Post by VeeVee on Jan 17, 2010 19:48:29 GMT -5
Cross posting Karl's post from the Corregidor forum. I wish I could have been there with him like our hike in Abucay Hacienda last year.
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On the 14th Jan 2010 I had a chance to hike on the west flank of Mount Samat. I wanted to do that for a long time as the Japanese offensive of the 3rd April 1942 also broke thru to the west of Mt. Samat. In order to get a good picture of the geography one has to get ones feet on the ground or look at a good image description like this.
After reading the below reference I realized I walked on the WWII Battle Field Trail #6. There is a lot more to experience and this area will see me again. Here are 58 images of that walk:
s74.photobucket.com/albums/i265/PI-Sailor/Walk%20in%20Philippines/Walk%20in%20PI%20Subalbum%2002/Mount%20Samat/Mt-Samat%20West-Flank%2014-Jan-2010/
This is strictly for the person who would like to get a feel of the geography of this WWII battle field which was a test of endurance to the Philippine and US Forces under the most trying circumstance and ended in defeat and great loss of life of the Allied soldiers in the hands of the Japanese Imperial forces.
If you like to read up on that history, the below source on the internet is available:
The Fall of the Philippines, US Army, by Louis Morton
Chapter XXIV: The Final Japanese Offensive:
www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-P-PI/USA-P-PI-24.html
Here is a quote from “The Fall of the Philippines” describing the area I walked in:
Sector D extended from KP 136 on the Pilar-Bagac road westward for about 5,000 yards to the corps boundary along the Pantingan River. Bisecting the sector front was the Catmon River, which, with the Pantingan, offered a natural route of advance southward. (Map 21) In addition to these two river valleys, Sector D contained three excellent north-south trails, two of which connected with the main east-west trail system. The westernmost of the was Trail 29, between the Pantingan and the Catmon. About five miles in length, this trail ran from the Pilar-Bagac road along the western foothills of Mt. Samat to Trail 8, the main east-west line of communication in II Corps. Along the east bank of the Catmon was Trail 6, which also began at the Pilar-Bagac road and ran to Trail 8. East of Mt. Samat was the third of the north-south trails in Sector D, Trail 4. In addition to Trail 8, lateral communication in Sector D was provided by Trail 429. This trail ran due east from Trail 29 to Trail 6 which it joined until it cleared the western foothills of Mt. Samat. At that point it branched east again, skirting the southern edge of the mountain to meet Trail 4 near the boundary of Sectors D and C.
In the 21st Division area General Capinpin had placed two of his regiments, the 22d and 23d, east of the Catmon River, with the former holding the division right flank and tying in with Sector C to the right. The 21st Infantry on the division left flank held both banks of the Catmon as well as Trail 6, which cut diagonally across the regimental area from the right front to the left rear.
-------------
On the 14th Jan 2010 I had a chance to hike on the west flank of Mount Samat. I wanted to do that for a long time as the Japanese offensive of the 3rd April 1942 also broke thru to the west of Mt. Samat. In order to get a good picture of the geography one has to get ones feet on the ground or look at a good image description like this.
After reading the below reference I realized I walked on the WWII Battle Field Trail #6. There is a lot more to experience and this area will see me again. Here are 58 images of that walk:
s74.photobucket.com/albums/i265/PI-Sailor/Walk%20in%20Philippines/Walk%20in%20PI%20Subalbum%2002/Mount%20Samat/Mt-Samat%20West-Flank%2014-Jan-2010/
This is strictly for the person who would like to get a feel of the geography of this WWII battle field which was a test of endurance to the Philippine and US Forces under the most trying circumstance and ended in defeat and great loss of life of the Allied soldiers in the hands of the Japanese Imperial forces.
If you like to read up on that history, the below source on the internet is available:
The Fall of the Philippines, US Army, by Louis Morton
Chapter XXIV: The Final Japanese Offensive:
www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-P-PI/USA-P-PI-24.html
Here is a quote from “The Fall of the Philippines” describing the area I walked in:
Sector D extended from KP 136 on the Pilar-Bagac road westward for about 5,000 yards to the corps boundary along the Pantingan River. Bisecting the sector front was the Catmon River, which, with the Pantingan, offered a natural route of advance southward. (Map 21) In addition to these two river valleys, Sector D contained three excellent north-south trails, two of which connected with the main east-west trail system. The westernmost of the was Trail 29, between the Pantingan and the Catmon. About five miles in length, this trail ran from the Pilar-Bagac road along the western foothills of Mt. Samat to Trail 8, the main east-west line of communication in II Corps. Along the east bank of the Catmon was Trail 6, which also began at the Pilar-Bagac road and ran to Trail 8. East of Mt. Samat was the third of the north-south trails in Sector D, Trail 4. In addition to Trail 8, lateral communication in Sector D was provided by Trail 429. This trail ran due east from Trail 29 to Trail 6 which it joined until it cleared the western foothills of Mt. Samat. At that point it branched east again, skirting the southern edge of the mountain to meet Trail 4 near the boundary of Sectors D and C.
In the 21st Division area General Capinpin had placed two of his regiments, the 22d and 23d, east of the Catmon River, with the former holding the division right flank and tying in with Sector C to the right. The 21st Infantry on the division left flank held both banks of the Catmon as well as Trail 6, which cut diagonally across the regimental area from the right front to the left rear.