On 9 April the first Japanese artillery, a
75-mm. gun battery, reached Cabcaben. In plain sight of the Americans on
Corregidor, the battery opened fire, marking what Colonel Bunker,
commander of the Seaward Defenses, called "a crucial point in our
operations- a milestone."4
This first attack was promptly answered by the 155-mm. guns of Battery
Kysor located on the north shore of Corregidor. Thereafter, on orders
from General Wainwright who feared American shells would fall on the
hospitals, civilian camps, and friendly troops in southern Bataan, the
Corregidor batteries were prohibited from firing on the peninsula. This
order remained in effect until 12 April when counterbattery fire against
located enemy targets was authorized
During the days that followed the Japanese
brought up their heavier guns in preparation for the more intense
bombardment to follow. General Kitajima, 14th Army artillery
officer, took every precaution to insure the most effective use of the
eighteen batteries under his command. He divided the target area into
three zones, corresponding roughly to the beach defense sectors, and
assigned a specific zone to each battery. Careful tests were made to
insure the accuracy of each piece and all targets were inclosed by
bracket fire. The balloon company moved from Abucay to the heights of
Mariveles where it could observe fire on Corregidor. At the first sight
of the balloon the Americans christened it Peeping Tom. The intelligence
regiment was also brought south and by the 13th had set up its flash and
sound equipment. For the Japanese artillery the conditions were almost
ideal.
The Japanese did not neglect the
searchlights. Whenever one showed its light, they quickly "shot hell out
of it."10
Apparently they had their guns registered on the fixed Seacoast
searchlights. To test this theory Colonel Bunker ordered one light to be
turned on for fifteen seconds, scarcely enough time for the enemy to
register, load, and fire. After that time a man turned off the light and
ran. He was scarcely twenty yards away when Japanese shells fell on the
searchlight. "Which proved," noted Colonel Bunker, "that the Japs had
their guns loaded, laid, and men at the lanyards with orders to shoot
instantly when the light showed."