2 MARCH 1945

 

"Colonel Jones, the capture of Corregidor is one of the most brilliant operations in military history. Outnumbered two to one, your command by its unfaltering courage, its invincible determination, and its professional skill overcame all obstacles and annihilated the enemy. I have cited to the order of the day all units involved, and I take great pride in awarding you as their commander the Distinguished Service Cross as a symbol of the fortitude, the devotion, and the bravery with which you have fought. I see the old flagpole still stands. Have your troops hoist the colors to its peak, and let no enemy ever haul them down."
                                                                                                                                                              Gen. Douglas MacArthur

Impressive as the official ceremony was, it did not hold a light to the two men, T/5 Frank Guy Arrigo and Pfc Clyde I. Bates, who risked their lives and climbed the utility pole under fire and raised our flag over the Fortress Corregidor.

 

S-3 Report No. 15

From: 1800, 1 Mar 45

To: 1800, 2 March 45

3. OUR OPERATIONS:

a. INFANTRY: Our ground activities are confined to intensive patrolling in an effort to exterminate the last few remaining enemy. WHEELER POINT, MONKEY POINT, and ARTILLERY POINT AREAS saw small action."

"g. MISCELLANEOUS: The flag was officially raised over CORREGIDOR by the Commander in Chief, General MacArthur."

4. CASUALTIES:

a. OUR CASUALTIES: This Report- 0 KIA, 1 WIA, 0 IIA, 6 MIA.

To Date- 182 KIA, 418 WIA, 340 IIA, 6 MIA.

b. ENEMY KNOWN CASUALTIES: This Report- 12 KIA, 1 PW.

To Date- 4506 KIA, 19 PW, 2 DOW."

 
 

 

Naval party arrived on beach preparatory to arrival of Gen. MacArthur. Plans all completed and troops to represent Rock Force assembled- one platoon from 3rd Bn 34th Inf came from Mariveles.

#175

0900

#176

1000

MacArthur arrived on San Jose beach and greeted by Col. Jones. Capt Gies - naval air liaison then had 12 P-47's put on an air show and mission on Caballo.

#177

1100

General MacArthur arrived topside and visited his office and found it badly dam-aged as everything is damaged. From there he went to Wheeler Btry and spent 10 to 15 minutes looking it over. He then came to ceremony area where Col Jones presented him the Rock Corregidor on behalf of he (?) & the Rock Force. The Gen then decorated Col Jones with the D.S.C. for a job well done and in a General Order of the day cited all units participating in the operation.

#178

1200

Then went to visit his quarters to see if the case of Scotch he buried under the steps was still there. He then proceeded to the beach and left the island.

#179

1800

All units continued patrols against isolated opposition.

#180

2400

Very quiet day except for "Doug's" visit. Mortar fire harassing the draws during the nite.

#181

1920

S-3 Periodic Report to XI Corp by Radio.

#182

2030

Request to Corp to return 603 Tk Co to their own unit.

#183

 

Mission Officially closed.  Total Enemy KIA-4662,  PW-20

No Entry

"The Co. was stationed along MacArthur's route from the beach to topside to act as road guards."

"General MacArthur, Admiral Nimitz and many high ranking staff officers came to inspect the island. The General seemed well pleased with our actions. We furnished one squad for guard of honor."

Almost all the men of the regiment with the exception of the honor guard were placed at intervals of about ten feet along both sides of the road from Topside to Bottomside to protect General MacArthur and his party.  I'm not sure, but I believe the men of our field artillery battalion and engineer company got to share in this protective cordon.

After the General landed at the North Dock, which was protected by a 50 caliber machine gun section under 1st Lt Charlie Horton, C Battery, he insisted on walking several feet into the east entrance of Malinta Tunnel. He stood there for a couple of minutes peering into the dark interior of the tunnel. Everyone held their breath expecting to hear a shot, or shots, ring out from the depths of the tunnel. The General casually walked back the the waiting entourage standing beside their Jeeps.

The convoy proceeded up the road to Topside between the two lines of troops. The ceremony and flag raising took place. Unnoticed at the western end of the Parade Ground, the first flag raised was taken down as the official flag was lowered. Impressive as the official ceremony was, it did not hold a light to the two men, T/5 Frank Guy Arrigo and Pfc Clyde I. Bates, who risked their lives and climbed the utility pole under fire and raised our flag over the Fortress Corregidor.

Parachutes were still all over the place. We had been told not to pick any up or use them. After the ceremony was over visiting officers and men were gathering up as many as they could carry and putting them in their Jeeps to carry back as their own.  This burned us up. We bust our bottoms jumping on the worst site in World War II and are told not to touch the chutes, then these rear echelon commandos come other there and carry off all they desire. As far as I know after that not a company officer in our outfit ever saw a man cutting up a chute.  In fact it's hard to see someone else doing what you're doing."
 

È

 

 

 

 

With the official declaration that the Corregidor Operation was ended, the Rock Force command ceased to exist, and the units comprising it reverted to their normal chains of command. Nonetheless, there were Japanese stragglers remaining on the island, and the intensive patrolling continued. To call them "stragglers" was probably inaccurate - there were groups of them that were quite sizeable - for instance, twenty-nine would be killed in the vicinity of Morrison Point the following morning.  The remaining Japanese tended to fall into three categories - those who were still seeking escape from the island - by swimming across the North Channel to Bataan. These were being dealt with by Navy patrol boats, and on occasion, even by small arms fire from the L-4 Cub which had been attached to the Rock Force for artillery observation duties. Next were those who were determined to fight and die. These were being accommodated. Finally, there was a small group,  both injured and uninjured, who managed to maintain their hides.  There was a group of these centered upon the impregnable Battery Monja upon the promontory at Wheeler Point, where successive assaults by the 503d PRCT had entirely failed to dislodge the defenders. 

 

Irrespective, Corregidor remained a place where it was as easy as it ever was to find fatal trouble if one wasn't keeping one's wits.

 


The color photos are not official and are copyright William Bailey