Fort Wint is the series of coastal defence fortifications built up on Grande Island to protect Subic Bay. Fort Wint was constructed between 1907 and 1910 as one of the recommendations of the Taft Board of 1905, as part of the updating the Endicott Board’s Programme of coastal defences. At that point the Japanese were considered a threat within Asia.
The Island had five batteries and numerous support buildings. The batteries were:
- Battery Warwick with two 10-inch (M1895) on disappearing Buffington-Crozier carriages.
- Battery Hall and Battery Woodruff which each mounted two 6-inch (152 mm) M1905 guns on disappearing carriages.
- Battery Flake and Battery Jewell each armed with four 3-inch (76 mm) M1903 guns on pedestal mounts.
The defences on Grande Island were to protect the small naval base and dry dock at Olongapo, and to guard the ‘rear door’ to Bataan. It was intended to deny the enemy a chance to use the Island as a steppingstone to land on the Bataan Peninsular and then attack the main defences on Corregidor, Fort Mills. It was therefore primarily an adjunct to the defences of Manila Bay,