Naval Communications Station Philippines
Subic Bay
March 1969 to November 1969
The Base
Although I was posted to NavComSta, Subic, my office and areas of responsibility were across the bay at Cubi point. Actually, on the top of a mountain. The facilities consisted of a central location that consisted of my office, a shop area and storage for some spare parts and tools. There were also provisions for spending the night, a bedroom and head. That is where I was when "on duty".
The area was thick jungle and I often heard "wars" among different groups of monkeys in the jungle around the office. There were two remote locations, one for UHF receivers and the other for UHF transmitters. I can't picture in my mind where the transmitter facility was located but the receiver unit was part way down the mountain and had a wonderful view of the Cubi, Subic facilities.
Eating at the Air Base BOQ I would overhear pilots talking and such things as "I think I will take her up and get her a good wash down." referring to taking his plane up to fly through a rain shower to clean it up. Life as a pilot must have been great fun there.
I made frequent trips to Subic on business with LCDR Ed Leonard, my boss.
My staff consisted of a Chief, a First Class and a Philippine Secretary (he insisted he was an Administrative Assistant). The leads at the transmitter and receiver sites were Second Class ET's. It would be impossible to overstate the quality and dedication of those who worked for me. One day I looked at a note from the UHF receiver site listing parts and tools he needed. The last item on the list was "Time, time, time...? That was typical of the attitude of the men I had the privilidge of leading. They required very little leading. They were self starters and took an ownership attitude towards their jobs. That was typical of those who worked for me throughout my Navy Career.
Years later I would return to the Philippines aboard the USS Long Beach CGN-9 and learn that my Philippine assistant had run for Mayor of Olongapo but did not survive the campaign. He was assainated. That was a common fate of many who ran for office. Usually the last one standing was the one to take office.
My name was on the Base Housing list but I was nowhere near the top of the list. Helen and Eric could not come to the Philippines until I had housing for them. I rented a house in a little compound of houses rented to Navy personnel. It was owned and run by a Philippine family. In other words, we lived "On the economy". Helen and Eric flew in making their trip much more convenient than Carolyn's trip to Guam years before.
A very real tragedy!
Durning one of the tropical rains lasting days and days there
was a mud slide onto the Subic Bay airfield. The hut housing an Intelligence
Group was burried and all on duty in the hut were killed.
