Corregidor: The Rock Force Assault

by Edward M. Flanagan Jr.

"Corregidor, fortified rocky island (2 square miles) in the Philippines, at the entrance to Manila Bay. Under U.S. control from 1898, it fell to the Japanese in May 1942 when General Jonathan Wainwright surrendered after four months of fierce fighting. Recaptured in 1945, it is now a World War II Memorial."

With those fifty words, the Concord Encyclopedia sums up tersely yet unemotionally varied and tumultuous history of the island fortress regards the approaches to Manila Bay. This book is a story of those fifty words, with emphasis on three words: "Recaptured in 1945."

That Corregidor would have to be recaptured was never in doubt. It could not be left to wither on the vine has had other fortified Japanese islands in the American leap-frog advance across the Pacific. The ultimate question is how could the "Rock" the successfully attacked without appalling casualties. The American attackers would be faced with rugged terrain, a fanatical enemy would fight to the last man, and strong defenses anchored steel and concrete fortifications which had been built up not only during the years of Japanese occupation, but during the decades as the United States's fortress of the Pacific.

The 503rd Parachute Regimental Combat Team, reinforced by the third Battalion Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Division, made up the "Rock Force," which assaulted Corregidor (The Rock) and 16 February 1945. The 503rd would jump on to the small island, despite the Japanese commander's firm conclusion that a parachute assault on Corregidor was impossible because there were no suitable drop zones. In the already risky world of airborne assault, this operation would require pinpoint accuracy and split-second timing.

In the event, the surprise was complete. The defending Japanese were completely confounded. By successfully parachuting onto the forbidding high ground, the 503rd was able to control the terrain and dominate the island. In spite of the heavy fortifications and superior numbers of the defenders, the Americans were able to defeat the Japanese forces in detail.

The odds were stacked overwhelmingly in favor of the enemy. Yet, through the careful implementation of its daring plan of attack – the bravery, discipline and superb training and fitness of its soldiers – and the wholehearted and unwavering support of the other services, the Rock Force prevailed.

Genres: World War II, Military History, American History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, History

331 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1988

About the author

E. M. Flanagan Jr. is America's leading expert on airborne history. He is the author of many books, including "Rakkasans and" Corregidor. A World War II combat veteran with the 11th Airborne Division in the Philippines, he commanded troops at all levels up from company to field army during his thirty-six-year career. Flanagan retired from active duty in 1978 as a lieutenant general. He lives in Beaufort, South Carolina.

Reviews

[Jacob Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very comprehensive work, probably not for everyone as Gen. Flanagan goes into a level of detail that may be very off-putting to casual readers, but to the nerdier type who wants a play-by-play retelling of the historical events, it proves a wonderful resource.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the early months of American involvement in World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States suffered many defeats. None was more significant than the loss of the Philippines with the four-month-long siege of Bataan and Corregidor and the aftermath. The treatment of the sick and starving American prisoners after their surrender by the Japanese served as a powerful motivator for American forces to extract revenge.
Corregidor was an island fortress in the Bay of Manila that controlled sea access to the city of Manila. It was extremely well constructed and had it been possible to re-supply the fort, the defenders could have held out for a longer time. Yet, once isolated, it was only a matter of time before the commander was forced to surrender to the Japanese.
While the background history of American involvement in the Philippines and the events before the Japanese attack are covered, most of the ink is used to create a detailed description of the American attack that retook the island. Flanagan is very detailed in describing the units that participated in the attack, their commanding officers, the mode of attack and the heroic actions of individual soldiers. Most of the Japanese chose a suicidal attack rather than surrender, and there were significant American casualties. There would have been more if some very gallant American soldiers had not stood their ground and blunted Japanese attacks.
The most unusual aspect of the American effort to retake Corregidor is that paratroopers were dropped on the island in order to surprise the Japanese defenders. The areas on the island suitable for air drops were quite small and there were experts in the American and Japanese militaries that did not think it could be done. Using precision tactics, paratroopers were able to land on the island and form the spear of the attack. Some of their success was due to luck when the Japanese officer in command on Corregidor was killed early on, so the potential for an early Japanese counterattack was wasted. It is stated very clearly that a Japanese counterattack against the American paratroopers in the first few hours would likely have been successful.
Written in the style of a detailed military history of a battle with precise unit designations, this is a tale of military thinking outside the box in order to retake a fortress held by soldiers that were determined to fight to the death.

[Hans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corregidor not only tells the story of the reconquest of the island in 1945, but also gives us some of the history of the island and details its capture by the Japanese in 1942. I was a bit surprised by the fact that 'only' the second half of the book covered the 1945 operations.

With the 1942 part in mind, one can only imagine what it must have been like to be part of the operation reconquering the island. It proved to be more than a handful. Geograpic circumstances, but also the fierce opposition by the Japanese, present in a far larger number than intelligence had shown, made this a tough battle. With a tiny drop zone, high winds and rough terrain every effort was made to minimize lossed during the drop. Everything is described in quite some detail and makes for an interesting read.

The combat operations were, as mentioned earlier, hard and the Japanese again proved to be a cunning foe. And one not easily defeated. It took a lot of on the spot improvisations to take out the Japanese defensive positions. And with their bushido spirit the Japanese soldiers fought on till the end.

Overall the book gives the reader a compelling account of what happened on Corregidor during combat operations early in the war and during its reconquest.

[ED Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. The best book written covering the loss and recapture of Corregidor in WW II. As a qualified paratooper (173rd Abn Bde (Sep) in Vietnam and an official Honorary Member of the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, I salute those valiant personnel in the regiment who with the support
of Navy, Marines, Air Forces and other Infantry forces, took on and defeated the fanatical Japanese.
A magnificently detailed book that describes the full story of this legendary battle .
AIRBORNE....ALL THE WAY!

[Annabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've long been wanting to explore Corregidor on a bicycle. Reading this makes me want to double those efforts at planning, and soon. A few pages into the book, you just tune out, get desensitized to the carnage--Japs, GIs, guerillas, even babies. The one thing I expected to read about, having heard about it from some veterans and relatives who experienced WWII, were the cruelty, let alone the presence, of the Japanese army's Korean mercenaries. It has been curiously left out.

[Ruppert Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the surrender of Corregidor in 1942 is fairly well known, its reconquest by US forces is far less well known despite the dramatic and fearless efforts by the troops who took it back from the Japanese. This book discusses the fall and retaking in a very readable book.