All accounts of the silver
dumping in San Jose Bay are from Navy Diver Morris Solomon. The "dap-dap" boat
that was alongside the South Dock was a small tender-tug approximately 45 feet long with
one engine. This small vessel was salvaged for scrap after the war. ‘Mo’ Solomon
was forced as a prisoner to recover these two cases of silver from the stack of the wreck
by the Japanese. He was also forced to recover the arms thrown off the South Dock, which
were packed inside artillery powder canisters and sealed. He stated that the job was quite
difficult since the containers tended to move around on the bottom. MacArthur’s
personal set of pearl-handled 45’s were also recovered off the South Dock and turned
over to the Japanese.
The private American
attempt to recover these silver pesos resulted in 70% of the haul going to the Philippine
Government.
The Author actually had
the opportunity to personally interview "Speedy Gonzales" while visiting the
island. Of course, one cannot vouch for the story’s full authenticity but is
interesting none the less.
The Author, of course,
cannot, (or more accurately ‘will not’), divulge just how much was recovered at
this particular site. Suffice it to say, enough was recovered to at least pay for the
expedition to the island.
