Monja Field, consisting of three lines of nine groups each, a total of 500 mines. There was a smaller field in the North Channel . There was only one real mine action which from the nature of the operation causes us to claim that four submarines were sunk. 

4. During the night of  5-6 May the very heavy shelling  cut all our cables in James Ravine as well as an overhead cable lading to another group. All control of the North Channel field was thereby lost and these mines were never fired.  We were trying to repair cables at the time of the surrender. We were able to fire most of the mines in the Monja  field during that night.

FOSTER,

Col. , Valetine F., 59th CA- 

1. Early in the campaign I was on duty in the C-1 station. Later I took command of Fort Hughes . The fort was not bombed but there was considerable shelling. All weapons were in operation at the surrender.  Q. Telephone communications with Fort Mills was intermittent through April but was lost on 5 May but we could reach them sometimes by radio. Around 1000, 6 May one of our observers saw a white flag flying at Corregidor . I secured the Harbor Defense letter of 10 April which gave instructions for the demolition of equipment but stated that this would be carried out only on specific orders from the Harbor Defense Commander. Unable to reach Fort Mills by telephone or radio directly about 1030 I requested instructions as to the surrender and carrying out demolitions by radio to a Navy station. Where it had to be relayed once to reach Malinta Tunnel. I receive no reply until about 1400 when a message was received confirming the surrender and directing me to take no action in regard to demolitions. No demolitions were carried out.

GOAD,

Capt., Medical Corps- 

1. There had been no action at Fort Frank when I reached there 13 January. About a month later the enemy started shelling us with light artillery from Cavite shore. Not much damage was caused, The Japanese continued to fire intermittently, starting to use heavy shells about a week later. A ration boat at the wharf was hit but we all managed to escape without injury. The boat burned for two days and drifted out to sea. 

2. Btry Koehler did quite a good deal of firing. Our first casualties were caused by one of our own 12-inch mortar shells exploding over the pit.

3. During heavy shelling everyone remained within one of the two large tunnels. One 240mm shell penetrated at the south tunnel and exploded near a squad room, killing about 35 and wounding an equal number. 

4. Btry Frank North fired about 1000 rounds of 155mm ammunition. About 15 February the battery was hit with eight or ten casualties. After the heavy shelling about 20 February two of these guns were put out of commission, one permanently and one for about two weeks. 

5. Btry Greer had been put out of action before we arrived there on 13 January. 

6. Btry Koehler was still in commission at the time of the surrender. Several guns had gone out but they were repaired  and seven of the eight were still useable at that time. 

7. At the surrender the docks were still intact and useable. A barge had sunk near the wharf but ration boats could still dock. 

8. Our  troops were not too successful with demolitions. The Japanese did not come on the island until 24 hours after we surrendered. We dumped a lot of equipment over the side but plans for destroying the larger equipment did not work out as intended. We destroyed all but one power plant which was retained for emergency use. All the switchboards were destroyed. Both of the tunnels were in good condition when we left.

GULICK,

Capt., John McM, Cmdg., 91st  CA (PS)- 

1. After AA service at Fort Wint and Bataan , my battery evacuated to Corregidor , and part of it manned Btry Morrison  on 9 April. Up to 12 April it had suffered no bomb damage. On 12 April the Btry was heavily shelled from Bataan,  damaging them to such an extent that the Ordnance machinist stated that they could never be fired again. The power plants and plotting room were undamaged. The ammunition gallery back of No.1 gun was destroyed by fire. The observing and battery commander stations behind the battery were destroyed. The powder and shell rooms were full at the time of departure. Battery was abandoned 12 April and never manned again. 

2. Another part on my battery manned Btry Grubbs on 9 April. The emplacement was damaged by two bombs about 11 April. The power plant and the No. 1 tool room were damaged and the ammunition I-beams bent. The battery was shelled daily from 12-16 April from Bataan . On 16 April No. 2 gun was knocked out of action by a direct hit on a recoil cylinder. By this time No. 1 gun was out of action due to a mechanical defect. Battery commander station at the rear of the battery was destroyed by shelling. The emplacement was merely scarred up. We abandoned the battery on 16 April. 

3. Later my battery organized Btry Gulick, two 155mm guns. In position near the Ordnance instrument shop. Battery was never damaged by bombs. One gun, previously reconditioned, blew up when the first round was fired. The other gun went into action on 20 April and continued to fire until the surrender. This gun was destroyed by draining the recoil cylinders of oil and firing. 

4. Commanding General’s quarters, which was being used as an observation post for Btry Gulick was destroyed by shell fire.          

HAWKINS,

Lt. Col., Signal Corps, -

1. The Harbor Defense Post was in Manila Tunnel but the communication from there was in the H-station, the old Harbor Defense Command Post at the west end of Topside barracks. It never received any direct hit. The post and fire control switchboards were located there and were burned completely when the orders were received to demolish all equipment. 

2. Our communication was adequate until the night of 5-6 May when the communication cables between the ends of the island were knocked out. Most of the cables were buried from one to three feet underground in ducts. Toward the last it was necessary to lay 25 pair of Army cable and lead cable directly on the ground.

3. There were 10 pair cable from Mariveles to Corregidor . There was one 50 pair cable directly from Corregidor to Fort Drum and a second one by way of Fort Hughes .

4. There were BD 74's and SCR-177's on the post side but all were still cratered except one SCR-177 that never got on the air. Whenever antennae were installed Japanese shell fire knocked them down. 

5. Radio communications were not used extensively. In fact they were discouraged since some thought the enemy was using radio direction finder to lay their guns. SCR-136's were used extensively plus some Navy equipment. We tried to alert all radio stations the night preceding the surrender but could not get all of them although we tried for several hours. 

6. Prior to the war there about 85 base end stations. Some of them in concrete shelters. 

7. On 6 May no undamaged buildings remained on Corregidor except the church at Bottomside and several other small buildings.

8. Topside was lighted by a 19KV-110V Palmer generator driven by a36 H.P. Diesel. Its largest load was 5-6KVA. It ran for 45 days without stopping. This power plant was installed for use of radios but it was used for everything at Topside since the power cable to the post power plant at Bottomside was shot out. 

9. At the time of the surrender there was no water in the tanks under the tennis courts at Bottomside and Topside sufficient to last for some time

JOHNSON,

Pfc, Amos 6438567, Btry I, 59th CA –

1. I served with a 3-inch AA battery at Fort Hughes facing Cavite , the battery arriving on 6 December. When the Japanese landed we could only fire two of our guns. I think they were knocked out. The last morning we fired all the ammunition we had. 

2.  Btry Leach was only able to fire about eight rounds.  3

.  Btry Fuger fired at a lot of boats to the east and once fired at some planes when we were being hit too hard. I have heard that the Japanese took these guns out and leveled the ground with bull dozers. 

4. One shell went through the platform of Btry Gillespie into the powder magazine but the powder did not explode. This battery was not fired at all since it was pointed in the wrong direction. 

5. At the end there was a few holes in the wharf and tracks had been broken. There were two 155mm guns set up on top of the island but they did not do much firing.

KIWANEK,

Lt, Col ,. Q.M.C.

1. The walls of the commissary sales building were cracked by nearby bomb hits to the rear which blew out all windows but did seriously damage it. 

2. Late in April the cold storage plant was hit by a 240mm shell which broke ammonia pipe and put the refrigeration out of action. 

3. The QM repair shops at Middle-side and the bakery at Bottomside were completely destroyed during the 29 December bombing.

KOHN,

Col. , Joseph P., Cmdg, 91st CA (PS) and group 4, -

1. I commanded Group 4, including all 3-inch, 6-inch, and 155mm guns on the north and west of Corregidor , and the Mine Command. 

2. My CP was first at the G-4 station on Way Hill, but that was destroyed by a bomb about 2 Jan. It was then moved down the island near Cape Corregidor . This was never hit. 

3. Btry Stockade,  two 155mm  guns fired from spades, was manned by A-91, a mine battery. One gun destroyed by shell fire in April. Other gun reported demolished by crew on surrender. 

4. Btry Rock Point. Two 155mm guns on Panama mount, was manned by 1st Plat., B-91. Upon surrender I saw those two guns demolished by firing with fused projectiles in muzzles. 

5. Btry Hanna was manned by 2d Plat., B-91. It was knocked out by artillery fire. 

6. Btry James, four 3-inch guns, was manned by Btry B , 1st Phil. Army, which was attached to B-1. Knocked out 20 April with about 30 casualties. 

7. C-91, Cmdg by Capt John McM, had a very fine combat record. It first manned a 3-inch AA gun battery at Fort Wint . It evacuated to Bataan , fought there, and withdrew with a little equipment two days before Bataan fell. At Corregidor the battery manned both Morrison and Grubbs. Both were destroyed soon afterwards. The battery then manned Btry Gulick until the surrender. 

8. Btry Sunset, four 155mm guns on Panama mounts, was located on the exposed ridge below Btry Smith and manned by D-91 to which was attached Btry A, 1st Phil. Army. The first day the enemy shelled from Bataan , a shell hit and destroyed the plotting room. One gun was later destroyed by shell fire. The battery commander reported remainder destroyed on surrender. 

9. Btry Wright, two  155mm roving guns, were manned by part of D-91 under Lt. John M. Wright. In all, this battery had four guns, two being destroyed by artillery fire

10. E-91 manned a 3-inch AA battery at Fort Frank on top of Greer tunnel. No damage to this battery was ever reported to me. 

11. F-91 manned by Btry Koehler, Fort Frank. A muzzle burst early killed one officer and seven men. This battery fired 28 engagements at Cavite land targets. All mortars were in firing condition at the surrender.  1

12. F-91 manned Btry Crofton when it was fired on Bataan .

13. G-91 was  a mine battery  and also manned Btry Morrison until C-91 took over. Later the battery manned 75mm beach defense guns  on south shore. 

14. Btry Keyser, also called North, two 155mmm guns on Panama mounts, was manned by C-92. 

15. Btry Hamilton on Geary Pt., four 155mm guns, was manned by the 92nd CA (PS). Demolished by crews on surrender. 

16. Btry Monja had two 155mm guns on Panama mounts, one inside a tunnel and one outside. Thoroughly destroyed at surrender.

17. Btry Ordnance Point, four 155mm guns firing from trails, was commanded by Capt Kappas, 92nd CA (PS). 

18. (Information of submarine mine system has been incorporated directly into par. 32 of basic report.) 

19. Co. Paul D. Bunker served as Seaward Defense Commander and as commander of Group 1. The G-1 Station was on a lower level at the C-1 Station. Neither was ever damaged. 

20. The Seaward Defense Commander’s Report of Damage (AppF) was by prepared by Colonel Bunker in Formosa before his death. 

21. Both guns of Btry Morrison were knocked out by artillery fire early in April, the recoil cylinders of in each being badly damaged. At the surrender the breech blocks were removed and lighter parts of the carriage broken with sledge hammers. 

22. At 0002, 17 December, the SS Corregidor missed the gate in the Monja minefield and was sunk by our mines with the loss of about 500. 

23. At about 1000, 6 May, I received orders by telephone from HD Hqs to demolish all equipment by 1200 in accordance with letter of 10 April.  I telephoned this order to every battery under my command, telling them to start at once. All reported full demolitions. My demolition plan called for each gun to be fired with a fuse shell in the muzzle and all instruments and equipment to be broken up. No attempt was made to destroy ammunition. I also sent necessary orders for destroying mines and mine equipment.  (See par. 32 of basic report.) 

24.Late in April an enemy shell exploded 40 tons of TNT (used in mines) stored in the west end of Topside Barracks, demolishing it completely. Twenty tons of TNT in the next bay were undamaged.

LUCAS,

Sgt. Juan, Hq Btry 91st CA (PS)- 

1. I was cable chief for the Artillery Engineers. I had two gangs of six men each splicing cables. Cables were out constantly. Much of the cable was in trenches buried about 36 inches.The shelling just prior to the surrender cut many duct lines, especially on Middleside and Topside. We connected Topside with Malinta Tunnel with 100 pair submarine cable about 1 February. Cables in the area surrounding hut No. 5 were often cut by shells. 

2. Two operators burned the switchboards and all fire control equipment was destroyed at the time of the surrender.  3. The cable to Fort Hughes was in good shape until March.

MELLNIK,

Major, Stephen M. Harbor Defense Command Assistant S-4

All references are to his article, “How the Japs took Corregidor,” Coast Artillery Journal, March-April 1945, attached as Appendix E.

 MOORE,

 Capt., George M.. Hq, 59th CA  -

1 . The guns of Btry Crockett were shot out from Bataan , the intense shelling wrecking the emplacements, hoists, etc. 

2. One gun of Btry Wheeler was bombed out but put back into action. At the time of the surrender No. 1 gun was fired so that it jumped out of its carriage. 

3. Btry Hearn got a direct hit and was put out of action for 24 hours. It fired all night before the surrender. The gun was demolished by draining the recoil cylinders and firing one round. 

4. Btry Smith was demolished in the same manner as Btry Hearn.

PALPALATOC,

 Pfc., Alberto, Btry Gm 91st CA (PS) –

1. I served in the mine observing station near Btry Hanna’s two 3-inch guns. The station was hit by both bombs and shells and badly damaged. At the surrender we destroyed our rifles the radio, the plotting board, all observing instruments, and the range finder. 

2. Btry Hanna was not hit by bombs but was hit with shells from Bataan . 

3. In April enemy shells hit the ammunition at Btry Sunset and blew up one gun which was not repaired. 

4. After the surrender I stayed in Corregidor with 500 others and worked at many batteries. 

5. The guns at Btry Monja had been destroyed and everything was damaged. We were sent down the cliffs to pick up ammunition and the guns that had been thrown over. 

6. At Btry Way many shells had hit the emplacement and knocked our all four mortars. 

7. At Btry James the left gun was hit by the enemy. The others had been destroyed by our troops. Some of the gun pits were blown up. The ammunition room was not disturbed. 

8. The base ring at Btry Smith was broken by demolition. The emplacement was in bad shape but the tunnel was open. All plotting room equipment and the telephones were destroyed. There was only .50 caliber ammunition in this vicinity. They made us pile up the ammunition and sort out the good from the damaged.  Brass cartridge cases of rounds we said were no good were collected for shipment to Japan . Projectiles were thrown into the sea. Powder taken from cartridge cases was burned or thrown into the sea.

PETRIE,

1st Lt., Lester L., Btry G, 60th CA (AA) and 1st Lt . Theodore R. Esatow, Btry K, 60th CA (AA) –

1. These two officers were interviewed together and their testimony had been incorporated directly into the AA paragraph of the basic report. 

2. I was kept on Corregidor for about six weeks after the surrender workings as a member of the clean up and salvage detail. After the surrender the Japanese made us collect all 3-inch AA, 75mm and 155mm guns, as well as other moveable equipment, for scrap. Most guns and equipment were completely demolished and very difficult to move.  Except in one battery, the name of which I do not recall where the barrels were intact, the 155’s had been particularly destroyed. With this exception all guns we collected were junk. Small arms, fire control equipment, both AA and seacoast, were all badly wrecked. I helped collect and load some of this on a ship. The searchlights were completely demolished and were hauled away with the rest. The Japanese collected all the food we could find. They had us store much ammunition in tunnels.

 POBRE,

Pfc., Bt