EXCURSIONS INTO THE PHILIPPINES

[Karl Welteke]

Naval Base Pearl Harbor Views Sep. 1919

On the 29th of Sep I made a short walk around the Naval Base Pearl Harbor near the Nimitz and Makalapa Gates. I only took shots of the Naval Base Fitness Center and shot a few pictures Left to Right at the Naval Base Memorial between Building #150 and the Marry Point Boat Landing. On my first ship, the USS Belle Grove LSD-2, I remember 2 experiences. I landed (drove) our liberty boat at this landing in 1961 and at the Nimitz Gate the Marine Guard send me back to the ship (to get squared away) because I had an extra pack of cigarettes in my socks (Black Market Regs) and I did not have a trouser belt on under my jumper. These pictures are uploaded in High Resolution!

20 pictures have been uploaded into this Flickr album in high resolution:

www.flickr.com/photos/44567569@N00/albums/72157711407514662

Five sample pictures are presented here:



U389. This is one of 12 images from the Pearl Harbor Naval Base Fitness Center, I went to check it out on the 29th of Sep. 2019.



U390. This is one of 8 images of the Pearl Harbor Day Memorial Circle located between the Naval Station Pearl Harbor Admin Building (#150) and the Merry Point Boat Landing. The pictures were shot on the 29th Sep. 2019, Left to Right, and are presented here in that order.



U391. This is one of 8 images of the Pearl Harbor Day Memorial Circle located between the Naval Station Pearl Harbor Admin Building (#150) and the Merry Point Boat Landing. The pictures were shot on the 29th Sep. 2019, Left to Right, and are presented here in that order. In this picture we are looking down towards the Bravo Piers, the shipyard and the uniform shop which has some snack shops.



U392. This is one of 8 images of the Pearl Harbor Day Memorial Circle located between the Naval Station Pearl Harbor Admin Building (#150) and the Merry Point Boat Landing. The pictures were shot on the 29th Sep. 2019, Left to Right, and are presented here in that order. The ship in the picture (# 178-I think) is a Japanese ship.



U393. This is one of 8 images of the Pearl Harbor Day Memorial Circle located between the Naval Station Pearl Harbor Admin Building (#150) and the Merry Point Boat Landing. The pictures were shot on the 29th Sep. 2019, Left to Right, and are presented here in that order. All those Plexiglass stands/columns have inscriptions imbedded about the ships sunk or damaged by the Japanese attack on the 7th Dec. 1941. But they are hard to read, this is the best example.

[Karl Welteke]

Disabled American Veterans Park (DAV) in Honolulu in 2019

This album also has some shot from the Keehe Lagoon Beach Park and some scenic Oahu and Honolulu Airport views from the Lagoon Drive.

I knew this park existed because when you use Nimitz Hwy to Honolulu one can notice a sign to the Park. The members of Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Association have helped create this park in their honor. I’m a member of the DAV and I always wanted to visit it and I finally did on the 4th of Oct.

32 images were uploaded into this webpage from Karl:

philippine-sailor.net/2019/10/23/disabled-american-veterans-park-dav-in-honolulu-in-2019/

Here are 8 sample pictures:





U394. This is a Google Earth image with the landmarks of this album marked in.




U395. This is the entrance to the DAV Park in Honolulu from Nimitz Hwy, there is road construction work going on right now, maybe that is why there is water on the road. Many of the parts of the DAV Park are named after American Veteran Heroes like this drive way after the well-known Senator Dan K. Inouye.




U396. This is the tall Obelisk in the Honolulu DAV Park honoring the Disabled American Veterans and especially the veterans from these two legendary WWII Units, the 442nd REGIMENT and the 100th Infantry Battalion, which were manned by mostly Japanese Americans.




U397. This a scenic view of the Disabled American Veterans Park (DAV) in Honolulu in the year 2019.




U398. A canoe rider just came ashore from the Honolulu Lagoon at the Keehe Lagoon Beach Park and is going to wash and secure his canoe.




U399. This Google Earth picture helps you to locate certain landmarks of the three pictures of the Oahu Eastern Mountain Range.




U400. One of 3 images of the Oahu eastern mountain range, they were shot on the 4th Oct. 2019 and are presented here left to right. We can identify the big valleys where the Likelike Hwy and Pali Hwy run thru towards the east and their tunnels.




U401. From my return walk along Lagoon Drive I reached Nimitz Hwy and H1 above me. Here I took this picture of the Honolulu Harley Davidson, a truly American Icon.

[Karl Welteke]

Hickam Airforce Base Historic Markers 7th Oct. 2019

On my walk on the 7th of Oct. 2019 I spend some time and had a closer look at the Hickam Air Force Base Historic Markers. I took 37 pictures and shared them in high resolution in this Flickr image account:

www.flickr.com/photos/44567569@N00/albums/72157711487569536

Here are 5 sample pictures.



U402. This information stand, display is located near the flagpole, at the heart of Hickam Air Base.

This is one of many images in the Flickr album of the Hickam Air Force Base Historic Markers shot on the 7th Oct. 2019. It is a picture of stands, plaques, the flagstaff, many information displays, an air craft and the bomb scars at the main barracks. It is worthwhile to read the 7th Dec, 1941 attack history right here on site!



U403. This is the area at the base of the flagpole, at the heart of Hickam Air Base.

This is one of many images in the Flickr album of the Hickam Air Force Base Historic Markers shot on the 7th Oct. 2019. It is a picture of stands, plaques, the flagstaff, many information displays, an air craft and the bomb scars at the main barracks. It is worthwhile to read the 7th Dec, 1941 attack history right here on site!


U404. This information stand, display is near the former Hickam Air Field Barracks, then it was called: “The Hotel”.

This is one of many images in the Flickr album of the Hickam Air Force Base Historic Markers shot on the 7th Oct. 2019. It is a picture of stands, plaques, the flagstaff, many information displays, an air craft and the bomb scars at the main barracks. It is worthwhile to read the 7th Dec, 1941 attack history right here on site!



U405. This is one of the three information displays on the information stand, display near the former Hickam Air Field Barracks, then it was called: “The Hotel”.

This is one of many images in the Flickr album of the Hickam Air Force Base Historic Markers shot on the 7th Oct. 2019. It is a picture of stands, plaques, the flagstaff, many information displays, an air craft and the bomb scars at the main barracks. It is worthwhile to read the 7th Dec, 1941 attack history right here on site!



U406. This is a WWII bomb scared wall of the the former Hickam Air Field Barracks, then it was called: “The Hotel”. This is now the Head Quarter of the Pacific Air Forces; the wall was left this way to remind us that freedom is not free.

This is one of many images in the Flickr album of the Hickam Air Force Base Historic Markers shot on the 7th Oct. 2019. It is a picture of stands, plaques, the flagstaff, many information displays, an air craft and the bomb scars at the main barracks. It is worthwhile to read the 7th Dec, 1941 attack history right here on site!

[Karl Welteke]

Patriotism Park on Hickam Air Force Base 2019-10-07

This Patriotism Park on Hickam Air Force Base is located right next to the U. S. Navy Alpha Docks at the east bank of the Pearl Harbor Base Entrance Channel. I served in the Navy Alpha Docks area many years on ship and ashore, this is home. I visited this area on the 7th Oct. 2019 and discovered that the Air Force established a new Patriotism Park right on the east bank of the Pearl Harbor channel and it has a Missing Man Formation Marker to remember those Servicemen who gave it all! Here are the pictures, they are uploaded in high resolution.

17 images, in high resolution, were put into this Flickr album and I present 4 sample pictures here:

www.flickr.com/photos/44567569@N00/albums/72157711511250898



U407. This is one of 7 images of the Pearl Harbor Channel Entrance from Left to Right (in the album). These images were shot on the 7th of Oct. 2019 from the Patriotism Park on Hickam Air Force Base.



U408. This is one of 10 images (in the album) of the Missing Man Formation Marker at the Patriotism Park on Hickam Air Force Base. These pictures are uploaded in high resolution into the album and were shot on the 7th Oct. 2019. This is the view when one comes from the Navy Alpha Docks area.



U409. This is one of 10 images (in the album) of the Missing Man Formation Marker at the Patriotism Park on Hickam Air Force Base. These pictures are uploaded in high resolution into the album and were shot on the 7th Oct. 2019. This is a Google Earth image of the Pearl Harbor Channel Entrance.



U410. This is one of 10 images (in the album) of the Missing Man Formation Marker at the Patriotism Park on Hickam Air Force Base. These pictures are uploaded in high resolution into the album and were shot on the 7th Oct. 2019. This is the plaque for the Missing Man Formation Marker at the Patriotism Park on the Hickam Air Force Base.

[Karl Welteke]

Bishop Point 2019, Pearl Harbor, all places

On the 7th of Oct. 2019 I visited Bishop Point, where I was stationed ones and where some of my ships operated out of. These albums have 65 pictures about the Alpha Docks, MDSU-One, USS Ward and Mini-Submarines, the ESSM Pool, the Hickam Boat Slip area and WWII History there. These are the two albums, take your pick:

Uploaded to Facebook
www.facebook.com/karlwilhelm.welteke/media_set?set=a.10217455625416250&type=3

Uploaded to Photobucket:
s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Hawaii/Hawaii%20Album%201/Bishop%20Point%202019%20all%20places

10 sample pictures are presented here:



U411. Now a little history of Bishop Point. A boat/ship from here spotted the submarine and reported to the USS Ward. This is a WWII picture of the Alpha Docks at Bishop Point

The image, drawings and information came from this URL:

www.loc.gov/item/hi0925/


U.S. Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Quay Wall and Berthing Wharf, Bishop Point, on the waterfront near Pier No. 1, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI.

- Significance: It is located within the Pearl Harbor National Historic Landmark. Constructed in 1941, it was part of a complex of buildings, piers and quay walls at Bishop Point Section Base during WWII that was home to the Harbor Patrol and Net Depot. The function of the area is significant for its association with the beginning of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Early in the morning of December 7, 1941, prior to the Japanese dive bomb attack, a ship patrolling from the Section Base, the USS Condor, sighted a Japanese midget submarine offshore. After reporting the sighting to the USS Ward, the Ward sank the submarine. These were the first shots fired on December 7, and this event marked the official beginning of the United States entry into the Second World War. During the remainder of the war, this quay wall continued to berth small Harbor Patrol craft, and function as a component of the Net Depot.

From Karl: I noticed the camouflage paint on top of some of the buildings and I see several target sleds to be towed for moving target practice by my type of ship, the diving and salvage ships. We were homeported at those piers. I actually done the target towing a few times, and many of us wondered how far will they miss and get close to us?



U412. This is a Google Earth image of the Bishop Point area at the entrance Channel to Pearl Harbor. All the landmarks covered at this presentation and the albums referred to are marked in.



U413. This picture shows an US Army Landing Ship (more of them later) and Divers from the Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit -One (MDSU-1). I talked to them and told them proudly that I served in this unit 3 times, when it was still called Harbor Clearance Unit-One (HCU-1) and was operating in Viet Nam and when it moved here from Subic Bay in 1972. I also served in HCU-2 out of Norfolk and dove in many places in the Atlantic Ocean. I served in this unit from 1981 to 83 when it changed its name to MDSU-1.



U414. This was one of the divers from MDSU-1 on that day. I had to take a picture of that shirt, that was my working/diving uniform for almost 3 decades. That shirt was called Blue and Gold, when you dove already, you turned it around to yellow to indicate that you dove already and that the previous dive time exposure had to be considered by the diving supervisor if he needed you to dive again. Normally during my time, we also wore the popular khaki shorts, which were called the UDT Shorts. The unit diving emblem changed of course at a different diving command.



U415. At Bishop Point is now also the home of the US Army 545th Transportation Company, this is the Head Quarters (HQ). On this day there were 3 large US. Army Landing Ships at the Alpha Docks. I believe, they are mainly used for transporting troops from OAHU to the other islands for training. When my ship changed home port from here to Japan in 1987 the Army only had one of these vessels here. I seen this landing ship type also in Corregidor several times when the Philippine Government observed WWII Memorial Days, The Philippine Navy was tasked to support the events with their landing ships. I read ones that during WWII the US Army had more ships then the US Navy.



U416. In this image, shot on the 7th Oct. 2019 we see three large US Army Landing Ships, moored to the Navy Alpha Docks, Bishop Point and surrounded by the US Air Force Base Hickam.



U417. At Alpha Docks, next to Bishop Point the Navy has positioned one of their Emergency Ship Salvage Material (ESSM) Bases. They store in ready operating condition all kinds of equipment and material for ships salvage and other related emergencies, like fuel leaks etc. This image came from this URL: www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/SUPSALV/ESSM/Location/


From Wikipedia, USS Ward DD-139 this URL:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ward_(DD-139)


USS Ward (DD-139) was a 1,247-long-ton (1,267 t) Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I, later APD-16 (see High speed transport) in World War II. She caused the first American-caused casualties in World War II, when she engaged a Japanese submarine before the attack on Pearl Harbor, and successfully sank her, killing the two crew on board.

A plaque to commemorate this event has been established at Alpha Docks and pictures of it and its location are in the albums.



U418. From Wikipedia.
The gun crew of No. 3 gun of the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Ward (DD-139): it was cited for firing the first shot the day of Japan's raid on Hawaii. Operating as part of the inshore patrol early in the morning of 7 December 1941, this destroyer group spotted a submarine outside Pearl Harbor, opened fire and sank her. Crew members are R.H. Knapp - BM2c - Gun Captain, C.W. Fenton - Sea1c - Pointer, R.B. Nolde - Sea1c - Trainer, A.A. De Demagall - Sea1c - No. 1 Loader, D.W. Gruening - Sea1c - No. 2 Loader, J.A. Paick - Sea1c - No. 3 Loader, H.P. Flanagan - Sea1c - No. 4 Loader, E.J. Bakret - GM3c - Gunners Mate, K.C.J. Lasch - Cox - Sightsetter. (quoted from the original 1942-vintage caption) This gun is a 4/50 type, mounted atop the ship's midships deckhouse, starboard side.



U419. From Wikipedia, the fate of the ex USS Ward DD-139 now APD-16.

As the Pacific War moved closer to Japan, Ward was assigned to assist with operations to recover the Philippine Islands. On 17 October 1944, she put troops ashore on Dinagat Island during the opening phase of the Leyte invasion. After spending the rest of October and November escorting ships to and from Leyte, in early December, Ward transported Army personnel during the landings at Ormoc Bay, Leyte. On the morning of 7 December, three years to the day after she fired the opening shot of the US involvement in the war, while patrolling off the invasion area, she came under attack by several Japanese kamikazes. One bomber hit her hull amidships, bringing her to a dead stop. When the resulting fires could not be controlled, Ward's crew was ordered to abandon ship, and she was sunk by gunfire from O'Brien, whose commanding officer, William W. Outerbridge, had been in command of Ward during her action off Pearl Harbor three years before.




U420. This is one of 17 images (in the albums) of the Hickam Air Force Base boat slips; this is also the way to the beaches and the ex-Fort Kamehameha and the outfit that recovers missing Service Member Remains and tries to identify them.

[Karl Welteke]

More Submarine Base Pearl Harbor images:



U421. This is one sample image of 7 of a 2nd walk thru the Pearl Harbor Submarine Base on the 28th Oct. 2019, these are images I missed on my 29th Sep. Walk. This plaque is called: WWII These Glorious Few. They are also uploaded into my Submarine Base Pearl Harbor Flickr account album, IN HIGH RESOLUTION! This is the URL:

www.flickr.com/photos/44567569@N00/albums/72157711361198972

[Karl Welteke]

Merry Point Landing, Naval Base Pearl Harbor.



U422. This is the plaque with the history of Merry Point Landing; on the 28th Oct I visited Pearl Harbor again and noticed this Plaque.

Merry Point Landing is located near the Nimitz Gate (Main Gate) of Pearl Harbor. My personal story, my ship USS Belle Grove LSD-2 with our whole Amphibious Squadron #7 visited in 1961 and we were moored on Ford Island. I drove boats with liberty parties to Merry Point.

One day I went on liberty this way, the Marine guard, said: Lift your trouser legs and I had one too many packs of cigarettes. Then he said lift your white jumper (our uniform at that time) and I did not have a belt on ( I don’t remember why I was not squared away that day). Back to the ship I went and had to get squared away.
Later the guards were civilian employees but now they are Sailors.

This picture has been uploaded into this Flickr album in high resolution:

www.flickr.com/photos/44567569@N00/albums/72157711407514662

[Karl Welteke]

The Honolulu Rail Project, more pictures


Oahu and Honolulu had a rail system; it was used for the sugar cane plantations. The US Military used it also for building the Oahu defenses against it defense. The rail is long gone but only a few days ago I seen some remaining unused tracks at the west coast of Oahu.

For 30 years and many more Honolulu on Oahu has been talking about a light rail system for passengers, I even testified in one of those town meetings. I spoke in favor mentioning the rail system I knew, Berlin, Hamburg and Frankfurt.

After I left Hawaii for the Far East in 1987, the rails are actually being built. Many others have questioned it and they say the massive cost is TOO MUCH!

So, I took some pictures of the project and uploaded them. The rail is nearly finished from Kapolei to the Honolulu Airport and I think that they hope it will be running this stretch in about a year or two. The project is planned to go all the way to Ala Moana and the University.

I uploaded more images into two albums, take your pick:

Uploaded to Facebook.

www.facebook.com/karlwilhelm.welteke/media_set?set=a.10217127157204750&type=3

Uploaded to Karl’s web page:

philippine-sailor.net/2019/09/22/honolulu-rail-transit-project/

Two new sample pictures.



U423. The Honolulu Rail Project has reached the road intersection of Kamehameha & Center Drive. That is the road that runs from the Pearl Harbor Nimitz Gate to about the Main Navy Exchange. There is another machine like this halfway to the airport and it is advancing too.



U424. This is a Google Earth image that shows the road intersection of Kamehameha & Center Drive. The Honolulu Rail Project has reached this road intersection.


Here are 3 links if you are interested in the project:

Honolulu Rail Transit Project.

The Honolulu Rail Transit Project is making progress; here is the project’s web side, click this URL:

www.honolulutransit.org/

Here is the URL for the map, click the URL.

cchnl.maps.arcgis.com/apps/OnePane/basicviewer/index.html?appid=645f714ffdc742e7825023b80b99793d

How-a-20-mile-train-line-swelled-into-a-9-billion-debacle, click this URL:

www.wsj.com/articles/how-a-20-mile-train-line-swelled-into-a-9-billion-debacle-11553270393

[Karl Welteke]

Ford Island Bridge



U425. USS Missouri BB-63 at Fort Island, this picture was shot on the 2nd Nov. 2019 from the Ford Island Bridge.

On the 2nd of Nov. 2019 I walked across the Ford Island Bridge and present these two albums, 22 images.

Uploaded to Facebook:
www.facebook.com/karlwilhelm.welteke/media_set?set=a.10217506689772827&type=3

Uploaded to Photobucket
s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Hawaii/Ford%20Island/Ford%20Island%20Bridge

If you are going to watch this on Photobucket, they are drowning you with advertisements. Try to click slide view right away, then click slow and full screen.



U426. Ford Island from Google Earth. On the 2nd Nov. 2019 I walked a cross the bridge, around the whole Island and looked at many interesting historical sites. This is the first album, many others are to follow.

[Karl Welteke]

USS Missouri BB-63 at Ford Island 2019

These two albums have only pictures of the USS Missouri from the pier area and all the facilities and artifacts on or near the pier. I visited Ford Island and this area on the 2nd Nov. 2019.

Here are the two albums, take your pick:

Uploaded to Facebook:

www.facebook.com/karlwilhelm.welteke/media_set?set=a.10217522865417208&type=3

Uploaded to Photobucket:

s74.photobucket.com/user/PI-Sailor/library/Hawaii/Ford%20Island/USS%20Missouri%20BB-63%20at%20Ford%20Island%202019

If you are going to watch this on Photobucket, they are drowning you with advertisements. Try to click slide view right away, then click slow and full screen.

Seven sample images are provided for this presentation:



U427. Just inside the gate to the USS Missouri Memorial is a stature of Fleet Admiral Nimitz and three plaques about him, Admiral Togo and a plaque called: “The Guns are silent now”.



U428. Admiral Nimitz met Admiral Togo ones as a young Ensign in Japan and later helped in the preservation of the Battleship Mikasa and so the Japanese Naval Heritage.



U429. On the Admiral Togo plaque are these two pictures of the Admiral and Ensign Nimitz.



U430. This is the midships area on the pier of the USS Missouri BB-63 Memorial on Ford Island. That marker ahead honors the many, many major donors in establishing this memorial.



U431. This stature was created out that iconic WWII picture at the end of the war. It looks pretty good!



U432. The Arizona Memorial is nearby, ahead of the USS Missouri bow. Afterall both ships are along the Battle Ship Row at Ford Island in Pearl Harbor. A Navy boat just landed with a new group of visitors, pick up and return the previous boat passengers.



U433. The sleek and impressive bow of the Mighty Mo, USS Missouri BB-63, where on its decks, ended WWII on the 2nd Sep. 1945 with General MacArthur presiding.