EX FORT WINT ON GRANDE-ISLAND VISIT 2014-02-25 WITH CDSG
The Coastal Defense Study Group people CDSG) stayed two nights on Grande Island and I only joined them on this day, the 25th Feb. 2014. We visited many places. I established this album with 39 pictures:
This is the URL:
tinyurl.com/oanz4fsHere are sample images but they are a lot smaller than in the above album.
Note:
There are plenty of maps to orient yourself on Grande Island, the ex Fort Wint, further up this page or in previous pages!
Y281. We stepped ashore onto Grande Island, the ex Ft. Wint. I assume the Navy built this pier. But recently we heard about a rumor that the CIA actually started building facilities on this island sometime early in the 1950s
Y282. A view from Grande Island and we have the grand view of the mountain peak profile behind or inland of Olongapo City.
Y283. This is actually the GPS track of my walk on Grande Island on the 28th Jan. 2014. But I lost the track of this day, the 25th Feb. 2014 but I walked pretty much the same way.
Y284. This boat or float most likely was used by the present Resort. But I see a concrete boat launching ramp which I had not noticed before. Who built it, the Army, CIA or the Navy?
Y285. Both on my 28th Jan. and 25th Feb. 2014 we looked at structures we never had looked at before, this is Ft. Wint Radio.
Y286. We even found one of the World War One type AA gun Foundation, the map shows two of such gun positions. This is the first bolt we seen.
Y287. On the 25th Jan. 2014 we had a closer look at the Mine Casemate at the NW corner of Grande Island, the ex Ft. Wint, and we noticed a considerable size tunnel running under it from the front. This time with the CDSG back-up, we were going to explore it. This shot shows the pipe openings where the mine cables came down into this chamber. Meanwhile with the help of John Moffitt we know there were two shafts and two chambers like this one. See a prior entry in these pages.
Y288. This is the shaft or tunnel under the ex Ft. Wint Mine Casemate where I entered, one can walk it in a bend position. We are looking out and now we know there is one more but it is covered with dirt.
Y289. This is the mine control building on the ex Ft. Wint and again this year is the first time we looked at it. This structure, the radio building, the mine casemate etc, maps, resort etc have separate albums in my Photobucket image sharing account under this URL:
tinyurl.com/k6tzgbmOther subjects are covered in this thread in more detail in previous pages.
Y290. This is the FT. Wint main fire control station, the bottom section is pretty much gone and the upper room is still intact. This structure is covered in my other albums with plenty of pictures.
Y291. No. 3 and 4 guns of Battery Jewell, a 3 inch battery with 4 guns. We are looking down from Battery Jewell battery control station.
Y292. We are looking straight down from the Battery Jewell Control Station; the battery was a 3 inch caliber battery and had 4 guns.
Y293. This is the approximate position of No. 1 gun of the 6 inch Battery Woodruff. This battery has been disturbed the most. There was an explosion but mostly it changed because the most northern cottage was build here.
Y294. In front of Battery Woodruff are at least 2 large concrete sections and they must be the result of an explosion but I do not know when or how.
Y295. We have entered Battery Warwick, the 10 inch disappearing gun battery. The lady there was part of the Grande Island Resort and was interested in the history and that our visit went smooth. This is the rear area of No. 1 gun of Battery Warwick in the ex Fort Wint on the Grande Island in Subic Bay. With the help of the Subic Bay Tourism Dept. we ensured that the battery was accessible.
Y296. The radar installation on top of Battery Warwick is manned.
Y297. The radar installation on top of Battery Warwick is manned.
Y298. One unique thing about the batteries on Grande Island is that most of the original doors and even the overhead rail tracks to move the ammunitions are still there.
Y299. The gun well of No. 1 gun of the 10 inch Battery Warwick. The guns have returned to Washington State in Fort Casey, but what is obvious is that the parapet around this gun is sinking and is leaning out.
Y200. We are standing in front of Battery Warwick; we can see the radar framing. It seems that the resort or the radar people trimmed all the bushes in front of the battery since our 28th Jan. visit. Was that for us or the radar?
Note 1:
Okla, westernhaus and pdh54 thank you very much for your kind words.
Note 2:
These structures, the radio building, the mine casemate etc, maps, resort etc have separate albums in my Photobucket image sharing account under this URL:
tinyurl.com/k6tzgbm