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"RETAKING CORREGIDOR"
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Retaking
Corregidor History has a way of
reviving events in a wholly different mood from that in which they took place. I
shall not belabour the obvious Corregidor legend, but it is worthwhile to point
out one or two features which deserve emphasis. One of the most dramatic aspects of Corregidor is that it
completed a full cycle in which the two belligerents reversed the roles of
defense and assault. Each garrisoned the fortress against overwhelming odds, and
each attacked it with overpowering forces. These events offer an interesting
study in contrasts, from which the tremendous superiority of American tactics,
methods, and characteristics is clearly demonstrated. In 1942 the American garrison made its epic defense of the
island, outnumbered, outgunned, unsupported, and deprived of any hope of relief,
our men held the post for four bitter weeks after Bataan's fall. Amid th'
encircling gloom, men fought on here with unfaltering devotion. Long after they
knew that victory would be denied them, they hung on out of pure loyalty to the
ideals of their birth. Ultimately, they were surrendered in a forlorn hope of
humanitarian treatment. In the three years that followed, many became heroes,
and a few, a too precious few, became survivors. In 1945, when America returned as an attacking force, the positions were
amazingly reversed. The island was taken in less than two weeks. The depths of
defeat were vindicated, at last, by an equally spectacular victory. In both
extremes, citizens in uniform demonstrated their capacity to meet with triumph
and disaster, and treat those two imposters both the same. They fought to bring
back with them something more glorious than triumph. They brought back the hope
of an American peace, "Pax Americana." This publication gathers together over 150 photographs obtained from the U.S. Archives in Washington, D.C. which record the retaking of Corregidor. Also included are rare colour images taken as the operation progressed. While buffs may recognize many photos, the value of this publication is in having this comprehensive collection in one, single publication - reproduced from high resolution digital scans. The clarity of the images is spectacular. The book is professionally printed by a "print on demand" company and its selling price reflects printing and production costs and our 'not for profit' status. The preview link will take you directly to the printer, and from here on in, you are in their website, not ours.
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combat over corregidor | amid th' encircling gloom | 503 the rock regiment | moments in passing | MORE MOMENTS | retaking corregidor 1945 | |
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