JUL. 10, 1951 — President
Truman in the Oval Office accepting as a gift
from the people of the Philippines, a rock from
Corregidor presented by a delegation including
the Ambassador from the Philippines to the
United States, Joaquin Elizalde (in dark suit to
the right of the gift) and World War II veterans
from the Philippines and the U.S. who were
wounded at Bataan and Corregidor. Colonel Harry
M. Peck, Commanding Officer, 515th Coast
Artillery, is second from the left in
photograph. Abbie Rowe, Photographer. (Harry S.
Truman Library, Independence, MO.)
President Truman’s remarks upon accepting a piece of the
Rock of Corregidor as a gift from the people of the
Mr. Ambassador, Colonel, Major—
It gives me great pleasure to accept this token from the
Philippine people for the people of the United States of
It is the symbol of our friendship and partnership in
war and in peace, and it will be a continuing symbol of
our friendship from now on.
I shall send it to the Smithsonian Institution here in
Washington, where almost all the American people can
have a look at it.
Sometime or other, everybody in the United States goes
to the Smithsonian Institution, and I want this token of
friendship from the Philippine people to be in a
position where every American can see it when they come
I am very thankful for this presentation, and I
appreciate it most highly, Mr. Ambassador, Colonel and
Major. It is very kind of you.
“The President spoke at 12:10 p.m. in his office at the
White House. His opening words referred to Joaquin M.
Elizalde, Philippine Ambassador to the United States, and to
Colonel Harry Peck and Major Manuel Acosta who took part in
the action of Corregidor and Bataan during World War II. The
presentation took place during Philippine Achievement Week,
which marked the progress of the Philippine Republic during
its five years of Independence.”
— Gerhard Peters
The stone was taken from the mouth of Malinta Tunnel on
Corregidor, island fortress which American forces defended
bitterly before surrendering to the Japanese on May 6, 1942.
Polished and mounted on a slab of narra wood, it bears the
following inscription on an inset bronze plaque:
“Rock of Corregidor, symbol of resistance — Philippino and
American courage in the face of failure, of nobility in time
of triumph. From the people of the Philippines to the people
of the United States. July 10, 1951.”