Naval Base Manila was a major United States Navy base south of the
City of Manila, on Luzon. 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. With the
American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM) the
Allies tried to limit the advance of Japan. ABDACOM did not have enough troops or supplies to carry out the mission.[1][2] 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. Many US Navy ships and submarines escaped the Philippines and traveled south to ports in
Borneo. As Japan advanced south into Borneo these vessels fled further south to form the new
US Naval Bases in Australia. US Navy personnel, including doctors and some nurses, that did not get evacuated from the bases became
POWs with the Troops in the
Battle of Bataan.[3][4] The nurses became known as the
Angels of Bataan for their care of the Troop till liberated in February 1945.[5][6][7]
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.[8]
To support the taking of Naval Base Manila,
Leyte Gulf was taken first and base construction started on October 20, 1944.
Leyte-Samar Naval Base was made of base on both the island of Leyte and the islands of Samar. The US Naval bases for supported troops, ships,
submarines,
PT boats,
seaplanes, supply depots, training camps, fleet recreation facilities, and ship repair depots. To keep supplies following the bases were supplied by the vast
II United States Merchant Navy. After the war ended on
VJ Day, Leyte Gulf bases closed and the Naval Base Manila remained an
US Naval Advance Base till in 1971. After the
Invasion of Lingayen Gulf on January 9, 1945, the Seabees built up a
Naval Base Lingayen at
Lingayen city and the surrounding gulf. In 1944 and 1945 Japan started using
kamikaze attacks on US Navy ships in the Philippines. With two large Naval Bases on Luzon:
Naval Base Manila and
Naval Base Subic Bay, Naval Base Lingayen was closed after the war. Naval Base Subic Bay, like Naval Base Manila was base of Spain lost to the United States in the
Battle of Manila Bay 1898. Subic Bay was lost to Japan in 1941 and retaken in January 1945. In 1992 the United States turned Naval Base Subic Bay over to the
Philippine Navy.
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
Cavite Navy Yard bombed by Japan on December 10, 1941. Smoke rises from Cavite Navy Yard.
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.