Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (20) View all

The Canopus

items 21 of 26 items
  • wcu_ww2-932.jp2
Item
?

Item’s are ‘child’ level descriptions to ‘parent’ objects, (e.g. one page of a whole book).

  • The last week in March brought to an end. our suspicions that the Japs were committed to a starving-out policy. No doubt they would have "lost face" if they had to concede that they could only win by such waiting tactics. At any rate, a heavy and sustained offensive suddenly broke against our weary and undernourished troops. Supplies and equipment had evidently been stocked at captured air fields, so that they could now be used as bases for sustained offensive operations. It was only about a fifteen minute trip by bomber from these fields to Bataan or Corregidor, which made it possible for the Japs to keep the air filled, with planes throughout the day and night. For the first time during the siege, they experimented with night "nuisance raids". The planes came either singly or in pairs. Their pilots were usually blinded by Army searchlights so that their bombing was inaccurate, and. effective only in breaking up the rest of our weary defenders. Constant day attacks, however, took a more substantial toll. Much of the Navy's oil supplies, scattered in small caches in the underbrush around Mariveles harbor, was touched off by searching bombs. Exposed water pipes, telephone, and power lines had to be repaired daily to maintain services. Few of the temporary buildings, set up to provide shelter during the approaching rainy season, were untouched. Word must have gotten to the Japs that the Canopus was still an effective unit, resulting in four more attempts to destroy her, but without success. Corregidor, the air fields, the front lines, and supply dumps in the hills— all came in for constant harassing attacks. Even the plainly marked and defenseless hospitals were viciously bombed. The difficulties confronting any attempt to maintain supplies to the front lines can well be imagined. With enemy planes hovering constantly overhead, the artillery, which had been a major factor In stopping-previous attacks, was unable to keep up effective fire. Showers of bombs would crash around any emplacement when its position was disclosed by the smoke and blast of discharge. It was scarcely a surprise when we heard reports on April sixth that the front lines were in serious trouble. Under a terrific artillery barrage, the . Philippine Army troops in the center of the line had given way, and exposed the crest of Mariveles mountain to capture. Now indeed our artillery was blind, having lost the elevated observation posts which were their only means of directing fire of their guns. Unless the lost positions could be recaptured, the whole peninsula would be exposed to Jap artillery fire. All reserves were drawn in for the supreme effort. Every remaining tank was thrown into the breech. Even the beaches were left unguarded in order to provide all possible reinforcements, but the task proved too great for the weakened troops. On April eighth came the news that Army forces of the eastern flank were retreating toward Mariveles harbor, destroying stores and ammunition dumps in the path of the victorious Japanese.
Object
?

Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).