Travelers with an interest in military history cannot overlook Corregidor, a small rock of an island in the Philippines, which may be found at the entrance of Manila Bay, less than 30 miles from Manila hotels . The island is the largest of five islands (La Monja, Caballo, El Fraille, and Carabao), between the shores of Bataan and Cavite. It’s only about four miles long with an area of a little over 1,700 acres, and contains an island fortress that stands today as a memorial for those Filipino and American fighters who held their ground in World War II against invading Japanese soldiers.

During the war, the Japanese invaded the Phillipnes in 1941, and Corregidor became not only the headquarters of the Allied Forces, but also the seat of the Philippine Commonwealth government. When Bataan fell in 1942, Philippine and American forces held onto Corregidor for another 27 days, but the Japanese forces were overwhelming. Nearly three years later, though, General MacArthur and the Allied forces returned and recaptured Corregidor.

Also known as Fort Mills, Corregidor is referred to as “the Rock,” and geologists think it was once a part of an immense volcano that erupted on one side, gradually eroding, leaving the tadpole-shaped mound that’s visible today. Touring the fort, visitors will witness the large guns of Corregidor and ruined buildings and tunnels, all remnants and reminders of the last world war.

Related posts:

1. Touring the Island of Phuket
2. Singapore’s Art Buddha