Naval Base Manila, Naval Air Base Manila was a major United States Navy base south of the City of Manila, on Luzon Island in the Philippines. Some of the bases dates back to 1898, the end of the Spanish–American War. Starting in 1938 civilian contractors were used to build new facilities in Manila to prepare for World War II. Work stopped on December 23, 1941, when Manila was declared not defendable against the Empire of Japan southward advance, which took over the city on January 2, 1942, after the US declared it an open city. US Navy construction and repair started in March 1945 with the taking of Manila in the costlyBattle of Manila ending on March 2, 1945. Naval Base Manila supported the Pacific War and remained a major US Naval Advance Base until its closure in 1971.[1]
Spanish shipyard: late 16th century – early 19th century Spanish naval station: early 19th century – 1898 U.S. Naval facility: 1898–1971 Philippine Naval facility: 1971–present
The first US Navy bases were Spain's bases taken after the 1898 Battle of Manila. At the end of the Spanish–American War, Spain ceded Manila to the United States.[2][3][4] Merchants ship from Spain and China started trading on the Sangley Peninsula in 1571. Sangley was the name given to Chinese traders, a merchant guest, in the Philippines. The two main Naval bases taken: Naval Base Cavite at Cavite City and Naval Station Sangley Point both on the Cavite Peninsula in Manila Bay, eight miles southwest of the city of Manila. The Cavite Peninsula is south of the city center of Manila. On May 1, 1898, the US Navy took over the two Naval Bases after the Battle of Manila Bay. Naval Station Sangley Point was used as a coal station for refueling ships. At the Naval Base Cavite, a repair shipyard, that Spain had called Astillero de Rivera (Rivera Shipyard), the US Navy did updates, improvements and later added a submarine base. The old Spanish hospital, run by Sisters of Charity, was taken over by the US Navy. The old hospital was replaced by a new Naval hospital, Cañacao Naval Hospital Reservation in the 1920s, this Hospital served the Navy and local population. Cañacao Naval Hospital was destroyed during the war. Starting in 1938 US and Philippines civilian contractors were used to build up the US bases at Manila. The new 1941 projects were building at Sangley Point a Seaplane base and an ammunition depot at Mariveles on the tip of Bataan Peninsula.[1][5]
On December 23, 1941, it was declared that Manila was not defendable. Most civilian contractors depart Manila. US Troop were withdrawn to the Bataan Peninsula.[6] Some Troops withdrawn to Corregidor Island in the bay, that surrendered May 6, 1942.[7]Japanese forces took over and started using the two Manila bases in January 1942. US civilians that did not depart were detained by Japan at University of Santo Tomas-(Santo Tomas Internment Camp) and Bilibid Prisons. The University of Santo Tomas prisoner of war (POW) camp held 3,000. The two Bilibid Prisons were used as processing centers, over 13,000 POWs, mostly Americans, were held there before being put on hell ships and transferred to other POW camps.[1][5] Some staff at the Naval Hospital did not evacuate, including some nurses, who became POWs with the Troops in the Battle of Bataan.[8][9] The nurses became known as the Angels of Bataan for their care of the Troop till liberated in February 1945.[10][11][12]
With the taking of Manila in 1945, in March 1945 the US Navy's Seabee, Naval Construction Battalions, began repairing the battle damage at the two bases. Soon improvement began, with new Troop arriving at Pacific War, a base for new Troops arriving was built at the Cavite naval base. With the fighting ships at war for years, a Cavite repair base and depot was built for the repair and maintenance of ships. United States Seventh Fleet headquarters moved into the 40-acre Manila Polo Club. At Sangley Point Seabees built a new 5,000-foot runway for Naval Air Transport Service airfield. The new airfield had 12,000 barrel tank farm, hangars, and a depot. Sangley Point seaplane base was repaired and improved, including adding a pontoon dock. The Cavite base was repaired and a new replacement Naval hospital was built. The Manila bases and the large Fleet anchorage in Manila Bay began to build up for the expected costly invasion of Japan, planned for November 1, 1945, called Operation Downfall. With the Surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945, the invasion was not needed. The new Naval Hospital was completed and expanded. Naval Base Manila continued as US Base till 1971, when it was turned over to the Philippines Navy.[1][13][5]
Cañacao Peninsula Seaplane Base at Sangley Point (1941) (Patrol Wing 10) (Japan 1941–1945 Kanakao base), US Navy (1945–1971). Locate on the south tip of Sangley Point at 14°29′40″N120°54′42″E / 14.494402°N 120.911648°E / 14.494402; 120.911648. The Navy operated patrol planes: P5M Marlin, HU-16 Albatross, and PBY Catalina at the base. The Seaplane Base closed in 1965 and is now part of Sangley Point National High School. Navy operated[14]
Naval Fuel depot at Sangley Point (1938–1941, 1945–1971)
Cañacao Naval Hospital Reservation, at Cañacao Bay (1925–1941) (Japan 1941–1945), destroyed during the war (also see Angels of Bataan) Was a 27-acre site at 14°29′28″N120°54′19″E / 14.491034°N 120.905203°E / 14.491034; 120.905203. (replaced Spain's 1875 Hospital)[15][11][16]
Radio station at Sangley Point, Three 600-foot steel antenna towers (1915–1945). North antenna was at 14°29′39″N120°53′58″E / 14.494284°N 120.899401°E / 14.494284; 120.899401, the other two antenna towers were next to the Cañacao Naval Hospital Reservation. Removed to build 8,000-foot runway.[17]
Sangley Point Ship Yard, two marine railways for ship repair, next to the seaplane base.
Varadero de Manila Shipyard, (1957–1970) the US Navy shipyard at Sangley Point was turned over for private use after the Korean war in 1957. Located between the seaplane base and the former Cañacao Naval Hospital Reservation at 14°29′36″N120°54′32″E / 14.493265°N 120.908952°E / 14.493265; 120.908952. Now a boat dock.
Naval Base Cavite (50-acre Cavite Navy Yard and Sub Base) (1898–1941, 1945–1971), now Naval Station Pascual Ledesma
Mariveles Seaplane base, at the Mariveles port a seaplane ramp and base was built at 14°25′51″N120°29′07″E / 14.430802°N 120.485315°E / 14.430802; 120.485315.[24]
Mariveles Airfield, one dirt 3,800-foot runway at Bataan14°27′N120°30′E / 14.45°N 120.50°E / 14.45; 120.50 complete on February 23, 1942. Used by US Army and Navy, with nearby Army Camp. Mariveles Airfield surrendered on April 10, 1942, and from there the Bataan Death March began. Airfield was retaken in February 1945.[25]
Malinta Tunnel, built by the United States, from 1922 to 1932 as a bomb-proof storage depot and Troop bunker. Due to many wounded troops a 1,000-bed hospital was added. Built on Corregidor Island, at 14°23′16″N120°35′26″E / 14.38791406°N 120.59064738°E / 14.38791406; 120.59064738.[26]
Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays, four US Army forts on islands at the entrance to Manila Bay. Naval mines blocked the entrance to the Port of Manila and Manila Bay for protection. On the north side of Corregidor Island, the two mines fields could be electrically be turned on and off by controls on Corregidor Island, so US ships could use the bay safely.
Bataan Airfield on the east side of Bataan Peninsula, built in 1941. Used by US Army and Navy, surrendered April 10, 1942, POWs part of Bataan Death March.
Nichols Field built in 1919, used for maintenance of US Army and US Navy aircraft. Lost in war, used again in 1945 for Army and Naval Air Transport Service (NATS) till 1947. Now Villamor Air Base.[34]
Nielson Field, a private airport built in 1937, was taken over in 1941 for defense, but lost to Japan. Used by US (APO 75) in 1945 and returned to civil use in 1946, but closed in 1947, now part of Ayala Museum.[14]
North Avenue Airfield (Quezon Airfield), a small auxiliary airstrip, now part of North Avenue (1945), on the Diliman Estate in Quezon City at 14°39′13″N121°2′17″E / 14.65361°N 121.03806°E / 14.65361; 121.03806.[14]
Balara Airfield was used as an auxiliary airfield at 14°42′32″N121°05′00″E / 14.708774°N 121.083451°E / 14.708774; 121.083451 (1945), now houses.[14]
Zablan Auxiliary Airfield, built before war as an auxiliary airfield and an emergency runway at 14°36′36″N121°04′44″E / 14.609875°N 121.078753°E / 14.609875; 121.078753, now Eastwood Mall. Closed after war.[14]
Pasig Airfield, built by Japan, US did not develop, used as an emergency runway at Pasig at 14°34′58″N121°05′01″E / 14.582871°N 121.083569°E / 14.582871; 121.083569, now river front housing.[14]
Grace Park Airfield, (Manila North Airfield) built by Japan, US did not develop, used by US Army and as an emergency runway (1945) at 14°38′49″N121°59′00″E / 14.646844°N 121.983250°E / 14.646844; 121.983250 now at Rizal Avenue, a city block in Caloocan.[14]
Dewey Boulevard Airfield built by Japan, US did not develop as it is a waterfront road, used shortly to remove planes, at Ermita, near US Embassy, that was used as part of the "Airfield" to park planes. Now Roxas Boulevard at 14°34′15″N120°58′55″E / 14.570947°N 120.982011°E / 14.570947; 120.982011.[14]
Naval Base Manila helped liberate an inland civil runway, Marikina Airfield in the city of Marikina in 1945. The runway was converted into a sports field.[14]
US Naval Station Sangley Point in 1947, with Quonset hut, barracks, shops, supply depot, mess hall and more.
Seaplane Base at Sangley Point.
Cavite Navy Yard docks in 1899, year after it became a US Navy Shipyard
A O2U floatplane flies over the Cavite Navy Yard, in 1930, below seaplane tender USS Jason and Sangley Point
Bataan Peninsula on 24 January 1945, with Mariveles Seaplane base, port and Airfield. Japan is bombing the runway. Mariveles surrendered on April 10, 1942, the start of Bataan Death March. Mariveles was retaken in February 1945
Bataan Death March that started at US Navy port at Mariveles on Bataan Peninsula on April 10, 1942, with US Army, Navy, Marines, Naval Hospital staff and Filipino Troops.
youtube Manila Bay, Cavite Naval Base Hit by US Navy
youtube Sangley Pt Philippines 1960s
youtube Seabees of World War II
Referencesedit
^ abcdef"Building the Navy's Bases, vol. 2 (part III, chapter 26)". US Navy, navy.mil.
^José Roca de Togores y Saravia; Remigio Garcia; National Historical Institute (Philippines) (2003), Blockade and siege of Manila, National Historical Institute, pp. 148–150, ISBN 978-971-538-167-3
^"Blockade and Siege of Manila". US Navy, navy.mil.