The Snapshots in Time Collection

Abandoned Japanese Pedestal-Mounted Anti-Aircraft Gun in Overgrown Field, Luzon, Philippines, WWII

Abandoned Japanese Pedestal-Mounted Anti-Aircraft Gun in Overgrown Field, Luzon, Philippines, WWII

An abandoned Japanese pedestal-mounted anti-aircraft gun stands overgrown in a Luzon field, its barrel still raised skyward. Weapons like this defended Japanese positions across the Philippines until American and Filipino forces overran them during the 1944-1945 liberation campaign. Left in place after capture, such guns were routinely photographed by Allied units cataloging captured enemy ordnance. Project: 218438