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National
Archives #80-G-22672-1
Olongapo (120.273E
14.824N) was an important U.S.
naval base in Subic Bay, guarding
the
northern approaches to Manila
Bay
in the Philippines.
It was established in 1902, shortly after the conclusion of the
Spanish-American War. It had good facilities in late 1941, including a floating dry dock and
coastal batteries at
Macmany Point (120.201E 14.775N) and at Fort Wint on Grande Island (120.227E 14.771N). 4
Marine
Regiment was assigned to
the port after being withdrawn from Shanghai
just
prior to the outbreak of war. Fort Wint had twelve guns of up to 10"
(254mm) caliber. However, the port was
abandoned, the
facilities demolished, and the Marines
withdrawn to Corregidor
after the Japanese
landings
on Luzon.
In addition to the Marines, there were 4 PBYs of VP-102 based here, along with submarine Porpoise.
On 29 January 1945, some 30,000 men of Hall's XI Corps were landed north of Subic Bay by Struble's Amphibian Group 9 (Operation MIKE VII). The next day, a battalion from 34 Regimental Combat Team was taken by four fast attack transports to secure Grande Island, which had been abandoned by the Japanese. By nightfall elements of 38 Division had seized Olongapo.
References
Corregidor.org (accessed 2010-9-15)
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