The presidential yacht of the Philippines Banahaw arriving in the Philippines 25 November 1936 | |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | Cassandra |
Builder | Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Greenock |
Yard number | 423 |
Launched | 19 February 1908 |
Sponsored by | R. A. Rainy, New York |
Identification | 213590 |
Fate | Sold to Edward L. Doheny, date uncertain |
History | |
United States | |
Owner | Edward L. Doheny |
Renamed | Casiana, date uncertain |
Fate | Sold to Commonwealth of the Philippines, 1936 |
History | |
Philippine Commonwealth | |
Owner | Commonwealth of the Philippines |
Renamed | BRP Banahaw, 1936 |
Homeport | Manila |
Fate | Sunk by aircraft, 29 December 1941 |
General characteristics | |
Type | yacht |
Tonnage | 1227 gross register tons [1] |
Length | 254 ft (77 m) o/a [1] |
Beam | 33 ft (10 m) [1] |
Draught | 18.5 ft (5.6 m) [1] |
Installed power | 313, net horsepower [1] |
Propulsion | 2-propellers, 2 x T3 Cylinder steam, [1] oil |
BRP Banahaw (ex-Casiana, ex-Cassandra) was a British-built yacht that later served as the presidential yacht of the Commonwealth of the Philippines between 1936 and 1941.
She was launched on 19 February 1908 at the Greenock shipyard of Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company (John & Robert Scott) [2] for R. A. Rainy of New York. [1] Initially christened Cassandra, she was purchased by the American oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny who renamed her Casiana after his first oil well in Mexico, Casiana No. 7. [3]
In 1936, she was purchased by the Commonwealth of the Philippines for $50,000 and arrived in the Philippines on 25 November 1936. [3] She was officially assigned to the Coast Guard, although was primarily used as a presidential yacht. [3] On December 29, 1941, she was attacked and sunk by Japanese aircraft while docked at the Fort Mills dock, Corregidor. [3]
Her personal launch, Baler, was re-floated and repaired in December 1941. [4] She served as patrol boat Q-115 Baler in the Offshore Patrol, United States Army Forces in the Far East, the first Philippine-manned torpedo boat squadron (consisting of three torpedo boats, Q-111 Luzon, Q-112 Abra, Q-113 Agusan, and another patrol boat, Q-114 Danday). [4] Her commanding officer was Lieutenant Carlos Albert. [5] The squadron patrolled the waters of the bay and protected the eastern shore of the Bataan Peninsula from Japanese infiltration. [5] After Manila was declared an open city on 26 December 1941, the squadron operated out of Sisiman Cove, to the immediate east of Cavite and north of Corregidor where the American PT boats of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three were also based. [5] The squadron, along with its American counterparts, were serviced by the submarine tender Canopus, which was moored at Cavite Naval Base. In addition to conducting patrols, Q-115 delivered food, ammunition, troops, and medicine to the beleaguered troops during the Battle of Bataan and Battle of Corregidor. [5] On 8 April 1942, after the fall of Bataan left the squadron without a safe port, it was decided to attempt to make an escape to Australia with the remaining 3 boats of the squadron (Danday had been bombed and destroyed on February 2). [4] [6] Q-112 developed engine troubles and had to return where it was scuttled at Navotas on 9 April 1942. [4] The remainder of the squadron was intercepted by Japanese land-based Naval aircraft of the 1st Kōkūtai, and were able to down one plane. They were then intercepted by the Japanese destroyers Samidare and Murasame. [4] The squadron attacked the destroyers with their torpedoes and machine gun fire but did not score any hits. [4] Q-111 was hit and scuttled by its crew somewhere between Batangas and Cavite provinces on 9 April 1942. [4] Q-113 and Q-115 returned to the safety of the bay where Q-113 was scuttled on 9 April 1942 to prevent Japanese capture. [4] Q-115 was ultimately able to leave the bay with 23 passengers but was captured by the Japanese off Cabra Island. [4]
The Offshore Patrol (OSP) also known as the Mosquito Fleet was a small naval branch of the United States Army, intended for inshore defense of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. It was active from February 9, 1939 to June 30, 1946. The OSP became part of the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) on July 26, 1941, with General Douglas MacArthur as Commander. During the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, the Patrol engaged in limited naval operations along the coastlines of Bataan and Corregidor, against the tight enemy blockade, to bring much-needed provisions to the beleaguered Filipino and American troops during the battle. Undaunted by enemy superiority, the ubiquitous patrol boats fought with zeal, courage and heroism, hitting Japanese warships with torpedoes when given the opportunity. The unit relied on speed and surprise to attack larger vessels at close range.
The Philippine Army Air Corps was created in 1935 as the air component of the Philippine Army. It was the predecessor of the Philippine Air Force, created in 1947.
The United States Asiatic Fleet was a fleet of the United States Navy during much of the first half of the 20th century. Before World War II, the fleet patrolled the Philippine Islands. Much of the fleet was destroyed by the Japanese by February 1942, after which it was dissolved, and the remnants incorporated into the naval component of the South West Pacific Area command, which eventually became the Seventh Fleet.
Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three was a United States Navy squadron based at Cavite, Philippines, from September 1941 to mid-April 1942. It was commanded by Lieutenant John D. Bulkeley and made up of six motor torpedo boats: PT-31, PT-32, PT-33, PT-34, PT-35, and PT-41, the last as the squadron flagship. The other six boats of the squadron remained at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and were there when war broke out, eventually being shipped to the Solomons.
Patrol torpedo boat PT-34 was a PT-20-class motor torpedo boat of the United States Navy, built by the Electric Launch Company of Bayonne, New Jersey. The boat was laid down as Motor boat submarine chaser PTC-14, but was reclassified as PT-34 prior to its launch on 14 June 1941, and was commissioned on 12 July 1941.
The Philippines campaign, also known as the Battle of the Philippines or the Fall of the Philippines, was the invasion of the American territory of the Philippines by the Empire of Japan and the defense of the islands by United States and the Philippine Armies during World War II.
USS Canopus (ID-4352-A/AS-9) was a submarine tender in the United States Navy, named for the star Canopus.
USS Tanager (AM-5) was an Lapwing-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.
The first USS Pigeon (AM-47/ASR-6) was a Lapwing-class minesweeper of the United States Navy. She was later converted to a submarine rescue ship. She was named for the avian ambassador, the pigeon.
The first USS Luzon (PG-47) was laid down 20 November 1926 by the Kiangnan Dock and Engineering Works, Shanghai, China; launched 12 September 1927; sponsored by Miss Mary C. Carter, daughter of Commander Andrew F. Carter, USN; and commissioned 1 June 1928.
Captain Emilio S. Liwanag was an officer in the Philippine Navy who served during the Second World War and the Korean War.
Commodore Ramon Abacan Alcaraz was a Filipino World War II hero, Naval officer, and businessman best known as a recipient of the Silver Star for heroism and gallantry as part of the Offshore Patrol unit of the U.S. Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) during the Second World War; and as one of the earliest critics of the Marcos dictatorship within the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
On 11 March 1942, during World War II, General Douglas MacArthur and members of his family and staff left the Philippine island of Corregidor and his forces, which were surrounded by the Japanese. They traveled in PT boats through stormy seas patrolled by Japanese warships and reached Mindanao two days later. From there, MacArthur and his party flew to Australia in a pair of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, ultimately arriving in Melbourne by train on 21 March. In Australia, he declared, "I came through and I shall return".
Maryann, sometimes seen as Maryanne or Mary Anne, was a yacht requisitioned and converted by the United States Navy during the defense of the Philippines in World War II and destroyed 5 May 1942 at Corregidor to prevent capture. The yacht was "in service" and not commissioned.
Fisheries II was a vessel requisitioned by the United States Navy during the defense of the Philippines during World War II. The vessel was "in service" and not commissioned.
Captain Enrique L. Jurado was an officer in the Philippine Army – Offshore Patrol during the Second World War. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1934, Foreign Midshipman who returned to the Philippines to teach at the Philippine Military Academy. Later joined its Army Coastal Defense force, the Offshore Patrol (OSP), as an instructor to its first class of graduates. He was the officer-in-command of the OSP, just before the Pearl Harbor attack on December 4, 1941. He led his squadron of three torpedo boats and two gunboats in the Bataan defense campaign, and managed to escape the Japanese when he ordered his flagship to Batangas. After his escape and recovery, he joined the guerrillas in Panay. Jurado was sent to Mindoro to try to consolidate the guerrillas there, but was killed by a rival guerrilla faction.
Q-111 Luzon was a motor torpedo boat of the United States Army during World War II as part of the Offshore Patrol based at Manila.
Q-112 Abra was a motor torpedo boat of the United States Army during World War II as part of the Offshore Patrol based at Manila.
Ranger was an ocean-going tugboat commandeered by the United States Navy during the Second World War.
Naval Base Manila, Naval Air Base Manila was a major United States Navy base south of the City of Manila, on Luzon Island in the Philippines. Some of the bases dates back to 1898, the end of the Spanish–American War. Starting in 1938 civilian contractors were used to build new facilities in Manila to prepare for World War II. Work stopped on December 23, 1941, when Manila was declared not defendable against the Empire of Japan southward advance, which took over the city on January 2, 1942, after the US declared it an open city. US Navy construction and repair started in March 1945 with the taking of Manila in the costly Battle of Manila ending on March 2, 1945. Naval Base Manila supported the Pacific War and remained a major US Naval Advance Base until its closure in 1971.
Q-115 " BALER" was the former Presidential Launch which was taken over by the OSP in December 1941...She was captured by the Japanese Off Cabra Island with the whole crew & passengers totaling about 23 Filipinos and American Tank Crewmen.
At high noon today, enemy planes bombed Lamao area where Capt Jurado's OSP Inf Bn is deployed. Patrol Boat 'Danday', Lt Abraham Campo USNA '40 CO was a direct hit to pieces. Luckily, Abe, who used to be my ExO and his crew were taking their lunch ashore, are spared. There are no casualties but a few buildings were razed. The "Danday" under Lt Campo, had several successful night missions before smuggling PC intelligence operatives from Bataan to Manila and back.