One of the main locations is the Malinta Tunnel. This is a series of tunnels into the highest part of the island – one main tunnel through the hill with a lot of lateral branches going off from the main one. The tunnel was used for various reasons. MacArthur stayed there when the Japanese were starting to bomb the island. During the bombing it was used as a hospital. In the end, just before the Americans surrendered, all the US forces on the island were hid up in the tunnel, perhaps 8,000. Some of these were the men who eventually were taken on the death march to Bataan. Then when the Americans came back to recapture the island, the Japanese holed up in the tunnel, hundreds of them blowing themselves up rather than to surrender. For them it was more honorable to die than to give up to an enemy. (That, incidentally, is one of the reasons the Japanese so badly mistreated the Americans who surrendered; the Americans were considered by them to be worthless for their giving in to their enemy, not worthy of any respect.)






We returned in the afternoon and got home at 4:30 or so. It was a worthwhile day.