Evening star., 1946-04-21
.Corregidor Becomes
Shrine, but Souvenir
Hunters Brave Death
By HAL BOYLE

Associated Press Foreign Correspondent
CORREGIDOR. - This tadpole-
shaped fortress, Americas Island
Alamo" has become a military
shrine to soldier and sailor tourists
in the Philippines.
When you step ashore on The
Rock" guardian to the entrance of
Manila harbor, the first thing that
meets your eyes is a large sign
marked with skull and crossbones:
Attention Souvenir Hunters For
a Quick Death, Pick Up Ammunition
On This Island"
Thousands of servicemen in re-
cent months have visited this q
square-mile tomb of heroes, fortified
into one of the strongest military
points in the world at a cost of
$40 100000 It stood up under three
months and nine days of Japanese
assault and siege before Gen. Jona-
than Wainwright was forced to
capitulate May 6, 1912
Vegetation Hides Scars.
Now tropic vegetation is hiding
the scars from artillery barrages
during which japanese gunners
poured in $4,000 shells in a single
day. Two Red Cross workers.
Jacqueline Grefhts, Northampton,
Mass, and Louise Russell of New
York-serVe lemonade and cakes to
the touring troops on the same
beach which 5000 japanese died to
take-only to lose three years later,
There are still more japanese than
American troops on the island, but
they are war prisoners who toll long
hours at the endless task of clearing
up the debris.
1--WE had about 5000 of them
working but now there are only
about $50 left" said Pfc. Paul j.
Shirley, Levey, Ark. I'VE only have
one company of the 86th Infantry
Division here urselves-about 165
men.
Few Guards Needed.
''We really don't need much guard
on these Japs now They wouldn't
try to escape if they could. They're
behaving so we will send them back
to Japan. Once in a while one of
them talks back, but we just stick
him on a big rockpile with IS
pound sledgehammer and there's no
more trouble from him"
THE Rock" consists of three parts
the long tadpole tail on which is
a small air landing strip, the
central bumped back pierced by
Malinta tunnel, scene of the Amer
ican last stand, and the high
crowned hill at the other end of
the island known as "topside.'
Hundreds of blackened shells are
stacked about Malinta tunnel, which
is closed to the public because of the
danger from falling rocks. In the
grassy ravines and foxholes border
ing the road leading out to "the
tail" lie the bones of scores of
Japanese soldiers killed during the
American reconquest of the island
last spring. Ants have picked them
clean.
lIdChS CONCICus
Grass has grown over and covered
the trolley tracks leading up to top
side" Officers row." where the
ranking brass lived in concrete
homes and enjoyed one of the most
beautiful views in the Pacific, is
deserted and bare. The great bar
racks and hospital lie in irrecover-
able ruins.
Twelve-inch field guns still point
silently toward the mountains of
Bataan Peninsula. They are fine
guns, built in Watervliet Arsenal.
but they are now so years old and
are emp1aced in open gunpits Offer
ing absolutely no protection from
bombers. They were built for the
kind of war the world had already
outgrown and are only little more
significant than cap pistols.
The service historian of Cor
regidor, the fort that failed but
failed grandly, is Pfc. Preston E.
Onstad, Tacoma, Wash, who has
set up an information tent where
the islands story is explained to
visitors.
I'VE were getting 500 visitors a
day before the big rush home
started" he said. Now about $50
to $50 come out on good days.
When the weather is nice the
generals and admirals come out