◄           LST at North Dock           ►

May 1981

When I arrived on Corregidor again in 1981, this view was the first thing I saw as I stepped from the banca.  In the background, a bunch of VIP's are arriving on a Philippine Navy LST.  VIP's don't think about Corregidor as I do,  and I have always been uncomfortable with them.

 

Al McGrew

"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 Al McGrew's AMID TH' ENCIRCLING GLOOM

 

 

 

photo © Al McGrew 1981