The column of prisoners moved slowly, filing it's way downward. On the right, we passed what was left of some type of a blue vehicle, apparently destroyed by shell or bomb. It was resting on the shoulder of the road, on the very edge of the drop-off of Ramsey Ravine. Punctured barrels, powder cans and other types of debris littered the road. To the left, on the north side of the road, the remains of the Engineer's offices squatted among the tree stumps. A tree was a rare commodity on Corregidor , the shelling had practically wiped the vegetation from the entire island. When we had passed along the length of Middleside Barracks, I had noticed even the big mango trees that had bordered the open area in front of the barracks were also splintered and nearly destroyed.

The column wound down the road until Bottomside was in view, oily black smoke covering the landscape. The surface of the hills on both sides of the road resembled photos of the moon. Huge craters everywhere, ruins of former structures, seemingly acres of corrugated metal strewn everywhere. The Corregidor that I had known was no more! Bottomside was in shambles! To our right, the remnants of Barrio San Jose lay smoking. Since all of the buildings of the Barrio were of wooden construction, few walls were standing. Once past the Barrio, we began to climb toward Malinta Hill. I thought they were going to march us around the South Shore Road , but that was not the intention of the Japanese, they were going to march us right through Malinta Tunnel!

Extract from "Midst the Encircling Doom"
©Al McGrew