Zo140

Zo140 Three POWs escaped from the sinking Oryoku Maru as reported by Capt. Ramon Magsaysay (later the President of the Philippines). This document was found and was provided by Bub Hudson. Amazing, I never knew that. Thank you Olongapo and area Guerillas.

Zo139

Zo139 Three POWs escaped from the sinking Oryoku Maru as reported by Capt. Ramon Magsaysay (later the President of the Philippines). This document was found and was provided by Bub Hudson. Amazing, I never knew that. Thank you Olongapo and area Guerillas.

Ze882

Ze882. Army Lt Chester K. Britt in front of the Fleet Waiting Room in Olongapo 1941. This picture is from his family via John Duresky. Mr. Britt was assigned to Fort Wint and was perhaps waiting for transportation back to his fort on Grande Island.

From Karl. When I first arrived in Subic Bay 1962 with my ship the USS Belle Grove LSD-2 (The Two Can Do), with 11 ships in my Amphibious Squadron Seven (7) out of Long Beach CA we had to anchor out, not enough pier spaces then.

Ze881

Ze881. Two USMC officers standing next to one of their bungalows on the waterfront of the Marine Corps area in the Naval Station Olongapo circa 1910; not exactly triple A accommodations. This is a picture of the Earl Hancock “Pete” Ellis collection in the U.S.M.C. archives.

Ze880

Ze880. I selected this picture thinking it is in the Philippines. If I’m right, this picture is a big surprise! The Marines got it wrong when they labeled this ship HMS Cormoran, circa 1909. It must be the German Auxiliary Cruiser SMS Cormoran and it should be circa 1914 to 1917. The Marines can claim that they fired the first shot in WW One at the SMS Cormoran in Guam. This is a picture of the Earl Hancock “Pete” Ellis collection in the U.S.M.C. archives.

A brief history from this URL: https://www.visitguam.com/smscormoranguam/a-brief-history/

The SMS Cormoran II initially came to Guam in December 1914 out of coal and weary from avoiding enemies throughout the Pacific. While the US was not involved in World War I, Guam’s military governor decided against refueling the vessel, but did allow the German sailors to come ashore. The Cormoran and her crew stayed in Guam for two and a half years, becoming very friendly with the people until the day the United States officially entered World War I.

On that day, with the US now at war with Germany, the Guam military governor ordered Captain Adalbert Zuckschwerdt to surrender the Cormoran. Unaware of the new conditions, a supply boat returning to the Cormoran with supplies failed to stop when ordered to by US sailors who then fired a warning shot over its bow. This was the first official shot fired by the US in World War I.

Rather than surrender his ship, Captain Zuckschwerdt decided it would be more patriotic to scuttle her instead, which he did. For the next 26 years, the SMS Cormoran II lay undisturbed on the sea floor, until August 27, 1943. On this day, a US submarine torpedoed the Tokai Maru, a Japanese freighter during World War II. The Tokai Maru came to rest lying perpendicular against the Cormoran. The two ships are the only place in the world where divers can touch shipwrecks from two different World Wars at the same time.

Ze879

Ze879. The drydock Dewey in the Navy Yard of the Olongapo Naval Station, circa 1910. The mountain behind the drydock is the PLDT Mountain which has the communication towers on top, these days. I have been on that mountain several times. This is a picture of the Earl Hancock “Pete” Ellis collection in the U.S.M.C. archives.

Ze878

Ze878. This looks like a neat small native hut but the USMC Archive doesn’t say where. But it is safe to assume that it could have been in Olongapo circa 1910. This is a picture of the Earl Hancock “Pete” Ellis collection in the U.S.M.C. archives.

Ze877

Ze877. The Marine Corps officers wore riding breeches and boots after all, so the horses were not gone completely at this time; this picture is in Olongapo next to the officer bungalows located along the waterfront of the Olongapo Harbor, circa 1910. This is a picture of the Earl Hancock “Pete” Ellis collection in the U.S.M.C. archives.

Ze876

Ze876, Two officer bungalows on the waterfront of the Marine Corps area in the Naval Station Olongapo circa 1910; not exactly triple A accommodations. This is a picture of the Earl Hancock “Pete” Ellis collection in the U.S.M.C. archives.

Ze875

Ze875. This must be the future Dewey Ave. circa 1907-11, it is amazing wide already and I see only one lonely restaurant. This view must be towards Kalaklan Ridge. This is a picture of the Earl Hancock “Pete” Ellis collection in the U.S.M.C. archives.