Fort Drum (El Fraile Island), also known as the “concrete battleship,” was a heavily fortified island fortress situated at the mouth of Manila Bay in the Philippines, due south of Corregidor Island. Manila Bay Ãœ is the harbor which serves the port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. ... Corregidor - Landsat satellite photo from 2000 Corregidor and the entrance to Manila Bay Corregidor is an island in the entrance of the Philippines Manila Bay. ...

Originally a barren rock island, it was leveled by U.S. Army engineers between 1910 and 1914 and then built up with thick layers of steel reinforced concrete into a massive structure rougly resembling a concrete ship. The fort was topped with a pair of armored steel turrets, each mounting two 14 inch guns. Searchlights, anti-aircraft batteries, and a fire direction tower were also mounted on its upper surface. The 25 - 35 foot thick fortress walls protected extensive ammunition magazines, machine spaces, and living quarters for the 200 man garrison. After the outbreak of war in the Pacific on December 7, 1941 Fort Drum withstood heavy Japanese air and land bombardment as it supported U.S. and Filipino defenders on Bataan and Corregidor. Fort Drum surrendered to Japanese forces following the fall of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942 and was subsequently occupied by Japanese forces. The ruins of Fort Drum, including its disabled turrets and 14 inch guns, remain at the mouth of Manila Bay. Turret (highlighted) attached to a tower on a baronial building in Scotland In architecture, a turret (from Italian: torretta, little tower; Latin: turris, tower) is a small tower that projects from the wall of a building, such as a medieval castle or baronial house. ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Province of Bataan Region: Central Luzon (Region III) Capital: Balanga City Founded: —1754 Population: 2000 census—557,659 (46th largest) Density—406 per km² (12th highest) Area: 1,373. ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ...

See Also

• Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays

The Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays (formerly, Coast Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays) were part of the US Armys Philippine Department, prior to, and during, World War II. In July 1941, these units were commanded by Major General George F. Moore, whose Philippine Coast Artillery Command...

External Links

• Fort Drum:Concrete Battleship of the Philippines

References

McGovern, Terrance C. and Mark A Berhow American Defenses of Corregidor and Manila Bay 1898-1945 Osprey Publishing ISBN 1-84176-427-2