OT: History in a small container

[Rick the Librarian]

As some of you "old timers" know from the old CSP forum, I have a great interest in the Bataan-Corregidor campaign of 1941-42. Although I have wanted to visit, I doubt I ever will. I have a friend who shares my interest and went back to see his family on Luzon a month or two ago. He spent considerable research time before he left and while he was there, pinpointing the exact location of the Abucay Hacienda fight of January, 1942 on the Bataan Peninsula. It was some of the most intense fighting of the campaign and nearly resulted in the campaign on Bataan being over long before it was.

My friend said he could see shallow depressions probably left over from the fighting and his friends say they occasionally turn up cartridge cases and other residue left from the campaign.

To make a long story short, my friend kindly gathered up, in a small container, with soil from the area where the battles took place and sent it to me. I just got it in the mail.

My friend re-enacts as a Philippine Scout and has a very good website devoted to Scout history. I also got him turned on to the M1 Garand, helping him buy his first one (he is a legal resident of this country). I walked him through (at a distance of 3000 miles) his first shooting experience with the M1. He will soon be purchasing a M1903 from me to complete his collection.

Just thought I'd share the picture of the container with you.



If you want to take a look at his website, here is the link:

http://pinoyhistory.proboards22.com/index.cgi

Information

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[EDF]

That's pretty neat, and nice of your friend to do it for you.

[Jim Tarleton]

and a friend recently made a trip to France and was kind enough to pick up two samples of soil from Belleau Woods. This is the mud from the approach Top Pop Hunter took down Hill 142 the morning of 6 June 1918. Several days later he was buried beneath it.

If it wasn't for friends...

Jim

[Rick the Librarian]

Amen to that, Jim. I know it is just a bit of soil, but it means so much!!

One more thing -- my friend who made the trip also corresponded with a member of the 31st (US) Infantry who had fought at Abucay. The former soldier had spent considerable time and money on a tour to find where he had fought and his guide obviously didn't know anything about it. My friend took the time to not only find the Abucay Line, but the likely spot where the soldier had his foxhole. Needless to say the ex-soldier was moved, almost to tears.

[stonewall56]

You have hallowed soil there, Rick.

[Rick the Librarian]

My feelings, exactly.

[A square 10]

very nice , of your friend for thinking of you , and you for helping him out with his rifles ,

[JimF in CT]

Interesting thread, Rick . . .

Only moreso to me Rick, as I lost a cousin in that theater.

He was a signalman in the Navy reserve, went through the "Death March" only to starve to death in a prison camp on the home island of Japan. --Jim

[JWB217]

That is an excellent link you posted.I have collected Philippine under U.S.sovereignty material for some years.Many people now do not realize this was part of the U.S.for almost 50 years.You get odd looks when you show them a coin that says United States of America-one peso on it.Hallowed soil indeed.Thanks for posting the link.

[VeeVee]

Well since my friend Rick posted a picture of the soil... I thought I'd let loose the floodgate of pictures from that trip since we're off topic anyway...

This is the area that we visited. The place is big and we were there from 9:30 in the morning till about 4pm. We spent the morning checking out the general area where the second battalion 31st Infantry advanced through and defended. In the afternoon we looked at the area northwest of the college close to the Balantay river. This is the 1st Battalion 31st Infantry and the 3rd battalion 45th Infantry Philippine Scouts' area of defense.

click for bigger


Pictures from the east-southeast area




Second battalion moved through this area


Looking south; the 31st infantry would have advanced coming from this direction towards you looking at the photo


The college can be seen from the east, looking west


A century old mango tree that would have been witness to the battle


The folks who showed us around their property which the second battalion 31st Infantry fought through


The spot between a tree's roots where he found two grenades. He threw them into the creek at the bottom of the ravine.


Other relics they showed us


Mortar shell fuses?


This is an old foxhole that they planted on. This one overlooks the ravine


Another one


Pointing to a foxhole or where he found relics... can't remember


The smaller ravine... probably the first one that the 31st infantry ran into


A carabao wallowing in the small creek at the bottom of the ravine; Be careful carabao... there are lots of grenades thrown away into that creek.


Opposite side of the ravine


Heading toward the second and bigger ravine parallel to the smaller one


However this spot in the ravine may not have been the area that the second battalion crossed


Ravine overlooking the Balantay river. This one is northwest of the college in the vicinity of the 3rd Battalion, 45th Infantry PS... or could have been in the 31st Infantry's 1st battalion area


An overgrown depression on the ground, don't know if it was an old foxhole but sure had a good field of fire overlooking sloping ground


More info:

The local who showed us around his property have found shells, grenades within his property. He usually gets rid of them by throwing them into the bottom of the ravine into the creek. The last one he found was a clip of garand ammo which he also threw down the creek. I asked him if he usually finds them when digging, he said no. It's usually plainly on the ground but overgrown and it's just a matter of chancing upon them. He also found a sword which he kept in his house in town.

A local woman said when they were growing up and about 12 years old, they'd find bayonets and grenades around. They get rid of them but kept the aluminum canteens to this day for whatever use they have for them.