Grande Island, ex Ft. Wint, SBFZ trip, 241211
by welteke
This album is only of the views, going and returning there by boat, views of the coast line of Subic Bay and SBFZ. The trip was with an Aussie Friend, to visit an US Friend, staying there overnight. This time, a daytrip to Grande Island cost about 3000 pesos, includes a welcome drink, a lunch meal, a guided tour and the boat rides.
The Philippine-US History interests me; some Grande Island History Bullets:
-The Spanish retreated to Grande Island during the Spanish American War, when the Filipino resistance fighters rose.
-A German war ship gave the Spanish on Grande Island support.
-General Aguinaldo reported that to Commodore Dewey.
- Commodore Dewey sent a US warship and challenged the German war ship, which departed then.
-The US warship turned the Spanish over to the resistance fighters.
-The US took procession of Olongapo and Subic Bay during the Philippine American War against Philippine resistance. The US built the famous US Olongapo Yard and then the Subic Bay Naval Base. A captured gun used by the Filipinos Resistance is now in a San Francisco Park.
-The US Army built the Coastal Defense Fort Wint on Grande Island.
-In Dec. 1941 the US Army and US Navy abandoned Olongapo and Subic Bay to defend Bataan and Manila Bay. There was anti aircraft defense and a Japanese boat was sunk. Olongapo and Fort Wint were bombed by the Japanese; US Navy aircrafts were sunk. The US Marines were ordered to man the Corregidor Island defenses.
-In Jan. 1945 Olongapo and Subic Bay were recaptured and liberated by the US Armed Forces and Filipino Guerrillas. The hard two week Zig-Zag Battle was fought outside Olongapo towards Dinalupihan against tough Japanese defenses.
-A rumor exist that Grande Island was used by the CIA for an unknown reason, after WWII.
-In the 1950s the Cubi Point Naval Air Station was established. Grande Island became a US Navy recreation area.
-In 1968 the Navy transferred the two 10 Inch coastal defense guns to a park in Washington State.
-In the 1975 time frame Grande Island became a temporary refugee camp for the boat people from Indochina.
-In Nov. 1992 it was a “Sad Good Bye Subic Bay” for us sailors and many Filipinos.
-In Nov. 1992 the former Subic Bay Naval Base became the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) and expanded greatly to all kinds of commercial enterprises.
-In about the 2000s, on the Redondo Peninsular, the landmass separating Subic Bay from the ocean, became a shipyard which is now called; “Agila Subic Shipyard”. This area also houses the Philippine Navy Operating Base.
-In the 2000s Olongapo and Subic Bay became a national and an international tourist area and an important Freeport area.
