▁of ▁the ▁Empire ▁State ▁Building . ▁The ▁estimated ▁cost ▁was ▁$ 3 5 ▁million . ▁President ▁Ro ose vel t ▁subsequently ▁moved ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁building , ▁over ▁Som erv ell ' s ▁ob jections , ▁away ▁from ▁Ar ling ton ▁National ▁C emetery . ▁ ▁South west ▁Pacific ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁General ▁Douglas ▁Mac Ar thur ▁requested ▁Case y ' s ▁services ▁as ▁his ▁chief ▁engineer . ▁Case y ▁arrived ▁in ▁Man ila ▁in ▁October , ▁shortly ▁before ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁war ▁between ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁Japan . ▁He ▁acquired ▁construction ▁equipment ▁from ▁the ▁National ▁Power ▁Corporation ▁that ▁was ▁being ▁used ▁on ▁the ▁C ali ray a ▁project . ▁Case y ▁super vised ▁demol itions ▁as ▁Mac Ar thur ' s ▁troops ▁retre ated ▁to ▁B ata an , ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Service ▁Cross . ▁Un like ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁Mac Ar thur ' s ▁headquarters , ▁Case y , ▁who ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁colon el ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁and ▁brig ad ier ▁general ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁did ▁not ▁re loc ate ▁to ▁Cor reg idor ▁but ▁remained ▁on ▁B ata an ▁with ▁a ▁small ▁staff ▁of ▁five ▁officers . ▁However , ▁he ▁joined ▁Mac Ar thur ▁and ▁six teen ▁other ▁members ▁of ▁his ▁staff ▁in ▁their ▁escape ▁from ▁Cor reg idor ▁by ▁P T ▁boat ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 2