The Presidential yacht
Casiano was anchored just off of Corregidors Engineering Dock when she
was sunk by Japanese aircraft on January 26th, 1942. The Philippine President,
Manual Quezon, had packed his entire wealth onto the ill-fated vessel prior to the
evacuation of Manila. A number of Government silver ingots were also loaded on board by
the Treasury staff as well.
Although some of the valuables were removed to the
safety of the Malinta tunnels, over twelve tons of silver bars and pesos were left aboard
for "security reasons." After the fall of the island in May of 1942, a few of
the captured US Navy Divers were forced to salvage the silver out of this wreck by the
Japanese. However, all they brought up were silver pesos, leaving the silver ingots at the
bottom of the wreck.
The Casiano resides in only twenty-five
feet of water and on a sunny day one can clearly see the outline of the wreck only 50
yards off the Engineering Dock.
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