It's amazing how time shortens distances

In 1945 a force made up of United States Army Rangers, Alamo Scouts, and Filipino Guerrillas attacked the POW camp at Cabanatuan in the Philippines. The camp was out in the country above Cabanatuan City, it had a large cleared area around it for a killing zone. The Americans attacked the camp while the Filipinos traveled a little further away through the jungle and took up a position above the river and held off the Japanese reinforcements. The raid is the largest successful rescue mission in U.S. history, freeing 552 Allied prisoners. 
Today there is a memorial site there to commemorate the rescue and honor and those who died in the camps.

Today a visit with google maps shows the area is no longer away from civilization, both the camp and the river area have been developed.

Another case where distance has been shortened,

In 1754 thru 1763 was the French and Indian war. Troops marched out of Southern New England up through Massachusetts and over to Albany to aid their countrymen. According to a road side marker near Brookfield Mass., this march took 3 months through lands with no roads or bridges.

Today it's just a matter of running up 32, across rte 90. In just under 3 hours you can have your feet up in Albany throwing down a cold one.