Our Corregidor Island tour included a 30-min. stopover at the Pacific War Memorial and, since I’ve been here before, decided to spend a much longer time to explore its small, bunker-like, modest and airconditioned marble museum, located behind the Cine Corregidor ruins. This museum is the repository of relics and memorabilia related to the history of Corregidor, all found after the war.
Pacific War Memorial Museum
At the entrance is a guard dressed in a Philippine Commonwealth Period-style uniform similar to the Philippine Scout. An old tattered US flag with only 45 (Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii weren’t even states yet) stars welcomed me at the entrance.
The museum interior with mural in background
A 45-star American flag
The museum had a lot of glass cases displaying valuable items, with descriptive information, such as a lot of interesting black-and-white wartime photos of some battles at Corregidor; actual military uniforms of U.S. and Japanese soldiers, all worn by mannequins which highlight their height difference; a ship’s signal-flag, and medals of war.
30 caliber, water-cooled machine gun
A 191 mm. mortar
An anti-tank weapon
Weapons from World War II and used by both sides included rifles, mortars, bombs, machine guns (30 caliber, air-cooled or water-cooled machine guns, 50 caliber, water-cooled anti-aircraft machine gun, etc.), a 55 mm. anti-tank gun, mortars (60 mm. mortar, 191 mm. mortar, etc.), cannons, an army trench knife found on Denver Hill in 1992 (with the engraving U.S. 1918), a 1917 model (type CRM-51027) field telephone of the US Army Signal Corps; etc..
War photos
Not that related to World War II but nevertheless important is a book entitled “Souvenir of the 8th Army Corps Philippine Expedition” and a hand-embroidered tapestry, both donated to the museum by Douglas Bello of Los Angeles, California, USA. He inherited these materials from his great-uncle who was part of Adm. George Dewey’s fleet during the Battle of Manila Bay.
Souvenir of the 8th Army Corps Philippine Expedition
Also on display are scaled models of World War II aircraft (B-24 Liberator, B-25 Mitchell, B-26 Marauder, P-38 Lighting, P-51 Mustang, etc.), and ships and Philippine Commonwealth Era and Japanese Occupation currency as well as U.S. and Asian coins. A large mosaic covering a whole wall depicts Corregidor and the battles that were fought there, a map of the Pacific campaign and a diagram of the Allied Offensive that eventually retook the Philippines and won the war .
Model of B-24 Liberator
Model of B-25 Mitchell
I spent more than a few moments pondering the personal items on display which really drew me into the experience of a soldier during war, making it a shared experience. They include identification cards; belt buckles, badges, diaries; dog tags of both American and Filipino soldiers, displayed side-by-side; and random items carried by soldiers into battle (chocolate bars, food tins, morphine ampules, etc.), Japanese scissors found in Corregidor by Lt. Dick Williams; a period Coca-Cola bottle; music discs (the size of a plate); and a rice canteen used by the Japanese during the war.
Gen. George M. Jones dress uniform
There’s also a pair of combat boots and dress uniform (as brigadier-general) belonging to then Col. George M. Jones, commander of the 503rd Regimental Combat Team that retook Corregidor from the Japanese on February 16, 1945. Letters written by soldiers document the struggle to hold Corregidor. There’s also a letter written by Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright to U.S. Pres. Franklin Delano Roosevelt acknowledging Corregidor’s surrender.
Display of cutlery and china
The museum also has a documentary film projection room and a souvenir shop.
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Hi –
I stumbled upon your blog from randomly searching my family’s history on the internet. My great grandfather was Pio Valenzuela –the politician, patriot and former mayor. I can’t believe what a legacy he left! One of his sons, which is my grandfather, Felizardo Valenzuela, fought in WWII. He was a POW in one of the camps and I remember he kept mentioning Corrigedor, so I don’t know if he fought and defended that place or what. But anyway, thank you so much for posting some great blog post entries on here. I enjoy reading and looking at your pictures.
Thanks,
Lauren
If you’re a descendant of Pio Valenzuela, then check out my blog entries on your grandfather at http://www.benjielayug.com/2013/02/a-tour-of-valenzuela-city.html, http://www.benjielayug.com/2013/02/museo-valenzuela-valenzuela-city.html and http://www.benjielayug.com/2013/06/inauguration-of-the-valenzuela-city-museum.html. I would appreciate if you could like my Facebook fan page at https://www.facebook.com/benjielayugadventuresofasavvytraveler. Thanks for your comments.
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Hi Benjie
Kumusta na?Remember we had our bivouac here back in1975.Anyway,I am coming home to Manila after 16 years,hope I’ll see you guys and our batch mates and just to let you,my family also leaves in Merville(Madrid st).Will need your advise with regards to places to visit.Thanks and God Bless.
Let us know the exact date of your visit so we can organize a DBTI batch mini reunion. We are practically neighbors in merville as i live at the corner of barcelona and toledo sts. Corregidor can easily be visited as a day tour and, better yet, as an overnight stay. Check out my other blog entries in nearby cavite, bulacan and batangas provinces to find out which places you can visit in a heartbeat.
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As the Japanese bore down on Manila from the north and defeat seemed all but assured, h Marines in Olongapo evacuated to Mariveles and then to Corregidor, the fortified island off the southern coast of the Bataan Peninsula. They prepared and strengthened defensive positions as the Japanese closed in.