La Vallette down by the bow after a mine explosion in Mariveles Harbor, 14 February 1945. Click on any image to view it in more detail.
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 Above: 1992 satellite photo of Manila Bay looking easterly. The city of Manila is at upper right; the Bataan Peninsula is at lower left with Mariveles Harbor prominent and Corregidor offshore at lower center.
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 Below: damage sustained by La Vallette from the explosion.
Click on any image to view it in more detail.
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In February 1945, having bypassed Manila to land at Lingayen Gulf in northern Luzon, the Allies mounted an overland campaign to capture the city, itself. Concurrently, amphibious and paratroop landings were scheduled to occupy the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor at the entrance to Manila Bay. Key to this operation was the clearing of Mariveles Harbor at the southern tip of the Bataan Peninsula.
Ships of DesRon 21 were assigned to cover minesweepers opening the harbor. On February 14,
La Vallette followed the minesweepers to shoot at mines they had cut adrift when a mine exploded, flooding the No. 1 fireroom, killing six and wounding 23. When
Radford, standing outside the harbor, moved in to take
La Vallette in tow, she, too, suffered an explosion that killed three and wounded four.
The same day,
Hopewell was hit by four shells and
Fletcher by one from shore batteries on Corregidor, also with loss of life.
Following temporary repairs at Subic Bay,
La Vallette, Radford and
Hopewell returned to the west coast for complete refits—none saw further action in World War II.
Fletcher followed in May.
Photo: Doug Turpen collection, USS Nicholas
Composite image of Mariveles Harbor with Bataan Volcano, background. |
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