“I see the old flagpole still stands. Have your troops hoist the colors to its peak and let no enemy ever haul them down.”
These historic words were spoken by General Douglas McArthur on March 2,1945, after the recapture of Corregidor by the 503rd Parachute Regimental Combat Team. The “Rock Force” Commander Colonel George M. Jones in the presence of his regiment saluted and said in a clear voice “Sir, I present to you Fortress Corregidor.”
Members of VFW Post 111447 in Olongapo Philippines, raise a 48-star U.S. flag at Fortress Corregidor in February. The event marked the 81st anniversary of the flag being raised after the recapture of Corregidor by the 503rd Parachute Regimental Combat Team in 1945.VFW Post 11447, Olongapo Philippines, recently made a visit to the “Rock” also known as Fortress Corregidor. The only way to visit is by using the services of Villa Carmen, located at Mariveles, Bataan, Philippines. The cost is 2500 pesos or about $43. Contact must be made about a week in advance.
The Filipino Coast Guard checks names and sees to the loading of the boat. Prior to Covid, the island would have about 300 visitors a day. Due to current restrictions, there are only about 300 people visiting in a year.
The island has a vast history. The word “Corregidor” comes from the Spanish word “corregir,” meaning “to correct.”
During the Spanish era, Corregidor served as both a navigation checkpoint and a lighthouse station for inspecting ships entering Manila Bay. Ships entering Manila Bay had to stop at the Corregidor customs checkpoint, where paperwork was inspected and amended as needed.
Reports from the 1920s and 1930s suggest that Hawaii and Corregidor were considered top locations for soldiers to be deployed. Nicknamed “Little American,” there was a rail system on the island with 19.5 miles of track. Its main purpose was to haul heavy ammunition to the various gun batteries, but it also had 11 passenger cars.
The Pacific War Memorial, finished in 1968, was built for $3 million. Built by the United States, it honors the Filipino and American soldiers who served in War II. It depicts a Filipino assisting an American soldier. The memorial is known for its white dome designed so that the sun shines directly onto the altar on May 16th, marking the anniversary of Corregidor’s fall.
On Feb. 16, 1945, two paratroopers climbed a flagpole to put up a U.S. flag with 48 stars. The flagpole is found at the far end of the parade ground.
This is one of the main reasons VFW Post 11447 went to visit – to commemorate the 81st Anniversary of the raising of the flag.
Karl-Wilhelm Welteke is a U.S. Navy veteran who has been raising a flag for the last 20 years. A local historian, he has a wealth of knowledge not only of Corregidor but of history of the Philippines and WWII.
VFW Post 111447 plans to continue the tradition each year of raising a U.S. 48-star flag to honor that event.
This article is featured in the 2026 April issue of Checkpoint. If you're a VFW member and don't currently receive the VFW Checkpoint, please contact VFW magazine at magazine@vfw.org.
Edited for length and style, this story was written by Michael Mummey, VFW Post 111447 adjutant/quartermaster.