S-16
Photo in the private collection of David Johnston
USS S-16 (SS-121) in the process of tying up to a pier at Cebu City on Cebu Island, P.I. January 5, 1923. Note 4th man from left. He appears to be tossing a heaving line to the pier.
64 years later, webmaster David Johnston was on the crew of the USS Darter (SS-576) when she tied up to the very same pier in Cebu on May 21, 1987. Port visits in Cebu were rare for a USN submarine in the 1980's, and it generated a lot of interest from the local community. Petty Officer Johnston enjoyed his visit there, and was thrilled to be able to see the Mactan Shrine through the periscope on the shore near Lapu-Lapu City as the Darter departed Cebu. The Mactan Shrine commemorates the site of the Battle of Mactan in 1521, which resulted in the death of famous explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
Photo submitted by EMC(SS) John Clear, USN (Ret.)
Photo provided by MMCM(SS) Rick Larson, USN (Ret.)
Despite this restriction, they continued to serve honorably and to the best of their ability and their service is being honored by the construction of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Doris Miller (CVN-81). CVN-81 is named after Navy Cross awardee Mess Attendant 2nd Class Doris Miller of Waco, Texas, famous for his machine gun defense of the battleship West Virginia (BB-48) at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
Photo provided by MMCM(SS) Rick Larson, USN (Ret.)
Page created by:
Ric Hedman & David Johnston
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