Grande Isl.-Ft. Wint – Page 20

Media Category: Grande Isl.-Ft. Wint

The island was part of the Manila and Subic Bay Harbor Defense Command.

Zd867

Zd867. This is an aerial photo of Fort Wint on Grande Island in Subic Bay prior 1932. Received this picture from NARA via CDSG member Karl Schmidt, he had it numbered #21.
This picture can be downloaded in high resolution with this URL, click here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/44567569@N00/50872387308/in/album-72157715590015061/

Zd866

Zd866. This was my Garmin GPS track walking on Grande Island, the former Fort Wint. I forgot to turn of the device and had to correct the data. It was about a 12 km walk; about 3 hours actual moving, 5 hours total elapsed time and I even had an elevation gain of 123 meters.

Zd865

Zd865. This was part of my Garmin GPS hand held devise walking track on Grande Island the former Fort Wint to look for my search item #2. I did not find it. It was difficult to walk because of the overgrown condition but it was doable. But I did find a building foundation, made out rock and is cemented. It is about 30 feet square and the foundation is about 2 feet high. I saw two big concrete blocks (perhaps 3x4x6 feet in size) and a wooden mast, tarred, and with an about 5 feet long metal peak.

Zd864

Zd864. What was this, a flagstaff (from a Spanish war ship, like on Corregidor, just yoking?). I wanted to try to find it? This is a cropped portion of a prior 1932 picture of Fort Wint on Grande Island in Subic Bay. This was my search item # 1 and I searched on the 22nd Jan. 2021

Zd861

Zd861. I’m standing in the middle of the former Navy ball field on Grande Island, which are now a lagoon and a swimming pool. The building in back is the function structure, reception, dining hall etc.

Zd860

Zd860. I was surprised to see this jeepney on the old Fort Wint Pier/Wharf, which is now used by the Grande Island Resort. The resort greeted me with a welcome drink drove me to the reception. They offered to give me a ride here and there but I said: I’ll walk.

Zd859

Zd859. This outrigger boat picked me up; I was the only visitor today. These out rigger boats are fine to make landings on the beach but are not so good for these types of landings. But the Subic Bay water was very calm today, as they should be this time of the year. In the background used to be the actual geographical Cubi Point, the Leyte Carrier Wharf and the Officer Beach. Today we see a large grain port and container port.

Zd858

Zd858. These 2 big boats have been here since 2004, they will not be used for my purpose today. I noticed that some crew members were on board. This original 2004 boat landing was a lot more elaborate, much of has rusted too much and is torn down now. By the way, this was the site of the Navy Officer Boat Landing here. The former Navy Officer Club, now a casino, is just to the right. The Enlisted boat landing was about 100 meter to the left and I stepped ashore onto Philippine soil for the first time in 1962, and liked this place ever since.

Zd857

Zd857. This is the ferry boat terminal to the Grande Island Resort, built just before 2004; it is still there and serves the same purpose. I was told that the boat will pick me up here at o800 Hours.

Zd856

Zd856. Number 2 Gun of Battery Hall. The present management of the Grande Island Resort appears to have even less resources to keep the Coastal Defense Gun Batteries of the former Fort Wint presentable and accessible.