Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 3):
September 23, 1917
A commemorative tablet was erected and dedicated at the Cavite Navy Yard of the U.S. Naval Station Sangley Point on September 23, 1917 under the administration of Yard Commandant, Captain Edward Simpson, USN.
It marked the flagstaff on which the first United States flag was raised in the Philippines by Commodore George Dewey, USN on May 3, 1898 at 8:00 a.m.
The Cavite Navy Yard or Cavite Naval Base is now the Naval Station Pascual Ledesma, a military installation of the Philippine Navy in Cavite City. It was named after Commodore Pascual Ledesma (May 17, 1843 – June 6, 1917), a leader of the Philippine Revolution and the first Officer-In-Command of the Philippine Navy.
During the Spanish times, it was called Astillero de Rivera (Rivera Shipyard). Cavite was the main seaport of Manila and the staging port for the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade. It became the Spanish Arsenal when the galleon trade ended.
After the Spanish–American War, the United States took over all the military stations left by the Spaniards including the Cavite Naval Yard. They made modifications and improvements, but also demolished Fort Guadalupe and partially Fort San Felipe. Before World War II, it was the only ship repair facility of the US Navy. The 16th Naval District was established in the navy yard in 1941.
At the start of World War II, Japanese bombers destroyed the Cavite Navy Yard. They then used the yard for repairing small boats and made it their headquarters.
In 1945, Filipino and American forces retook the yard. The United States turned it over to the Philippine government for the Philippine Navy in 1947.
(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved
Photo credit: history.navy.mil
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