San Mateo Landfill/Timberland/Mt Mataba area warplane wreck or not?

Hi there, I'm Nick and I'm new here. I write, like planes, weapons, history, tattoos and hiking. I am trying to find out about a supposed warplane wreck near San Mateo Landfill/Timberland/Mt Mataba area of the Philippines after a local Filipino man told me of this.

He was a teenager in the 70s and lived on the mountain, listed today as Mt Mataba on google maps. That is the wrong peak. I found out after reading 6 Division US Army battle accounts. Of course the document has no supporting maps or diagrams. I relied on the wrong location on google. Good job it was wrong! It took me to the wrong place!!!

Good luck there. I met a local man. He's a lot older now. His teen years were spent on the mountain. He found dozens of dead Japanese soldiers, bones, with helmets, glasses, rifles, dog tags etc etc. He buried the bones and still has the rifle which i saw and photographed. He took me to the open Japanese tunnels. The soldiers were killed in their battle positions.

Not partly in the tunnels as on the real Mt Mataba by Mango Gorge. The entrances were blown up and sealed entombing many troops alive. Seems they're still there, inside. Japan still looks for soldier remains today.

Anyhow, the local man told me of an aeroplane wreck! This was after i asked my question, where's the plane wreck. He pointed and told me. Historic wreck now. Site is under a rubbish dump. San Mateo Landfill site. But the alloy metal was recycled to the junk shop. I need to ask the guy how many engines the plane had.

Anyhow... i thought the alleged plane was a P-38 Lightning as they flew over the area on recon and close support missions. Or was the plane a P-47 or 51 or other? I do not think it was US Navy Hellcats though like the wreck sites at Clark. USAAF air support on call by US Army. Unlike Navy hitting other stuff. Anyone help on this?

Thanx.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TZiLZTXbwqzPutHF7


See the photo it shows the site. Hill to the right is the battle area.

 

this is my bible and playground. I've hiked most these peaks and am locked down now. Mt Parawagan, Hapunang Banoi, etc etc more planned. I go to Mt Mataba, i love it up there. Digital maps are wrong. But reason i found the tunnels and plane and guy who found them decades ago. I've got the 6 Division account of Mt Mataba. I'd like to see inside the closed off tunnels.

I've several photo albums of thousand of pix documenting my hikes and finds. I write it up for my books and blogs. A friend likes the tunnels and explores the ones at Clark. I'm in Manila.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/wcT1SeFePJ1wGcnJ8

 

some stuff i put together---

I am researching a warplane wreck site at Mt Mataba, San Mateo, Luzon, Philippines. I think it is a Lockheed P38 Lightning crash. Philippine based units especially in Luzon. What are the units? 475 Fighter Group but what squadron? Air support at Mt Mataba on call by the US Army who were attacking the dug in Japanese positions. Soldier FACs talk to the P38s. Targets located there etc. Unlike US Navy planes flying off distant carriers and hitting fixed targets eg Japanese planes at Clark air base. What were the P38 unit losses and where? On what date? Pilot names? Were any P38s lost at Mt Mataba etc. Camera equipped versions of the P38 took photos. Some fighter bomber ones also dropped napalm on positions over the hill from Mt Mataba at Mt Parawagan (Pacawagan). There are photos of P38s dropping napalm tanks near the Montalban area. A friend saw an unexploded bomb on Mt Mataba, a big one, maybe 1000lb. I need to find out about the mythical plane wreck that was at the foot of Mt Mataba in the 70s. The metal has been recycled and was seen by another friend. He said lots of alloy was there. No indication of pilot fate or aeroplane type. Now the crash site is buried under ... a huge rubbish dump (San Mateo landfill). I will keep my views on this to myself. The aeroplane metal was found by a teenager in the 70s. He is 60 now and told me the story. He also found bones from dead Japanese soldiers and war artefacts. I wanna know about the plane. I emailed Pacific Wrecks 2x and had no reply. Anyone got any info on Lockheed P38 Lightning unit losses based in Luzon, Philippines? The Mt Mataba battle was April 1945... thanx.

off wiki

475th Fighter Group (P-38 Lightning)

The continuing shortage of P-38s forced the 35th and 49th Fighter Groups to convert their single P-38 squadrons to P-47Ds, thus leaving the Fifth Air Force at the end of 1943 with only the 475th Fighter Group, and the 80th squadron of the 8th Fighter Group.

The group received a second DUC for intercepting and destroying many of the planes the Japanese sent against American shipping in Oro Bay on 15 and 17 October 1943. It covered landings in New Guinea, New Britain, and the Schouten Islands. After moving to Mokmer Airfield on Biak Island in July 1944, the group flew escort missions and fighter sweeps to the southern Philippines, Celebes, Halmahera, and Borneo.[1]


For a while, the 475th included among its personnel the famous pilot Charles Lindbergh. He was serving with the Group as a technical representative from the United Aircraft Corporation. Lindbergh flew a number of combat missions with the Group in June/August 1944 as a civilian to instruct pilots on how to use cruise control to get maximum range and endurance from their P-38Js. On 28 July, Lindbergh was credited with shooting down a Japanese Mitsubishi Ki-51 over Elpaputih Bay in the Netherlands East Indies in a 433d Fighter Squadron P-38 42-104995.


The group moved to the Philippines in October 1944 and received another DUC for bombing and strafing enemy airfields and installations, escorting bombers, and engaging in aerial combat during the first stages of the Allied campaign to recover the Philippines, October–December 1944.[1]



Major Thomas McGuire of the 431st Fighter Squadron next to his Lockheed P-38J "Pudgy (V)" (44-24155)

Major Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. was awarded the Medal of Honor for missions on 25 and 26 December 1944 leading flights of P-38’s escorting bombers that struck Mabalacat Airdrome and Clark Field. He scored three confirmed victories on that Christmas day, and on the following day, he scored four more against Japanese fighters. On 7 January 1945, while attempting to save a fellow flyer from attack during a fighter sweep over Negros Island in the Philippines, Maj McGuire risked a hazardous maneuver at low altitude, crashed, and was killed.[1]


The group flew many missions to support ground forces on Luzon during the first part of 1945. It also flew escort missions to China and attacked railways on Formosa. It began moving to Ie Shima near Okinawa in August but the war ended before the movement was completed.[1]


During World War II, the 475th Fighter Group was engaged in combat for approximately two years. The group completed 3042 missions, (21,701 Sorties) and shot down 551 Japanese aircraft. On the other hand, the Group lost only 56 Planes to the Japanese. During the war, the Group took part in seven campaigns, and was awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations for outstanding performance of duty in action. In addition to Majors Bong and McGuire, the unit boasted such "Aces" of the Pacific War as Col. Charles MacDonald (27), Capt. Daniel T. Roberts (14), Lt. Francis J. Lent (11), Lt. Col. John S. Loisel (11), Capt. Elliot Summer (10), plus many more.[citation needed]


475th Fighter Gp


Aerial Victories Number

Group Hq 43

431st Fighter Squadron 212

432d Fighter Squadron 167

433d Fighter Squadron 107

Group Total 542

· Dulag Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, 28 October 1944

· McGuire Field, Mindoro, Philippines, 5 February 1945

· Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 28 February 1945

· Lingayen Airfield, Luzon, Philippines, c. 20 April 1945




off wik

 

also...

Mount Mataba dominated the Marikina River Valley. Its main ridge ran generally north and south with three prominent peaks, Knob 1 on the southern tip, Red Top in the center and Knob 2 on the northern tip. The western approaches to Mount Mataba consisted of steep hog back ridges with deep ravines covered by a dense growth of vegetation and trees. Elements of the Japanese 8th and 105th Divisions, 26th Independent Mixed Brigade and miscellaneous service units were located in this area. They had spent months in preparing positions in this sector, consisting of an elaborate network of mutually supporting caves with connecting underground tunnels covering all avenues of approach leading to Mount Mataba.

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where is this? Ho Name Gorge. Daily patrols had been dispatched to the east to reconnoiter the area around Ho Name Gorge and other ravines in the vicinity of Mount Mataba


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The Capture of Knob 2

At 0620, Apr 17, the 2nd Platoon reported that the attack position was secured. No enemy resistance had been encountered. At 0815, the tank joined the company behind Red Top and at 0845, the artillery and mortar preparation commenced. Under cover of this noise the company moved out with the tank to a position one hundred yards in rear of the attack position. Upon completion of the artillery and mortar fires, the company moved quickly to the attack position and called for the mortar fires to lift.

The tank moved out over Point V with its 75 firing and machine guns spraying the area to its front. For the first time the men could see the enemy. The preparatory fires had left the hill practically void of any vegetation. Enemy riflemen, apparently demoralized by the sight of the tank, fired excitedly as well as wildly. As the main ridge widened the second squad was deployed around the left side of the tank. The light machine guns were set up on the flanks of Point V and began to spray Ridge T with bullets. Japs, their torsos torn practically in half, continued to resist. One Jap, his leg blown off at the knee, manned a heavy machine gun until struck by a .30 caliber bullet. It was a suicidal defense, but once the attack gained momentum it bowled over the opposition. No words can express the magnificent job accomplished by the tank. The enemy was completely surprised and stunned by its appearance.

At 1050, battalion wag notified that the objective had been taken. Meanwhile, the men who had been mopping up on Knob 2 received sniper fire from Mount Pacawagan. This fire ceased when the 4.2 mortars blinded the enemy with smoke. A large cave was discovered on the north side of the Knob. This cave had apparently been used by the Japs to escape the devastating effects of the artillery and mortar fires. The entire Knob was found to consist of a series of mutually supporting foxholes connected by underground tunnels. Tunnels in several of the holes appeared to lead toward the large cave on the reverse slope of the Knob. White phosphorous grenades were thrown into all such tunnels. It soon became quite apparent why the Japs had made a last ditch stand to hold this Knob. It afforded an excellent view of the Mango River Gorge and disclosed a number of trails leading up to Mount Pacawagan from this direction. A few Japs were seen occasionally moving to the east in the gorge and artillery was fired in these areas with unobserved results.

On the final assault of Knob 2 by G Co, two light machine guns, one heavy machine gun and a number of enemy rifles were captured. Approximately thirty-five dead Japs were counted on the Knob and an undetermined number were already buried. Several times the men, digging new fox holes, would dig into enemy graves. No time was lost in organizing a perimeter defense. Concertina wire and sand bags were used to strengthen the position. Booby traps were constructed and placed in critical areas to give early warning of any hostile approach. While the perimeter defense was being organized observation posts were established. At dark all security elements withdrew to the perimeter and prepared for an expected counterattack that failed to materialize. The enemy was content to harass the position with mortar and artillery fire. C Co’s casualties for the final assault on Knob 2 were much leas than expected, in that, only one man was killed and three men were wounded. On the other aide of the ledger, thirty-five enemy dead were counted. An undetermined number had been killed and sealed in the spider like net work of tunnels and in the large cave. In summary, C Co, 63rd Infantry, did accomplish its mission by assisting in the capture of Knob 1, by seizure and subsequent holding of Red Top and, in the final phase, the capture of Knob 2 in an all out assault. The seizure of this dominant and critical terrain feature in the heart of the Shimbu Line paved the way for the later capture of Mount Pacawagan and the ultimate destruction of the Shimbu Line. It denied to the enemy his most advantageous point of observation on the Marikina River Valley and the city of Manila, farther to the west. In turn it provided observation for the American forces down the Mango River Gorge, one of the main communication routes of the Japs and suspected location of many of his artillery and heavy mortar pieces.

C Co’s losses during this operation amounted to three men killed and sixteen men wounded. Although the actual enemy casualties are not known it far exceeded those of C Co. On Knob 2 alone, thirty-five enemy dead were counted while an undetermined number were destroyed in the numerous tunnels and caves. No prisoners of war were taken. C Co, by their participation in this action, shared in a unit citation awarded to the 1st Battalion, 63d Infantry, for outstanding performance of duty in action against the enemy in the Shimbu line, Mount Mataba area.


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Hi, I have read a great deal on the 6th Infantry fighting on Mt Mataba in the Philippines. I have hiked the area and seen old Japanese tunnels. However much is overgrown and a huge rubbish dump covers a vast area. I contacted you before on a Mr McKee who died in the area, a truck driver told me, his mum knew of the soldier's death. That aside, I need detailed unit maps. For example...


The squad leader informed the company commander that Knob 2 appeared to be alive with Japs. True, he had only seen a few but the entire knob appeared to be erupting with rifle fire. Further, he had observed one machine gun on Ridge T firing flanking fire on Point V and another machine gun appeared to be located in the center of Knob 2.