Chris Mark
July 30th 03, 03:24 AM
Well, the people who know about this stuff know *all* about it through--to
them--obvious sources---post-war Wainwright staff debriefs, Duty Journals and
other documents (so much for burning sensitive documents!) captured by the
Japanese, shipped to Japan and recovered there at war's end, all on file at the
National Archives. (Apparently one of the Japanese Monograph series has the
Japanese side details; haven't seen it yet). I've been sent a few pages
covering my questions.
Here's an example of the detail available:
* * * * * *
17. The first aerial attack on the fortified islands occurred on 29 December
1941, with Corregidor as its objective. It was a major attack lasting from 1145
until approximately 1415. The attacking forces consisted of three formations of
twenty-seven planes each and also approximately ten lighter planes. There were
no friendly planes in the air. The heavy bombers--Navy from Taiwan--approached
in formation of twenty-seven, broke into smaller formation and, in waves, made
approximately thirteen crossings over Corregidor in directions generally
lengthwise of the island. Altitudes were 18,000 to 20,000 feet. It is estimated
that more than sixty tons of bombs were dropped on Corregidor during this
attack. Areas bombed were Topside (mainly), Middleside, Bottomside, and Kindley
Field. There was also some machine gun strafing by the lighter planes and the
Mariveles area and three boats in North Channel received some bombs. All
batteries of the Defense, but mainly those at Forts Mills and Hughes and Globe
in Bataan, participated in the action. Approximately 1100 rounds of 3-in
ammunition were fired during this attack. In this day's action thirteen planes,
nine heavy bombers by the gun defense, and four strafing planes by the machine
gun defense-were shot down, crashing on the islands or immediate adjacent
waters. Because of the effectiveness of the Machine Gun Defense only one
passing attack was made by the strafing planes, four out of ten having been
shot down in that passing attack. In fact no further low flying strafing
attacks were made on Corregidor, except for occasional individual planes, until
the final assault in May 1942. The action on 29 December resulted in the
enemy's raising his bombing altitudes from 18,000-20,000 feet to 24,000-28,000
feet.
The following commendation was issued by the Harbor Defense Commander:
HEADQUARTERS HARBOR DEFENCE OF MANILA AND SUBIC BAY
OFFICE OF THE HARBOR DEFENCE COMMANDER
FORT MILLS, P.I.
December 31, 1941
Subject: Commendation
To: The Officers and Men of the Anti-Aircraft Command
Thru: The Commanding Officer, 6Oth Coast Artillery (AA))
1. The Commanding General, Philippine Coast Artillery Command, desire to make
of record his commendation of the performance of all elements of the
Anti-Aircraft Defense Command of these Harbor Defenses during the bombing raids
on December 29, 1941.
2. On the many reports received at this headquarters, all have testified to the
superior behavior of our Anti-Aircraft personnel under heavy bombing attacks is
a proud record of soldierly action and a high caliber of discipline under fire
which these officers and men have made in this first serious combat action of
the war in the Harbor Defenses.
s/t
GEO. F. MOORE
Major General, U.S. Army
Commanding
************
The US defense had two radar sets and also monitored Japanese radio traffic,
which was not observing any radio silence discipline and broadcasting in the
clear. Apparently several Americans and Filipinos could understand Japanese.
The Army Sally bombers that participated in the final attacks on Bataan at the
end of March bombed from "9,600 yards" altitude and used a variety of bombs
ranging from 50kg "daisy cutters" to 250kg demolition bombs, according to these
debriefs, which consist of hundreds of pages of transcripts and documents.
Hard to get decent accuracy from that altitude, so the US AAA must have been
giving them fits.
Chris Mark
them--obvious sources---post-war Wainwright staff debriefs, Duty Journals and
other documents (so much for burning sensitive documents!) captured by the
Japanese, shipped to Japan and recovered there at war's end, all on file at the
National Archives. (Apparently one of the Japanese Monograph series has the
Japanese side details; haven't seen it yet). I've been sent a few pages
covering my questions.
Here's an example of the detail available:
* * * * * *
17. The first aerial attack on the fortified islands occurred on 29 December
1941, with Corregidor as its objective. It was a major attack lasting from 1145
until approximately 1415. The attacking forces consisted of three formations of
twenty-seven planes each and also approximately ten lighter planes. There were
no friendly planes in the air. The heavy bombers--Navy from Taiwan--approached
in formation of twenty-seven, broke into smaller formation and, in waves, made
approximately thirteen crossings over Corregidor in directions generally
lengthwise of the island. Altitudes were 18,000 to 20,000 feet. It is estimated
that more than sixty tons of bombs were dropped on Corregidor during this
attack. Areas bombed were Topside (mainly), Middleside, Bottomside, and Kindley
Field. There was also some machine gun strafing by the lighter planes and the
Mariveles area and three boats in North Channel received some bombs. All
batteries of the Defense, but mainly those at Forts Mills and Hughes and Globe
in Bataan, participated in the action. Approximately 1100 rounds of 3-in
ammunition were fired during this attack. In this day's action thirteen planes,
nine heavy bombers by the gun defense, and four strafing planes by the machine
gun defense-were shot down, crashing on the islands or immediate adjacent
waters. Because of the effectiveness of the Machine Gun Defense only one
passing attack was made by the strafing planes, four out of ten having been
shot down in that passing attack. In fact no further low flying strafing
attacks were made on Corregidor, except for occasional individual planes, until
the final assault in May 1942. The action on 29 December resulted in the
enemy's raising his bombing altitudes from 18,000-20,000 feet to 24,000-28,000
feet.
The following commendation was issued by the Harbor Defense Commander:
HEADQUARTERS HARBOR DEFENCE OF MANILA AND SUBIC BAY
OFFICE OF THE HARBOR DEFENCE COMMANDER
FORT MILLS, P.I.
December 31, 1941
Subject: Commendation
To: The Officers and Men of the Anti-Aircraft Command
Thru: The Commanding Officer, 6Oth Coast Artillery (AA))
1. The Commanding General, Philippine Coast Artillery Command, desire to make
of record his commendation of the performance of all elements of the
Anti-Aircraft Defense Command of these Harbor Defenses during the bombing raids
on December 29, 1941.
2. On the many reports received at this headquarters, all have testified to the
superior behavior of our Anti-Aircraft personnel under heavy bombing attacks is
a proud record of soldierly action and a high caliber of discipline under fire
which these officers and men have made in this first serious combat action of
the war in the Harbor Defenses.
s/t
GEO. F. MOORE
Major General, U.S. Army
Commanding
************
The US defense had two radar sets and also monitored Japanese radio traffic,
which was not observing any radio silence discipline and broadcasting in the
clear. Apparently several Americans and Filipinos could understand Japanese.
The Army Sally bombers that participated in the final attacks on Bataan at the
end of March bombed from "9,600 yards" altitude and used a variety of bombs
ranging from 50kg "daisy cutters" to 250kg demolition bombs, according to these
debriefs, which consist of hundreds of pages of transcripts and documents.
Hard to get decent accuracy from that altitude, so the US AAA must have been
giving them fits.
Chris Mark