mrkubota
01-28-2009, 12:06 PM
My uncle passed away a few years ago, and one of his sons posted his personal account of his jump on Corregidor and subsequent injury during a firefight.
He'd never talked about the war much before, so this was interesting to me, and was what first prompted me to pick up a 1919:
PFC Jesse S. CASTILLO
Co. C. 161st Airborne Engineer Battalion attached to
the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment.
Jumped here at 0800 16 February 1945. Landed on the
south end of the Golf Course. Two of the troops from
my plane were killed on the jump when their parachutes
failed to open. The drop altitude was 250 feet and
there was no time for them to deploy their reserve
chutes. They were SSGT Linsey and PVT Gambral, both
family men with wives and children back in the States.
Also three others from my engineer company were killed
the first day. All five troops names are engraved on
the 503rd memorial at the top side parade ground.
Three days later, 18 Feb 45, early in the morning the
platoon I was with was ordered to escort the medics
down to the injured troops down below on the side of
the hill. Crossing the parade ground we received heavy
Jap fire and we had to recover and went to the left
through the undergrowth. I was the machine gunner and
the platoon leader Lt. Burk told me to pepper the
bushes with my 30 cal machine gun. While I was firing
my gun jammed. I pulled the lever to start again. It
jammed a second time, so I pulled the lever again.
That damned gun quit again and wouldn’t fire anymore
so I flipped up the cover to see what was stopping the
mechanism. I lifted up my head to see into the chamber
when all of a sudden I was hit by a Jap bullet on the
right side of my face.
It hit me on my right cheekbone behind and a little
low of my right eye. It severed the optic nerve and
continued through my face blowing out my left eye.
Everything turned dark and I yelled out I was hit. The
medics gave me first aid. Two of the troops walked me
back to the CP Aid Station. After the doctors looked
at me a second time, he said "Your war days are over
and you’re on your way home."
It’s hard to believe that after 41 years, returning to
Corregidor for the third time to be able to say that
I’ve been very successful in business and especially
in my marriage. My wonderful wife, Ruth, has been my
companion and friend ever since I came home on that
hospital ship so many years ago. I owe more to her
than I have room to describe here.
Our first son was born in 1946. His name is Daniel and
he lives in La Habra, California with his wife Sue and
his two children, Holly Marie and Mathew. Our second
child was a girl. Ruth ("Pinky") was born in 1947 and
now lives in Indiana with her husband Steve and her
children Mike, Karen, Scott and Stephanie. Our third
kid was born in 1948 and now Jimmy lives in Hawaii
with his wife Rachel and two boys Carlos and Sammy.
Unexpectedly, three years later our third son Genado
popped up and has been a maverick ever since, just
like me. He’s training thoroughbred horses in
Lexington, kentucky and still looking for a gal who
can keep up with him and my two grandchildren, Carlos
and Sam.
It was a dream of mine to come here with my children
and show them the battleground where I fought so long
ago.
Patsy’s wonderful hospitality has made this visit
extra special. Whenever any of my family comes back to
visit the "Rock", I know that Patsy and Mike will
treat them as nice as they pampered me.
Jesse Castillo
Written by Jim Castillo as told to by Jesse, my Dad.
He'd never talked about the war much before, so this was interesting to me, and was what first prompted me to pick up a 1919:
PFC Jesse S. CASTILLO
Co. C. 161st Airborne Engineer Battalion attached to
the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment.
Jumped here at 0800 16 February 1945. Landed on the
south end of the Golf Course. Two of the troops from
my plane were killed on the jump when their parachutes
failed to open. The drop altitude was 250 feet and
there was no time for them to deploy their reserve
chutes. They were SSGT Linsey and PVT Gambral, both
family men with wives and children back in the States.
Also three others from my engineer company were killed
the first day. All five troops names are engraved on
the 503rd memorial at the top side parade ground.
Three days later, 18 Feb 45, early in the morning the
platoon I was with was ordered to escort the medics
down to the injured troops down below on the side of
the hill. Crossing the parade ground we received heavy
Jap fire and we had to recover and went to the left
through the undergrowth. I was the machine gunner and
the platoon leader Lt. Burk told me to pepper the
bushes with my 30 cal machine gun. While I was firing
my gun jammed. I pulled the lever to start again. It
jammed a second time, so I pulled the lever again.
That damned gun quit again and wouldn’t fire anymore
so I flipped up the cover to see what was stopping the
mechanism. I lifted up my head to see into the chamber
when all of a sudden I was hit by a Jap bullet on the
right side of my face.
It hit me on my right cheekbone behind and a little
low of my right eye. It severed the optic nerve and
continued through my face blowing out my left eye.
Everything turned dark and I yelled out I was hit. The
medics gave me first aid. Two of the troops walked me
back to the CP Aid Station. After the doctors looked
at me a second time, he said "Your war days are over
and you’re on your way home."
It’s hard to believe that after 41 years, returning to
Corregidor for the third time to be able to say that
I’ve been very successful in business and especially
in my marriage. My wonderful wife, Ruth, has been my
companion and friend ever since I came home on that
hospital ship so many years ago. I owe more to her
than I have room to describe here.
Our first son was born in 1946. His name is Daniel and
he lives in La Habra, California with his wife Sue and
his two children, Holly Marie and Mathew. Our second
child was a girl. Ruth ("Pinky") was born in 1947 and
now lives in Indiana with her husband Steve and her
children Mike, Karen, Scott and Stephanie. Our third
kid was born in 1948 and now Jimmy lives in Hawaii
with his wife Rachel and two boys Carlos and Sammy.
Unexpectedly, three years later our third son Genado
popped up and has been a maverick ever since, just
like me. He’s training thoroughbred horses in
Lexington, kentucky and still looking for a gal who
can keep up with him and my two grandchildren, Carlos
and Sam.
It was a dream of mine to come here with my children
and show them the battleground where I fought so long
ago.
Patsy’s wonderful hospitality has made this visit
extra special. Whenever any of my family comes back to
visit the "Rock", I know that Patsy and Mike will
treat them as nice as they pampered me.
Jesse Castillo
Written by Jim Castillo as told to by Jesse, my Dad.