It was Don Abbott who introduced me to Fred Hill. Don had sent me this scan of Image #6, and wrote:

"Incidentally, let me fill you in a bit.  This photo was taken about 10 to 1:30 AM on 16 February 1945.  The first drop has been completed.  Parts of Regimental HQ & HQ Co., part of the 462nd and most all of the 3rd Bn 503rd had jumped.  By the time of the photo the third Battalion of the 34th Infantry is is the process of making their amphibious landing.   We do not know where the obvious shelling was coming from. The mass of chutes in the foreground are from men who jumped on "A" Field (the parade ground).  In the distance the chutes are on "B" Field (the 9-hole Golf Course). My chute is somewhere in the area of "A" Field. I jumped with the first wave.   I can tell you about where I landed. On the '36 map, you can find Building 214, about a hundred yards west of Officers Quarters 28D. That was the spot, I think, but I didn't leave a calling card to mark it.

One little tidbit from my ongoing study of Morning Reports for Corregidor which I just, recently, acquired from the National Personnel Records Center:  I spent most of my time in three different companies, "A", "D" & "E" while overseas.  Those three companies out of the whole Regimental Combat Team lost through Killed in Action or Died of Wounds 45 men during the period 16 February to 1 March 1945!  I was one of the lucky ones and did not get a purple heart on the Island. I was, however, evacuated on 1 March with a case of hepatitis. In the meantime we had one skirmish or another most every day.  Our most difficult time was on 26 February when we attempted to take Battery Monja on the South Shore Road at Wheeler Point.  We killed a lot of Japs and had a bunch of casualties."

A close study of this photograph will reward the student. In the foreground left of centre are, so I'm told, the married NCO's quarters. These today, I'm sad to say, are so buried in the jungle, they are barely visible even twenty yards away from the road. In the foreground right of centre is Btty. Wheeler, where many Japanese are in the lower levels. Travelling up the road going towards Btty. Wheeler, one can see a spare barrel laying at the side of the road. Towards its right is the area in which Bunker's tunnel is situate. There are clearly more parachutes falling short of Landing Zone B.   In several instances, with the Japanese controlling the ravines, this would prove fatal. Btty Crockett is to the far right, midground.  On the other side of Malinta Hill can be seen the bare area of Watertower Hill. beyond it in the far top left hand side is Kindley field, where there is a fire burning.

In the photographic print, resolution is sufficient to pick out individual troopers. If you can't see these details, go and buy the photo, you won't be disappointed.

Catalog #6

Return to Jump Station