Naval Station Pascual Ledesma, also known as Cavite Naval Base or Cavite Navy Yard, is a military installation of the Philippine Navy in Cavite City in the Province of Cavite. The naval base is located at the easternmost end of Cavite Point in the San Roque district of the city. It was the former U.S. Naval Station Sangley Point, transferred to the Philippines in 1971. In 2009 it was named after Cmdre. Pascual Ledesma, a leader of the Philippine revolution and the first Officer-In-Command of the Philippine Navy.
History
Spanish period
The port town of Cavite Nuevo was established after the Spanish colonizers found that the deep waters around the tip of Cavite Point are suitable for large ships and established the Astillero de Rivera. Cavite City became the main seaport of the City of Manila and the staging port for the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade. After the demise of the galleon trade, the shipyard became the Spanish Arsenal.
American period
When the sovereignty of the Philippines was ceded to the Americans after the Spanish–American War, the U.S. took over all the military stations left by the Spaniards including the Cavite Naval Yard. The American made several modifications and improvements, but also included the demolition of Fort Guadalupe and partially of Fort San Felipe. It was the US Navy's only ship repair facility in the western Pacific before World War II. Sangley Point was a component of the navy yard. Sangley Point was a subordinate command of the Yard and where the naval radio transmitting facility and the naval hospital was located. In 1941, the 16th Naval District was established in the navy yard during the American colonial period. At the beginning of World War II, the Cavite Navy Yard was destroyed by Japanese bombers. It was abandoned and the Japanese used the yard for small boat repair. It is the same place the Japanese forces used as a headquarters after they conquered Cavite during the Second World War. In 1945, the yard was retaken by the combined Filipino and American forces and recommissioned, but it was turned over to the Philippine government in 1947 for the Philippine Navy.
After independence
Early in December 1970, it was officially announced that U.S. Naval Station Sangley Point would be closed. On July 1, 1971, Sangley Point changed status from active to inactive in preparation for the turnover of the facility to the government of the Philippines. On-the-job-training sessions were conducted for Philippine naval personnel to ensure the safe and proper operation of all base industrial facilities. On September 1, 1971, the base was officially turned over to the government of the Philippines, ending 73 years as a U.S. naval facility. It is currently used as a facility of the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force. William J. Mitzel and his wife Barbara were the last US personnel to occupy quarters on the installation. Mr. Mitzel was responsible for the final turn over and lived on the installation with his wife, when the turn over was completed. In line with Philippine Navy General Order number 229 dated July 7, 2009, the naval installations were renamed to honor esteemed predecessors in the military/naval service who fought for the protection of the nation's sovereignty, territorial integrity, democracy, and the maritime interests of the country. With this, the Naval Base Cavite, the naval station in Fort San Felipe, was assigned the name Naval Station Pascual Ledesma. Naval Base Cavite provides support services to the Philippine Navy and other Armed Forces of the Philippines tenant units in the base complex, such as refueling, re-watering, shore power connections, berthing, ferry services, tugboat assistance, sludge disposal services and housing.
Located within the base is the Cavite Naval Hospital, a medical facility that provides hospital and out-patient services to Philippine Navy personnel and their dependents. It is located on P. Zamora Extension/Reynoso Road, adjacent to the navy chapel. The other naval hospital, Manila Navy Hospital is located in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City, Metro Manila.
Education
is located on the base.
Chapel
Naval Base Cavite is served by the Stella Maris Chapel, a Roman Catholic military chaplaincy located on P. Zamora Ext. inside the base in Fort San Felipe, Cavite City.
