Fort Drum, Phillipines residence for ghosts

fat tony

fat tony

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a forward observation post in the L-F-H horizon, o
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Drum_(El_Fraile_Island)

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Unknown to me before today. This fortress is on the shortlist of the most formidable fortresses known. Continual bombardment by Japanese 240 mm naval guns and air bombardment did not put it out of action. This fortress was still returning fire as of the surrender of US forces in Corregidor. When the time came to roust the Japanese garrison out of it in 1945, the US forces deployed some snipers on it, to cover all the entrances. Then they pumped 3000 gallons of 'oil' into one of the vents, and deployed a number of demolition charges, disembarked, set off the charges from a safe distance, and cleared the crispy critters out of there at their leisure. The cruel lessons of the Pacific war were not lost on the Allied combatants. Abandoned ever since.
 
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You don't have to leave, go to Prince Rupert BC. Military Forts from WW2. One right next to the container port. One across from the container port. One in the mountains and foundation and clearing for an additional fort. Gun enplacements on some of the hills over-looking the harbour. At one time the there was an armoured train going between Prince Rupert and Terrace. The Airport in Terrace was for Lancaster Bombers and re-fueling planes going to Dutch Harbour, Alaska.
 
Man, now I have to go to the Philippines. If you ever find yourself in Hong Kong, there are plenty of pillboxes and battlefields, fought for by Canadians, within a 20 minute walk of Central.
 
I wonder if any remains are still therte, as the Ja#####e governemnt will always find the bones of their dead and burn them to send them to their heven etc, they have dug up bones from Guadaul canal and brought up bones from the ships at Truck lagoon
 
Albert Head, near Victoria, still had the emplacements for 9.2 inch guns last time I was there. The guns apparently were sent to Turkey. Using Google Earth you can still see the overgrown gun pits.
 
Last year my aunt was doing some geneolological research and learned that one of our American side of the family had been lost in the fall of Corregidor in 1942. I had met other relatives who had served in various branches of the US military in WW2 and afterwards, but had not known of this man.

There are still many former coast artillery sites to be seen around the US and Canada. In some cases the guns are still in place. The amount of concrete used in constructing these emplacements was just to great to warrant demolition and removal. Places like Ft Desoto, off St. Pete, Florida and Ft Monroe, Va are worth a visit. Coast artillery used to be regarded as the most prestigious part of the artillery with a lot of math used to plot firing solutions necessary to engage moving targets. My father served in the coast artillery for a time in WW2 and was a real crackerjack with math, even though he only had a grade 8 education.

Fixed coast artillery is still in use in Finland where it is sited to protect the approaches to the port of Turku. There is a large and well preserved coastal fortification at Suomenlinna which used to defend the approaches to Helsinki.
 
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purple said:
Last year my aunt was doing some geneolological research and learned that one of our American side of the family had been lost in the fall of Corregidor in 1942. I had met other relatives who had served in various branches of the US military in WW2 and afterwards, but had not known of this man.

There are still many former coast artillery sites to be seen around the US and Canada. In some cases the guns are still in place. The amount of concrete used in constructing these emplacements was just to great to warrant demolition and removal. Places like Ft Desoto, off St. Pete, Florida and Ft Monroe, Va are worth a visit. Coast artillery used to be regarded as the most prestigious part of the artillery with a lot of math used to plot firing solutions necessary to engage moving targets. My father served in the coast artillery for a time in WW2 and was a real crackerjack with math, even though he only had a grade 8 education.

Fixed coast artillery is still in use in Finland where it is sited to protect the approaches to the port of Turku. There is a large and well preserved coastal fortification at Suomenlinna which used to defend the approaches to Helsinki.
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So sorry to hear he was killed in action. :(

WRT your second point, totally understandable, although Britain tried blowing Heligoland into oblivion, and almost did the job correctly.

ExplosionFrom 1945 to 1952 the uninhabited Heligoland islands were used as a bombing range. On 18 April 1947, the Royal Navy detonated 6,800 tonnes of explosives ("Big Bang" or "British Bang"), creating one of the biggest non-nuclear single detonations in history.[13] While aiming at the fortifications, the island's total destruction would have been accepted.[citation needed] The blow shook the main island several miles down to its base, changing its shape (the Mittelland was created).

In 1952, the islands were restored to the German authorities, who had to clear a huge amount of undetonated ammunition, landscape the main island, and rebuild the houses before it could be resettled.
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more on Heligoland:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8472346.stm

http://www.mediastorehouse.com/pictures_4391873/the-demolition-of-heligoland-germany-1947.html

http://ldfb.tripod.com/fb.html
 
wow, i had no idea Canada had coastal defense sites. I will have to put it on my list.

That link to the Corregidor Island pictures in intense. I want to go there really bad now.

thx guys
 
See your local library for a copy of "Six Years of War", The Army in Canada, Britain and the Pacific by Colonel C.P. Stacey. It describes coastal artillery dispositions on both coasts as well as anti-aircraft defences in Canada. You can get this on google as well.
 
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