Post by chadhill on Dec 16, 2011 5:38:24 GMT 8
An undated prewar photo from "Battle Report, Pearl Harbor to Coral Sea" by Commander Walter Karig and Lt. Commander Welbourn Kelley, 1944. At the far left is the tennis court. On the right is the moored USS Rochester and what seems to be five PBY Catalinas on the ramp at Rivera Point, along with several smaller aircraft. The arrows in the water at the top right are Filipino fish traps.
A closeup of Rivera Point. The USS Rochester had been moored there since 1933. According to Dwight Messimer's excellent book "In the Hands of Fate", the PBYs of VP-21 arrived at Sangley Point during September 1939. In December 1940 VP-26 flew into Subic. The two squadrons were redesignated VP-101 and VP-102 respectively, and Patrol Wing 10 was born. That should place this photo during 1941, and it resembles the photo in Reply #43 which is dated October of that year. Seven of VP-102's aircraft were destroyed in the water off the ramp at Rivera Point on December 12, 1941 by strafing Zeroes. According to Messimer, PATWING 10 had lost 41 of its 45 aircraft by the middle of May 1942: 14 shot down, 24 destroyed on the ground or in the water, and 3 lost in accidents.
A closeup of the tennis court area. The tennis court, shown by the red arrow, has painted lines that can vaguely be seen. Note the clubhouse to the immediate left and the row of buildings just above it. Note the "U" shaped building in the top lefthand corner.
The area as viewed from a slightly different angle in the December 15, 1944 photo which showed the bombing of the Oryoku Maru. Note the U shaped building and the chapel, as found by Karl, pointed out by the yellow arrow. The clubhouse and row of buildings by the tennis court have been destroyed. Trees that surrounded the tennis court on three sides are still mostly intact.
A closeup of Rivera Point. The USS Rochester had been moored there since 1933. According to Dwight Messimer's excellent book "In the Hands of Fate", the PBYs of VP-21 arrived at Sangley Point during September 1939. In December 1940 VP-26 flew into Subic. The two squadrons were redesignated VP-101 and VP-102 respectively, and Patrol Wing 10 was born. That should place this photo during 1941, and it resembles the photo in Reply #43 which is dated October of that year. Seven of VP-102's aircraft were destroyed in the water off the ramp at Rivera Point on December 12, 1941 by strafing Zeroes. According to Messimer, PATWING 10 had lost 41 of its 45 aircraft by the middle of May 1942: 14 shot down, 24 destroyed on the ground or in the water, and 3 lost in accidents.
A closeup of the tennis court area. The tennis court, shown by the red arrow, has painted lines that can vaguely be seen. Note the clubhouse to the immediate left and the row of buildings just above it. Note the "U" shaped building in the top lefthand corner.
The area as viewed from a slightly different angle in the December 15, 1944 photo which showed the bombing of the Oryoku Maru. Note the U shaped building and the chapel, as found by Karl, pointed out by the yellow arrow. The clubhouse and row of buildings by the tennis court have been destroyed. Trees that surrounded the tennis court on three sides are still mostly intact.