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Assault on Corregidor: May 25-26 (part 2)
The Defenders
Commander Manila Bay Defense Force
Major General George F Moore

Commander: Brigadier General Charles L Steel,
Corregidor Beach and Mobile Defenses which consists of survivors of the 31st Inf, 65th Inf, 26th Cav, 1st Eng, and 1st Marine Battalion (separate) plus elements of the 59th, 60th, 91st and 92nd Coast Artillery Regiments.

Commander: Brigadier General Paul D Bunker,
Corregidor Heavy Artillery and Antiaircraft Defenses, also garrison commander Fort Mills, which consist of the 59th, 60th, 91st and 92nd Coast Artillery crews still able to operate their guns.

As of the night of May 25, General Moore is at Malinta Tunnel, General Bunker commands at the fortified telephone exchange on Topside, and General Steel is at Malinta Tunnel as communications have been badly damaged by constant bombardment.

As of 2300 Hours, the following American and Filipino forces are deployed at Tailside

Beach Defense
4/59th Coast Artillery (CA) (600 effectives)
Batteries L, M, N, O
each battery has 135 men plus 60 man HQ / command post plus batteries each have 2 x 75 mm guns, 3 x 4.2 inch mortars, 3 x 30 caliber MMG, 10 BAR, 50 Springfield rifles plus sidearms and shotguns
each battery holds a front 450 yards long.

Battery L – Malinta Point to Infantry Point,
Both 75 mm guns at Infantry Point (hidden in Battery Keysor tunnels until needed). Mortars located just outside West Entrance Malinta Tunnel (hidden during bombardment). MMG deployed to provide flanking fire on the beach from Infantry Point to Malinta Point (at Infantry Point) but can be quickly shifted. 3 Rifle squads provide security for guns, 6 more deployed in fighting positions along frontage, with 1 squad in reserve with Battery command post which is on a ridge halfway between Malinta and Water Tower Hill.

Battery M – Cavalry Point to Infantry Point,
Both 75 mm guns located atop Water Tank Hill near wreckage of Battery Denver. Guns kept hidden in caves on reverse slope until needed, moved up when enemy detected. Battery M is reinforced by 4 x 50 caliber AAA HMG and 30 survivors of Battery Denver (who have been hiding in their dugouts). Also on Water Tank Hill is the Battery HQ and 1 rifle squad. On the reverse (sea side) of Water Tank Hill are 3 x 4.2 inch mortars. The MMG and 9 infantry squads are deployed in 3 platoon sized positions every 125 yards overlooking the beach in fighting positions.

Battery N – North Point to Cavalry Point
Both guns are located on the ridge right above the beach on the bay side of the island, with the machine guns and 9 of the rifle squads deployed with them. The mortars, battery command post, and a final squad of riflemen are located on the ridgeline on the seaside of the island, reinforced by 30 remaining Philippine Coast Guard sailors with 8 x 50 caliber HMG and 6 Lewis guns they liberated from the last two PT boats before they were blasted apart by Japanese shelling. They are defending the Navy Intercept Tunnel, which is now manned by a handful of radiomen and a few ratings helping out. All of the heavy weapons have been hidden away in dugouts until this moment.

Battery O- Cavalry Point to Hooker Point
Both guns and a pair of searchlights are between East and Hooker point, while the mortars are just east of the searchlights. The MMG and 9 rifle squads cover positions from Hooker Point to Cavalry Point (every 50 yards). Battery HQ and a reserve squad is located near Hooker Point near the guns.

Other positions
3/1 Engineers (Philippine Army) consists of 4 x 135 man companies, a 40 man support platoon, and the rest are the battalion command element. They are located in the 92nd Garage Area, and when word reaches that landing craft are approaching, send two companies to reinforce Battery M/59th, while the rest of the battalion takes up hasty positions on Water Tank Hill. Morale for the Engineers is shaky, as they are poorly equipped and have only limited infantry training compared to the artillery, infantry and cavalry units on the island. Many of their best men were sent to infantry divisions as replacements months ago and these are the men who are either too valuable as construction troops or not considered a good fit for infantry work.

26th Cavalry (Philippine Scouts) consists of 5 M3 Stuart Tanks, 6 Halftracks with 75mm guns, and 4 dismounted troops of 100 men each which are organized into 3 platoons, each with 3 MMG, 9 BAR, and Springfield rifles, plus regimental command element. They take up position in the permanent concrete trench that is the emergency defense position for the western entrance to Malinta Tunnel.


Reserve (and availability)
1st Marine Battalion (Separate) available after Midnight as initially deployed to deal with the Bottomside Landing. Has 4 Companies of 150 men each, plus a heavy weapons company with 24 heavy machine guns (deployed on carts).

Remainder of 1st Engineers is available just before dawn as it has to move under fire from Topside, across Bottomside and into Malinta Tunnel (east entrance) before reaching Tailside.


65th Infantry Regiment (US Army) has to also move from Topside to Malinta Tunnel under fire and cannot reach the battle area before dawn.

31st Infantry Regiment (US Army) is the emergency reserve and remains on Topside in case of another attempt on Bottomside, along with the 4/92nd and 2/60th CA.

Other support
Battery Way, Battery Geary and Battery Craighill (on Fort Hughes) each have 1 operational 12 inch mortar and have managed to collect sufficient volunteers to replace personnel losses (which have been very high).
Between the various 155 batteries on both islands, a total of 12 x 155 mm guns can be brought into action
Battery Smith and its single 12 inch gun can be brought into action, although it has only armor piercing shells
Antiaircraft protection consisting of numerous heavy and medium machine guns as well as a few 3 inch guns remain on Topside
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