Battery Way, named after Lt. Henry N Way of the 4th U.S. Artillery, is a battery of four 12-inch mortars on the Island of Corregidor. This was the only single-pit battery built as part of the expansion of the U.S. Coast Artillery, and was constructed during the period 1904-1910. Its four mortars were M1890 tubes on M1896 carriages.
Unlike the mortar batteries in the continental U.S., Btty Way fired against the enemy during World War II. Corregidor Island is located to southeast of Manila, right on the entrance to Manila Bay. Btty Way's mortars were fired by the USAFFE (United States Armed Forces in the Far East) against Japanese positions on nearby Bataan and during the invasion of Corregidor Island. During the early months of 1942, Battery Way was part of the group of guns that kept on firing to the northeast, since its mortars were the only artillery on Corregidor capable of firing in any direction (360 degrees). The Japanese were aware of the larger coastal guns in the island, but those 16-inch guns could swing only 180 degrees, and facing the west, they was incapable of firing to the northeast. The Japanese knew of Corregidor's powerful 16-inch seacoast guns so they avoided a direct invasion on Manila by passing through Manila Bay. Instead, they landed on parts of Northern Luzon and slowly made their way south towards Manila.
These mortars were manned by a crew of fourteen. Firing sequence was done to two of the mortars at a time to achieve a salvo effect. The battery was manned by the Japanese after the fall of Corregidor in 1942. The guns were permanently damaged during the retaking of Corregidor by the American and Filipino troops in 1945.
Corregidor is now one of the Philippines' premiere national parks. Daytime and overnight tours are available. It is approximately an hour of ferry ride from Manila. The whole island is now maintained by the Cavite Foundation Institute (CFI) of Cavite, Philippines, and the Department of Tourism. Aside from the tours, trekking, hiking, and swimming has become a part of visitors' activities.
Contents |