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The History of Subic Bay and
Olongapo On March 8, 1885, the
Spanish Naval commission authorized construction of the Arsenal at
Olongapo. The Spanish planned to make their naval station and the
village of Olongapo an Island, protected against attack by insurrectos.
They did extensive dredging of the harbor and the inner basin and built
a drainage canal. The canal served both to drain the swampy area around
the yard and also to form a line of defense. On May
1, 1898, Dewey's Flagship USS Olympia leads the Asiatic Fleet into
Manila Bay. On December 10, 1899, One hundred U.S.
Marines under the command of Capt John Myers landed at Subic Bay with
orders to take charge of the Naval Station at Olongapo and, to take
care of all public property and prevent any destruction of the same.
Picture of U.S. Navy sailors posing on the
propeller of their ship as it undergoes repairs in the Dewey drydock.
The Americans used the West Gate, which they called the Spanish Gate,
as the main gate to the station for many years. Behind the Spanish Gate
was a little Marine Cemetery. The Gate was also used as a jail by both
the Spanish and Americans. The first Marines at Subic
Bay lived in barracks and warehouses built by the Spanish. After the
expeditionary force was set up, it was necessary to supplement the
Spanish buildings with thatched huts made from the leaves of the nipa
palm. Ten inch coastal defense gun on a disappearing mount at
Fort Wint on Grande Island. The 96 acre island was purchased in 1905 by
the U.S. Army and coastal defense guns installed.A
waterfront view of the naval station at Subic Bay taken in 1912 with
Alava Pier on the foreground. A picture looking down
Olongapo's main street - Esteban Street (now named Dewey Avenue) toward
the navy yard. The town of Olongapo was on the Naval Reservation and
was administered by the U.S. Navy. A picture of
Japanese soldiers crossing Subic Bay on a raft made from oil drums
during the Luzon Campaign in 1942. A picture taken in 1947
from the Parola (LightHouse). A 1949 aerial picture of
Naval Station & Old Olongapo (once a sitio of Subic Town). The
center of the picture is the Naval Station, notice the swampy area on
the foreground; then look at the next picture to appreciate the massive
soil movement, land filling and development made on the area. A
1968 aerial photo of Subic Bay from almost the same
angle as the previous picture. Notice the built-up area at Olongapo
City and the construction of Cubi Airfield (runway) on top of the
picture. The last picture was actually taken from a
greater distance/height in 1958, built-up upper portions are West &
East Bajac-Bajac, somewhere in the middle: West & East Tapinac.
Notice that Brgy Pag-asa is still a swampy area in1958, it was later
land-filled after being used as dumping area for the city's garbage.
Magsaysay Bridge (Main Gate) was still non-existent, Rizal Avenue
bridge was rebuilt in 1999 and renamed James L Gordon Bridge The
Spanish held the place for over a century
until the Spanish fleet's defeat at Manila Bay in 1898. The "Spanish
Gate" at the Naval Station still stands. As soon as the Americans took
possession of Subic Bay, they found the place strategically important
for food and fuel for the fleet. The Americans maintained friendly
relations with the locals and the population grew as Filipino civilians
moved into the Olongapo area to take advantage of the opportunities
thus created. The town became the pride of Zambales province, but the
only access was from the sea. No roads penetrated the high inaccessible
mountains that ringed the bay. In 1932, the road through Zig Zag Pass
was completed and the city of Olongapo was connected to the rest of the
country. The growth of the town continued, despite a temporary move of
most of the naval facilities to Cavite Nav Yard. By 1941, the
population of Olongapo had increased to 15,000 souls. The sudden
bombing of Pearl Harbor and the invasion of the Philippines by the
Japanese brought a swift end to the good times in Olongapo. Only a few
American personnel were present at Subic Bay when the Japanese attacked
. the small force could not withstand the air attacks so they moved to
strategic positions of defense and to areas where their services were
badly needed. After a week, the resources of the defenders were
exhausted. The townspeople evacuated to the mountains leaving behind
them the ruins of the Naval base and the town, which was burned to the
ground. The people adopted a "scorched-earth"policy as the Japanese
advanced rapidly. In the latter part of 1942, the Japanese |Imperial
forces occupied Olongapo and began clearing the ruins of the once
beautiful town. The few remaining houses were occupied by the Japanese
soldiers. The fall of Bataan on April 9 and Corregidor on May 7, 1942
diminished the last hope of the Filipinos. American and Filipino
defenders surrendered unconditionally., placing the country under the
iron rule of the Japanese, except in some places where underground
resistance movements were organized. Most of the people retreated
deeper into the mountains and lived on whatever they could and whatever
they'd saved in the way of clothing and provisions. They were exposed
to the elements and attacked by disease and malnutrition. Some of the
civilians "mortgaged" their certificates of employment with the US Navy
at exhorbitant interest rates. They resorted to eating "bojo" roots and
leaves that caused the death of many. Beri-beri and malaria took amny
lives. Some Filipinos worked for the Japanese Navy at Subic out of
desperation, earning a few liters of rice for a day's work or they were
paid in "mickey mouse" money. Others worked for the Japanese out of
fear of being suspected as guerillas, which would mean certain death.
An anti-Japanese resistence movement was formed in the nearby hills
around Capt. E. S. Johnson, who had lost a son and a brother to the
Japanese. All those who were identified as belonging to the resistance
were sentenced to be shot on sight by the Japanese. Johnson and a few
comrades were captured due to the treachery of one of his men, but
while awaiting execution, they escaped from prison and returned to the
hills. They then harassed the Japanese forces whenever they could at
night and then returned to the mountains at night. Finally, on the
morning of January 29, 1945. the people of Olongapo awoke to find
hundreds of American planes in the sky. the Japanese forces got into
their trucks and headed for Zig Zag Pass. None of the townspeople dared
come out for fear the retreating Japanese would shoot every Filipino
they could find on sight. Hours later, Subic Bay filled with American
vessels, and the American troops landed without resistance. Zig Zag
Pass was the site of a bloody battle between Japanese and American
forces, as the American liberation troops pursued the fleeing Japanese
and the Japanese made their last stand. Zambales guerillas fought
alongside the American forces to victory. As soon as the enemy left,
the Americans recognized the plight of the people of Olongapo and began
to help them in all posssible ways. Employment boomed and by 1946,
there were 10,000 Filipinos employed in the various Naval activities.
Stores were reopened, roads rebuilt and housing projects initiated and
the city and Naval Base were on the way to becoming the economic and
military force it continued to be through the 1990's.
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