by: Col. Joseph T. Cottrell U.S. Army Coast Artillery
(Source: Coast Artillery Journal May – June 1941)

An R&R visit to the mountain resort of Baguio was one of the “must do’s” for Army officers sent to the Philippines. In December 1940 Col. Joe Cottrell and wife Adelaide, accompanied by friends, motored up to the City of Pines. They spent Christmas. The trip included a side visit to Bontoc and Banaue. Enjoy their trip report.

An addendum, follows, written much earlier in 1931, as a letter to the Coast Artillery Journal Editor. It gives a good account of the pleasures available at Army Camp John Hay. Also a Photo of Col Cottrell in uniform and a letter he wrote to his wife while a POW of the Japanese Army.  BB

Addendum: 1931

Ending Note on Col. Cottrell

Col. Cottrell arrived for Philippine duty at Corregidor in early 1940. Close to mandatory retirement age this was meant to be his final posting. In October 1941 his wife, along with other military dependents sailed for the States as war clouds gathered. At war’s outbreak Col. Cottrell was promoted to Executive officer of “Harbor Defenses” under Major General George Moore. In May 1942 he become a POW and spent the war years in Japanese POW Camps in Taiwan and Manchuria. Liberated in September 1945, Col. Cottrell returned to the U.S. Like many POWs he never recovered his health. He died in 1948. Cottrell and his wife are buried in Arlington National Cemetery VA. BB