The Snapshots in Time Collection

Soldier Beside Breech Mechanism of Large Coastal Defense Gun, Harbor Defenses of Manila Bay, Philippines, c. 1930s–1940s

Soldier Beside Breech Mechanism of Large Coastal Defense Gun, Harbor Defenses of Manila Bay, Philippines, c. 1930s–1940s

A soldier stands beside the breech and elevating mechanism of a massive coastal defense gun guarding the approaches to Manila Bay. Fortifications such as Corregidor, Fort Drum, and Fort Frank mounted heavy seacoast artillery like this piece throughout the 1930s, forming the backbone of Pacific harbor defense until the fall of the Philippines in 1942. Project: 218617