Enemy dive bombers began attacking Fort Drum 6 February 1945 and continued until the surrender.  Several attacks were made daily and always in the same manner.  Invariably two dive bombers would approach Fort Drum and circle the Fort several times just out of range of the 50 caliber machine guns.  The pilots were evidently attempting to stampede the gunners into breaking fire discipline and opening up at a range beyond their effective fire.  The personnel manning the 50 caliber machine guns would hold their fire until the planes came within range.  The first plane would come over maneuvering and would never drop a bomb.  He evidently acted as a decoy.  The second plane would then glide in and hastily release his bombs.  The first plane was never taken under fire by the gunners as they preferred to hold their fire for the plane which actually made the attack.  The Japanese evidently had great respect for 50-caliber fire as they seemed very nervous in their bombing operations and were very inaccurate.  The two air-cooled 50-caliber guns were put out of action by Japanese artillery fire, but the four water-cooled 50-caliber machine guns continued in action until the time of surrender.  Hits were scored, but no enemy planes were downed until 6 May 1942, some thirty minutes prior to the surrender when a Japanese dive bomber was downed in the water between Fort Drum and Niac.  Despite the fact that the 50-caliber guns only accounted for one plane, they proved their value as the Japanese in attempting to avoid the 50-caliber machine gun fire, scored only 5 dive bomb hits.  These 5 bombs caused no damage.

 

After the 3-inch antiaircraft guns on Fort Drum and Fort Frank were destroyed, the enemy was able to make any unmolested high bombardment attacks on Fort Drum from whatever altitude they chose.  The bombing was extremely inaccurate.   Only two out of the hundreds of bombs dropped by the high bombers struck Fort Drum, and the results were of no consequences.  One of these missiles landed on the steping face of the forward turret, just above one of the 14-inch guns.  It glanced, hit the 14-inch gun and detonated, but caused absolutely no damage. 

 

The cage mast was serving no useful function and in addition to this served as an aiming point to the enemy artillery.  It created a dead space to the rear for the 14-inch guns, and there was a possibility that it might fall under later bombardments.  Should it fall, it might block the rear 14-inch turrets.  It was dismantled and taken down.  Beach defense positions on Fort Drum were consistently improved.  They would be damaged during the day, but fully repaired during the night.

 

In view of the heavy attacks on Fort Drum and Fort Frank, coupled with G2 reports that the enemy was assembling numerous barges in protected positions along the Cavite shoreline, lead to the belief that the enemy might attempt an assault on either Fort Drum or Fort Frank, or both.  In this connection, plans were carried out between the two forts to assist each other mutually in case of an enemy amphibious operation.

 

The morale of Fort Drum was exceptionally high.  Training continued until the final day of surrender.

 

f.    Period 9 April - 6 May 1942

 

Bataan surrendered 9 April 1942.  The next few days were ones of preparation for the enemy.  Unending columns of troops, guns and equipment rolled down the peninsula and went into position for the seige of the fortified islands.  The tempo of the fire against Corregidor and Fort Hughes gradually increased.  The Japanese artillery was of all calibers, but 150-mm and 240-mm were the most prevalent.

 

Fort Drum was called on for counter-battery missions on frequent occasions when the enemy was within range.  The coordinates of the targets were furnished by the Seaward Defense Commander.  The spotting for this fire was done from observation stations of high elevation on Corregidor.  Very few rounds were generally required to complete the mission.  The moment the turrets were traversed, enemy batteries from Cavite would begin shelling Drum.  Their fire would be directed at the turret which was being used at the time and despite many hits, the turreted guns were never out of action when called for to fire.