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Fort Frank (Carabao Island, the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
) was one of the defense
fort A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
s at the entrance to
Manila Bay Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the Manila, capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between t ...
established by the United States. The entire island was designated as Fort Frank, in honor of
Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointe ...
Royal T. Frank, as part of the
Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays The Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays ("Coast Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays" until 1925) (a.k.a. CD/HD Manila Bay) were a United States Army Coast Artillery Corps harbor defense command, part of the Philippine Department of the Un ...
built by the
Philippine Department The Philippine Department (Filipino: ''Kagawaran ng Pilipinas/Hukbong Kagawaran ng Pilipinas'') was a regular United States Army organization whose mission was to defend the Philippine Islands and train the Philippine Army. On 9 April 1942, durin ...
of the
US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
in the early 1900s.Bogart, Charles
"Carabao Island's Fort Frank"
The Corregidor Historical Society. Retrieved on 10 March 2018.

/ref>


Geography

Carabao Island is located near the southern end of the entrance to
Manila Bay Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the Manila, capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between t ...
about off the coast of
Maragondon Maragondon, officially the Municipality of Maragondon ( tgl, Bayan ng Maragondon), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 40,687 people. The town is famous for its ...
in the
province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions out ...
of
Cavite Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southw ...
. The long, narrow island is surrounded by sheer cliffs over . The whole island and fort has an area of with the highest elevation at .


History


Construction

The establishment of the islands of Manila Bay as military reservations was requested by the US Army and enacted by Executive Order of President
Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
on 11 April 1902. All but two of the fort's batteries were completed in 1913. These included Batteries Greer and Crofton, each with one gun M1910 on a disappearing carriage. Battery Koehler had eight mortars, and Battery Hoyle had two seacoast guns on pedestal mounts. Circa 1940 Battery Hoyle was disarmed (one gun went to defend the "stern" of
Fort Drum Fort Drum is a U.S. Army military reservation and a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson County, on the northern border of New York, United States. The population of the CDP portion of the base was 12,955 at the 2010 census. It is home ...
), and Battery Frank (or Frank North) was added, with four Panama mounts for mobile guns. In 1941 the
antiaircraft Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
Battery Ermita was added, with four AA guns on mobile mounts. Three
field gun A field gun is a field artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march, that when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances ( field artill ...
s (possibly the gun M1917 also used by a Philippine Scouts regiment) for beach defense were also on the island. Battery Greer was named for Col. John E. Greer, an Ordnance Corps officer. Battery Crofton was named for Captain William Crofton, an infantry officer. Battery Koehler was named for 1st Lt. Edgar F. Koehler, killed in the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. Battery Hoyle was named for Brigadier General
Eli D. Hoyle Eli DuBose Hoyle (July 19, 1851 – July 27, 1921) was a brigadier general in the United States Army. He is most noted for his command of the port of embarkation at Governor's Island in New York Harbor during World War I, for which he received ...
, a Spanish–American War veteran who was an administrator in World War I. Battery
Ermita Ermita is a district in Manila, Philippines. Located at the central part of the city, the district is a significant center of finance, education, culture, and commerce. Ermita serves as the civic center of the city, bearing the seat of city ...
was probably named for the district in Manila. Battery Frank North was possibly named for Major Frank North, commander of the Pawnee Scouts.


World War II

The fort's design included little protection against air and high-angle artillery attack except camouflage. Also, most of its heavy ammunition was armor-piercing, intended for use against battleships, rather than the high explosive type that would be more useful against enemy troops and artillery. Fort Frank was heavily engaged in the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. On 31 January 1942 the fort's mortar battery bombarded mainland positions in the Pico de Loro Hills that the Japanese were emplacing artillery in. The 75 mm guns were also able to engage mainland targets. The Japanese began bombarding
Fort Drum Fort Drum is a U.S. Army military reservation and a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson County, on the northern border of New York, United States. The population of the CDP portion of the base was 12,955 at the 2010 census. It is home ...
and Fort Frank on 6 February 1942. Fort Frank was vulnerable in another way: its normal water supply was from a dam's reservoir on the Japanese-held mainland. On 16 February the Japanese discovered this and removed part of the pipeline near the dam. Although the fort also had a
distillation Distillation, or classical distillation, is the process of separating the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation, usually inside an apparatus known as a still. Dry distillation is the he ...
plant to provide fresh water, this consumed fuel that was also needed for the gun batteries' generators that powered the ammunition hoists. The fort's commander ordered the distillation plant started, but also directed a 15-man team to attempt to restore the pipeline on the 19th. They successfully engaged a Japanese patrol but could not get to the pipeline. Eventually another party repaired the pipeline on 9 March.Morton, pp. 485-486 On 20 March 1942, thirty-four soldiers were killed by Japanese artillery when a round ricocheted into a tunnel at Battery Crofton. Fort Frank was surrendered, along with all other US forces in the Philippines, on 6 May 1942, after destruction procedures were executed on its guns to prevent their use by the enemy. During their occupation the Japanese were reportedly able to repair the gun of Battery Crofton and add three guns. In April 1945, during the American liberation of the Philippines, Fort Frank was heavily bombarded with bombs and
napalm Napalm is an incendiary mixture of a gelling agent and a volatile petrochemical (usually gasoline (petrol) or diesel fuel). The name is a portmanteau of two of the constituents of the original thickening and gelling agents: coprecipitated alu ...
(among other ordnance) in preparation for recapture. On 16 April 1945 the 1st Battalion,
151st Infantry Regiment The 151st Infantry Regiment is an infantry unit in the Indiana National Guard, part of the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Separate). History The 151st Infantry Regiment traces its roots to the Indiana Territory Indiana Rangers militia. It ...
and Co. C, 113th Engineer Battalion landed on Fort Frank to find that the Japanese had successfully evacuated the island.


See also

*
Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays The Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays ("Coast Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays" until 1925) (a.k.a. CD/HD Manila Bay) were a United States Army Coast Artillery Corps harbor defense command, part of the Philippine Department of the Un ...
* Military History of the Philippines * Military History of the United States *
List of islands in the Greater Manila Area This is a list of islands in the Greater Manila Area in the Philippines. There are several small islands located within the Greater Manila Area, particularly along the coast of Manila Bay, both natural and artificial. Many of these islands ...
*
List of islands of the Philippines The islands of the Philippines, also known as the Philippine Archipelago, comprises about 7,641 islands, of which only about 2,000 are inhabited.Manila Bay Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the Manila, capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between t ...
*
Seacoast defense in the United States Seacoast defense was a major concern for the United States from its independence until World War II. Before airplanes, many of America's enemies could only reach it from the sea, making coastal forts an economical alternative to standing armies o ...
*
United States Army Coast Artillery Corps The U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps (CAC) was an administrative corps responsible for coastal, harbor, and anti-aircraft defense of the United States and its possessions between 1901 and 1950. The CAC also operated heavy and railway artillery ...


References

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External links


Forts in the Philippines at American Forts Network
{{coord, 14, 16, 00, N, 120, 36, 52, E, display=title, region:PH_type:landmark Frank Frank Frank Closed installations of the United States Army History of Cavite Cavite City Islands of Cavite Islands of Manila Bay