The island of Corregidor requires very little introduction - strategically placed at the entrance to Manila Bay, it was heavily fortified by the Americans, and was made famous by the Japanese siege in 1942, and the departure of MacArthur. Less well known is the reverse siege in 1945 which appears to have done significantly greater damage to the island.My first visit to Corregidor was in October 1995. After a port visit to Manila I cross-decked onto an old ex-USN PCE of the Philippines Navy for a day of Navy to Navy exercises in Manila Bay, during which we spent quite a bit of time sailing close to Corregidor (but without landing). Operating on the Philippine ship was an interesting experience. This was about three years after the US had pulled out of Subic Bay, and the crew commented that very little maintenance had been done since the US left. Literally nothing on the bridge actually worked. None of the comms. None of the compass repeats. None of the navigation aids. The only thing they had was a portable GPS receiver. There was a chart on the chart table, but I never saw anyone actually look at it. All navigation appeared to be simply done by eye. But I will remember the experience fondly, as it was probably the only time I ever actually went to sea on a WW2 warship. Unfortunately it was in the days before digital cameras, and when I went looking back through my records, I was disappointed that this was the only photo I actually took while I was onboard (note the GPS receiver in the background).In 2015 I stopped over in Manila on my way home from a holiday in Vietnam/Cambodia, and I took the opportunity to take a day-trip to Corregidor. The Island is still maintained as a heritage site, pretty much the way it was when it was recovered from the Japanese. The tourism authority keeps the place tidy and presentable, but no attempt has been made to repair the damage from WW2. There are several batteries that you can visit including:Battery Way, which was equipped with four 12-inch mortarsBattery Hearn, which was equipped with a 12-inch gunBattery Crocket, which was equipped with three dual 12-inch disappearing guns.There is also the Pacific War Memorial, which is maintained by the US, which has a small museum attached to it; many barracks buildings, which are all just ruins now; and the Malinta Tunnel complex, which the US somehow managed to build in the interwar period in spite of Article XIX of the WNT.And in addition to all of that, there are guns mounted as memorials/monuments all over the island. And in the distance, you can see the outline of El Fraile - aka Fort Drum- the small island that was terraformed into a battleship facsimile with two 14-inch gun turrets. Unfortunately that island is generally closed to the public, and I still haven't worked out how to get out there.(not my photos)
Corregidor is definitely a place worth going to if you are ever in Manila - although I discovered last January when I was there that the tours don't operate over the Christmas/New Year period.
Links:
Corregidor Island, Cavite | Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority