Corregidor Island

Corregidor Island is the former American military base which guarded the mouth of Manila Bay, and one of the most devastating war theaters of World War II. We took a one hour ferry to the island on Tuesday this week. The picture on the left is the remains of the American Barracks (reinforced with Bethlehem Steel!). They were originally thought to be bomb-proof. But as the picture indicates, they were completely shelled out by the Japanese.

Prior to the Japanese attack, Corregidor Island was known as a paradise of military bases, with golf courses, swimming pools and movie theaters. Now all that remains are the ruins of a clearly once impressive site. On the right is anti-ship cannon set in a depression to make it harder for the enemy to locate. The cannon was used by Americans and Filipinos to defend the base, and ultimately Manila, the then Pearl of the Orient. The batteries are pockmarked with artillery fire. Entering any one of the batteries, the struggle and loss of life by all sides is palpable.

The American and Filipinos eventually had to surrender their hold on the island, and were subsequently transported across the bay to Bataan, where the Bataan death march began. Fewer than 100 nurses tended to the wounded and malnourished soldiers during the march. At this time, the US had refocused its efforts on the European front, in the effort to defeat Hitler. The troops left in the hands of the Japanese were completely despondent at their loss of communication with Washington.

Now after the war, the island is left much as it was immediately following the War as a rememberance to all of the damage and destruction that war causes. And many student groups come to the island for group exercises in peace and international understanding.