Hong Kong bound vehicles diverted to ?

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by Mark W. Tonner

I forgot to mention in my earlier post that upon reaching Manila, these 212 vehicles were marshalled at Fort McKinley on the outskirts of Manila.

Mark, where did you get your information about the vehicles stored at Fort McKinley? Was it in a book or from a website and would you mind passing that info on to me? Reason I ask is I've found more info on the freighter Don Jose from a Lloyd's of London report. Which I've copied here:


DON JOSE

D: 12-29-41
YB: 1920
T: unknown
Tn: 10,893
Pos: 14.35 N / 120.55 E
Dr: unknown
Ow: Madrigal & Co.
C: flour, general deck cargo of
Op: Madrigal & Co. lumber
M: unknown
P: motor
A: unarmed
S: at anchor

As you can see from the report the Don Jose was carrying flour and general deck cargo when it was sunk Dec 29, 1941, four days after the defence of Hong Kong collapsed. Did the Don Jose actually anchor or dock in Honolulu and if so did it unload any cargo? It's strange, at least to me that it would take on a cargo of flour (I didn't know they grew wheat there) from the Phillipines. You'd think that the U.S. Army would commandeer all foodstuffs as they planned to hold out as long as they could, remember, Corregidor didn't fall until May 6th. In any event, it's an interesting story and one not without irony. After the fall of the Phillipines, the Japs refloated the Don Jose and towed her to Hong Kong, her original destination. Derek.