Subic Bay – Page 120 – Philippine-Sailor

Media Category: Subic Bay

This category encompass, the former Subic Bay Naval Base,-Naval Station,-Naval Air Station Cubi Point, the former Olongapo Naval Station,-the prewar Olongapo Town and the present Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) under the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Zc800

Zc800. A comparable view of the former “Officer Country” in the U. S. Naval Station Subic Bay in 1981 from the U. S. National Achieves, as it looks now from Google Earth in 2018. We see the ex Bachelor Officer Quarters (BOQ), it became the Legenda Hotel which went out of business but has a new investor now. The ex Officer Club became the Oriental Paradise Casino and was renovated at least twice. The El Centro Convention Center went out of business and this area does not look good right now. The Legenda Investment added all these buildings over the infamous tennis court (somewhere here) where the U.S. and Allied POWs were kept by the Japanese after the sinking of the Hell Ship Oryoku Maru. The ex Officer Boat landing became the boat terminal to the Grande Island Resort. Photo is from Google Earth.

Zc799

An aerial view which includes the officers club, near water, and the Mubahay bachelor officers quarters and adjacent tennis courts.

Zc798

Zc798. A comparable view of the former U. S. Naval Base Subic Bay in 1981 from the U. S. National Achieves, as it looks now from Google Earth in 2018. U.S. War Ships and Naval Auxiliaries still visit Subic Bay and moor to the Alava Wharf. Look across the harbor and you see one more fuel pier has been added and many more large fuel tanks. We also see the auctioneer businesses, the ex Navy Coaling Pier, now the Magellan Hotel and Restaurant Place. Photo is from Google Earth.

Zc797

An aerial deck view, looking from bow to stern, of the aircraft carrier USS KITTY HAWK (CV-63) docked in the harbor with the guided missile cruiser USS STERETT (CG-31), the destroyer USS INGERSOLL (DD-990), and the oilers USNS MISPILLION (T-AO-105) and USNS NAVASOTA (T-AO-106) docked at its stern. The destroyer USS O’BRIEN (DD-975) and the guided missile cruiser USS HALSEY (CG-23) are docked at the left.

Zc804

Zc804. A comparable view of the former Main Gate area in the U. S. Naval Station Subic Bay in 1981 from the U. S. National Achieves, as it looks now from Google Earth in 2018. Photo is from Google Earth.

Zc803

An aerial view which includes part of the Naval Base, Subic Bay, the city of Olongapo, bottom right, and the bridge that is built over the canal to join the two communities.

Zc802

Zc802. A comparable view of the former Chief Petty Officer (CPO) Club and the Enlisted Men (EM) Club in the U. S. Naval Station Subic Bay in 1981 from the U. S. National Achieves, as it looks now from Google Earth in 2018. The CPO club became the Golden Dragon Restaurant. The EM Club was used for Bingo a few years only and is practically abandoned, I had some beer and grilled cheese sandwiches here in 1962. That barracks became a casino and a Chinese restaurant. The CPO Barracks are on top of this picture. Photo is from Google Earth.

Zc801

An aerial view of the chiefs’ club next to the enlisted men’s dining facility, upper right.

Zc795

Zc795. 1920’s Olongapo AS-5 Sub Tender and 9 S-Boats. If you look close “air bedding” is the order of the day for the tender and a few boats. We did that also during my time, every so often, take your mattress and blankets and secure them over the railing or wherever and let them air out!