Roofless and skeletal, but majestic under a summer sky, Mile-Long Barracks has become a powerful icon that brings to mind haunting images of Corregidor Island and World War II. This 1,520-foot, three-level building is reflective of architectural designs used by the Americans during the late nineteen-twenties and thirties. Buildings and fortifications on the island wear a distinct, almost thematic look that characterizes this bygone era.
A view of the opposite (eastern) end of the building shows much of it to be still intact. Like most ruins on the island, most of Mile-Long Barracks has been swept clean of debris. Traversing the ground floor along the length of the building makes for an interesting walk-though, but, while the second and third levels are also in relatively good shape -- and may be accessed through the original stairways and corridors -- it is not advisable to explore them without a safety guide.
A cursory inspection of one of Mile-Long's second-floor rooms shows it to be virtually untouched by the ravages of war. Still looking inhabitable after all these years, it gives visitors a glimpse of what life was like on the island before and during the war.
Without obtrusive pillars, this room on the third level looks even more spacious. In rarely visited areas like this, small, loose pieces of cement still litter the floor, while pockmarked walls and supports tell their tales of past battles won and lost.
A stay in Corregidor just wouldn't be complete without a travesal of Mile-Long Barracks' perimenter and interior. Here, we see a portion of the facade that is commonly shown in travel brochures and iconographic representations of the island.
This photo shows a shady lane beside the rarely-seen backside of the building. On certain days, numerous monkeys move in from the forested sections of the island and and hang out in this area.
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