Curious About "Hill 120"

Beautiful day. Beautiful view of the pacific as I approached Dulag from Tolosa.

Before the town proper, I saw that brown marker telling me I was near (300 meters)...

Hey you! Yes you! Do you even know what "Hill 120" is? What the "Hill" is it anyway?!

For many non-Warays, this is unheard of, right? Yes, and this time, may I shamefully claim I am a non-Waray. Eh kesa naman I shamelessly claim that I am Waray tapos di ko man lang alam iyang Hill 120 na yan! Hahaha, yeah, I do not even remember if this thing was mentioned by Renato Constantino in our PHI textbook way back in college hehehe!

But if it is any consolation, I have done my informal verbal research before visiting this place - I asked too many Waray-warays who are even residents of this region up till now, and - many of them do not really know, or have not even heard of Hill 120. Patas tayo!

Anyway, I became aware of Hill 120 because of the many number of times I passed by it, in the course of performing my role/s, in these Yolanda-related things we do for Leyte. I thought this roadside memento was already the marker. I just learned now, there's more!

When I stopped by this morning, for a closer look, I noticed there are more "things to see" behind this marker, and even up the hill! So, I went up, despite protestations of my driver, who kept telling me the place was unkempt, full of weeds and already tall grass!

Here's an example. Try comparing the picture above and this one...

Yes, this pic focuses on a part of the bigger photo above. But, do you see the "soldier"?

This one is just a few feet behind that big marker on the roadside (photo above)...

Now, do you see 1st Lt. Clifford W. Mills? Hanapin! He re-raised the American flag here! Nice ha?! It's a life-size diorama recreating how the soldiers re-planted their flag upon return to our country as promised by Douglas MacArthur when he said "I shall return"!!

I asked my driver "kamao diay katkat'g lubi ang armekano?". His reply: "kay bangin gad sir, ura-ura, first lieutenant"! But we wondered "nag-training ba hira pagsaka hit lubi"?!

There are concrete and painted stairs, but, as my driver said, full of "vegetation"!

Still I went up curious what might be up there. This looks like an abandoned park!

Halfway up, I turned around to see how 1st Lt. Clifford W. Mills is doin'!

There, he is still clinging to the coconut tree! And still carrying his American Flag!

And then I reached the top of the hill. Sabi ko na nga ba?! Just as I thought..!

This is a park! These two flagpoles on foreground are the Philippine and American Flags. That round thing is concrete in the shape of an American soldier's helmet. Its big ha?!

Its probably 7 or 8 feet tall. Inside is some kind of a resting area - it has a window on the other side. BUT, a very foul smell emanates from inside it. I peeped from outside the window and saw a scattering of rubbish and even human excrements. Unbelievable!

I was loudly protesting and complaining with all the invectives in all languages I know. Walang tao eh hehe! I mostly only loudly express my ire when no one is listening hehe!

I learned from my driver that, "actually" the authorities (LGU?) do spruce this whole area up, ONLY when the Leyte Landing Commemoration Ceremony is approaching (20OCT). But I insist, that is a stupid 'practice'. They should maintain this place everyday, since this is a memorial and tourist attraction. Visitors do not come only every October 20. Duh?!

Near the "helmet" is this wall. The players who made this "second landing"...

I took this pic so I would remember what to remember! Hmm, this looks like I may have to do some digging up of historical facts and figures. I hope they're all available online!

Oh my, oh my... they even have these...

Concrete replicas of the installations (I suppose) that 96th ID had to put in place, once they secured this area. What are these supposed to be? Communications facilities? Sorry, the grass has grown. There may have been identifiers here, but I could not go near them.

On one side of this "memorial" (jusko Dulag, ayusin nyo ito!), I could see something...

Am not sure if its a covered walkway, a view deck, a rest area, or another edifice they may have made to depict history. There is something there, but the grass has grown. :(

Then I saw this...

That red thing on foreground is supposed to be a concrete bench for us visitors to have a better vantage of the beach and the ocean. Where the American forces came in from. Unfortunately it's all overgrown with cogon grass, I could not sit there to relish the view.

So, as I write this, napa-research ako online... about Hill 120!

First thing I found... "Blue Beach" is not named so, because the sand in this area is colored blue! It was a code. They called Blue Beach, that strip of beach directly across this hill after the highway. There's a "sand and gravel" business there as of now.

Beside Blue Beach, there was "Yellow Beach" and "Violet Beach". Take note you rainbow fans, they called it "Violet", not "Purple"! There was also "White Beach" and even "Orange Beach"! If you may recall, the MacArthur Landing Memorial in Palo is at Red Beach. Those are/were all part of the American's assault plan to recapture Leyte from the Japs!

I learned about those color codes from a book titled "United States Army in WWII", authored by M. Hamlin Cannon, published by Pickle Partner's Publishing (2013 Edition?).

Yeah, found online, due to the curiosity! I wouldn't have searched for this if I haven't sat foot on Hill 120! This book extensively describes the Hill 120 approach and encounters.

Hmm, one of these days, I think I may want to plot where "exactly now", are those Violet and Yellow beaches, since I often pass by this area. Just give me time please. I read from the book that these "blue", "yellow" and "violet" beaches are supposed to be near each other. But, I even already forgot how many meters is one yard! I will need that badly :D

Oh, and something bothers me... so when and where was the "I Shall Return" fulfilled? On this hill, 20OCT1944 but without MacArthur? Because and but, he landed at Red Beach in Palo, at (probably) a later time of the same day? Pwede, di ba?! Possible.

But, my travels brought me to another place that claims it was there where the "second coming" happened! Please read the last paragraph of this story I posted last year!

Interestingly intriguing! Another proof that, traveling is learning!

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