Philippine E-Journals

War-Time Manila

Maximo M. Kalaw

Discipline: History, Philippine History

 

Abstract:

Some friends and I entered Manila Bay about six months after Corregidor fell. We were on a sailboat loaded with agricultural products from Mindoro Island. Approaching Bataan from the south-west, we could see the western coast of the peninsula and the rugged slopes of Mount Mariveles. This side had been assigned to the Second Army Corps under Brigadier-General Albert Jones when the Japs came. Our line here had never broken but our troops had had to retreat when the right wing gave way. The Japanese navy had tried several sorties along the coast, but they had always left after firing a few shots. I think they had been merely trying to feel out our positions, but found them too strong.