Misplaced Pages

#702297

55-824: Due to their isolation and difficulty of access there are no civilian settlements on these islands, but a detachment of the Chilean Navy is stationed on Isla San Félix, which also hosts the 2,000-metre (6,600 ft) Isla San Felix Airport . No signs of prehistoric human activity by Polynesians or Indigenous peoples of the Americas have ever been found on the islands, or on the neighboring Juan Fernández Islands . Michael Levinson's 1973 book The Settlement of Polynesia states, "the Juan Fernández Islands and San Felix and San Ambrosio were apparently unoccupied in pre-Columbian times and were not discovered by

110-597: A tender ship to support them, all based in Talcahuano. The navy also provides access to services for residents of Chile's Pacific and Southern island regions, thus integrating its disjointed geography. The transport of passengers, especially during the school year or in cases of emergency, together with the supply of provisions and fuel, are of key importance to the inhabitants of these insular zones. The institution regularly carries out civil operations whereby navy professionals provide social assistance and health care to

165-669: A "Naval Detachment of Order and Security" ( Destacamento de Orden y Seguridad in Spanish) that acts as base garrison unit and military police force. There are smaller detachments in remote areas like Puerto Williams and Isla de Pascua . The CIM also is responsible for the protection of the commander in chief of the Navy and contributes a section to the security of the facilities of the Ministry of Defense in Santiago . The corps also operates

220-649: A key figure in the war against loyalist forces in Peru, and was instrumental in taking control of the fortresses of Valdivia , though he failed in his attempt to conquer Chiloé Island . In March 1824, the Chilean Navy and Army undertook an expedition to expel the Spanish from Chiloé Archipelago . An expedition was dispatched to Chiloé Island , but it ended in failure when the Chilean Army led by Jorge Beauchef

275-620: Is celebrated every year as a public holiday called Día de las Glorias Navales . Prat is also considered to be one of the co-founders of the Naval Seaman Training School in 1868, which began operating a year later, and was one of the Naval Academy's finest graduate officers that in 1943 it became the National Naval School "Arturo Prat" in his honor. The navy further distinguished itself during

330-422: Is responsible for maintaining order and security inside the naval base and naval populations. The Chilean Marines are organized into two battalion-sized detachments (Destacamento de Infantería), two full-time battalions plus support units. As of 2013 they are now a full division-sized formation of 2 brigades plus independent units. The Expeditionary Amphibious Brigade ( Brigada Anfibia Expedicionaria , BAE), forms

385-662: The 1973 Chilean coup d'etat , together with the Army, the Air Force, and the Carabiniers, the navy, led by Admiral Jose Toribio Merino , became part of the government junta led by army commander in chief Augusto Pinochet . Upon the latter's resignation from the junta leadership in 1981, Adm. Merino became its chairman until March 1990, presiding over its sessions and those of the Legislative Commission. He

440-596: The Battle of Pisagua in 1879, led by both the Navy and the Marine Artillery Groups and Marine Infantry, the world's first modern military landing operation, that resulted in Chilean victories in other parts of Peru's Tarapacá region, and resulted to its annexation by Chile. After navy visits to Easter Island in 1875 and 1887, Chilean navy officer Policarpo Toro managed to negotiate an incorporation of

495-698: The Chincha Islands War (1864–1866), and the War of the Pacific (1879–1883). The founding of Fuerte Bulnes in the Strait of Magellan marked the starting point of a series of Chilean Navy explorations, led by navy hydrographers, such as Francisco Vidal Gormaz and Francisco Hudson , in the unknown zone between the Strait of Magellan and Chiloé. To deal with this new area of activity, the navy founded in 1874

550-485: The Hydrographic Office , whose first director was Francisco Vidal Gormaz . Chilean war hero and martyr Arturo Prat is regarded as the ultimate example of the commitment of the navy to its country, after his death while leading a boarding party onto the enemy ironclad Huáscar at the naval battle of Iquique on 21 May 1879, during the War against Peru and Bolivia . The anniversary of this battle

605-651: The MV ; Explorer in 1972 and 2007. The Navy's most recognizable sailing-school ship, the Esmeralda , began operations in 1952. It since has made various trips around the world with selected cadet officers and NCOs on board trained in ship handling and operations, as a requirement for graduation. Prior to the Esmeralda , another sailing ship, the General Baquedano , fulfilled the same functions. In

SECTION 10

#1732765725703

660-532: The Patagonian channels aimed to improve navigation, and explored the river basins of Patagonia. A German geographer, Hans Steffen , led navy explorations to western Patagonia, laying the groundwork for colonization of what would be Aisén Region years later. The navy occasionally collaborated with European naturalists such as Carl Skottsberg in their surveys of Chilean territory. In 1904, Brazil ordered two Minas Gerais -class dreadnoughts to be built by

715-514: The brig "Aguila" constituted the embryo of the Marines, who have since participated in all the actions to which Chilean warships have been committed. O'Higgins's Supreme Decree described the role of the Marines: "these people will fire rifles from the deck, [and] will handle the machete in boardings and bayonet and cannon in landings." The Marine Corps thus became an indispensable complement to

770-633: The external debt by the "millionaires". The mutineers had their ships located at Coquimbo and Talcahuano 's naval base, which they controlled. Chilean government responded by sending the Chilean Air Force to bombard the ships in Coquimbo and charging Talcahuano's naval base. After the quelling of the rebellion, the navy was purged, although the mutiny had its origin among the lower ranks. These economic and political factors, along with Chile's neutrality for much of World War II , meant that

825-465: The 1890s, were totally outdated by the time the Great Depression forced their retirements without replacements. In 1931, the navy once more made headlines in Chilean politics when large portions of it (26 ships) began a mutiny that demanded the president to rescind a salary reduction. The demands were later expanded to include an agrarian reform, industrial "solidarity", and the payment of

880-581: The 1950s, the Chilean Navy became involved in a series of incidents with the Argentine Navy and Argentine civilians in the disputed areas of the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn . These incidents took the form of incursions into Chilean waters by Argentine fishing ships, and provocations, such as the shelling of a Chilean lighthouse by the Argentine Navy during the Snipe incident of 1958. During

935-779: The Academy for Young Midshipmen, which was the predecessor of the current Naval Academy, were founded, as well as the Marine Corps and the Supply Commissary. The first commander of the Chilean Navy was Manuel Blanco Encalada . Famous British naval commander Lord Cochrane , who formerly had been a captain in the British royal navy, was hired by Chileans to organize and command their Navy. Cochrane recruited an almost all- anglophone complement of officers and midshipmen and crews of British, Irish, and American seamen. He became

990-831: The Atlantic zone: Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego : Punta Arenas , in the Beagle Channel, Cape Horn and Drake Passage : Puerto Williams , and in Antarctica : Captain Arturo Prat Base . These are now spread into five naval zones. The Chilean Marines or (Infanteria de Marina de Chile) are the land/amphibious attack force of the Chilean Navy. The 5,000 man force combines special training and tactics with state-of-the-art equipment. The Servicio Hidrográfico y Oceanográfico de la Armada de Chile (SHOA, Spanish for Hydrological and Oceanographic Service of

1045-983: The British Royal Navy , the French Navy and the German Navy . Officers, WOs and NCOs of the Marines add the Infante de Marina (Marine Soldier) title to their ranks from Seaman onward, as the Marines are part of the Navy. All officers, active or reserve, study at the Arturo Prat Naval Academy and later in the Naval Polytechnic Academy and the Naval War Academy receive improved training and education to be promoted as well as training in his/her specialty field while all active and reserve NCOs (known in

1100-617: The Chilean Disembark in Pisagua, the first amphibious assault of the modern era. Amphibious operations were conducted on November 2, 1879, where the Chilean squadron provided escort and naval fire support, while the landing forces composed by 9,000 men landed in Caleta Pisagua and captured the position in a fast offensive action, taking only 4 hours. The Peruvian forces, after a strong initial resistance, were defeated due to

1155-420: The Chilean Navy date back to 1817, when General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared after the Chilean victory at the Battle of Chacabuco that a hundred such victories would count for nothing if Chile did not gain control of the sea. This led to the development of the Chilean Navy, and the first legal resolutions outlining the organization of the institution were created. Chile's First National Fleet and

SECTION 20

#1732765725703

1210-498: The Chilean Navy) is an agency of the Chilean Navy managing situations dealing with hydrology and oceanography including tides and tsunamis . SHOA is also the official Chilean government timekeeper. Ranks and rates are shown on the sleeves of all Chilean Navy summer uniforms (and on the shoulder boards on winter or summer service uniforms as well for officers and WOs only). Shoulder and sleeve ranks are inspired by those in

1265-617: The Chilean armed forces, while the bulk of navy sided with the congress side, the majority of the Chilean Army remained loyal to José Manuel Balmaceda . When the majority of the national congress broke relations with the government, Jorge Montt took control of the fleet at Valparaíso and with notable politicians, such as Ramón Barros Luco , on board, the fleet sailed north to the nitrate-rich Tarapacá area, which Chile had seized from Peru 10 years earlier. Tarapacá was, by that time, Chile's richest region in terms of natural resources and

1320-461: The Chilean government decided to modernize its navy. The modernization plan included the ordering of two cruisers and two torpedo boat destroyers , and the modernization of two armoured ships in English docks. A new predreadnought battleship, Capitán Prat , was ordered under the new construction program in 1889. The advent of the 1891 Chilean Civil War had a breach between the two branches of

1375-612: The Corps of Drums which are attached to the bands and are composed of snare drums, fifes and bugles (in the marine bands soldiers of the Marines fill the Corps of Drums rosters). They all report to Headquarters, Chilean Marine Corps and are under the direct control of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. These bands date back to the mid 19th century when the Marine Artillery band was raised to provide musical support for

1430-749: The Las Salinas Naval Base in Viña del Mar . One of its schools, the Naval Seaman Training School, became the Seamen's School of the Navy "Captain Alejandro Navarrete Cisterna" in the same year as its centenary, in honor of the first naval seaman to rise through the ranks to become a naval officer. The NSSS soon became the Naval Polytechnic Academy in 1995, through a merger of all its component schools, with some of these schools staying as independent constituent academies. After

1485-847: The Marine Infantry School "Commander Jaime Charles" together with the Naval Educational Command of the Navy, which fully owns and maintains the institution, and it is a part of the Naval Polytechnical Academy. The Band Service of the Chilean Navy personnel are from the Marine Corps, particularly the military bands of the Naval School "Arturo Prat", the Seaman Training School "Alejandro Navarette Cisterna" and

1540-548: The Naval Polytechnic Academy. Like their counterparts in the British Royal Marines Band Service , they operate not just as headquarters bands for the 5 naval zones and 4 marine battalions, plus as in-house band for the Marine Infantry School and for the BE "Esmeralda", but also as bands for the naval educational institutions, even though in the naval bands sailors and officer/NCO cadets fill the ranks of

1595-514: The Navy through the general term Men of the Sea ) study at the Seamen's School of the Navy "Alejandro Navarette Cisnerna" and later in the Naval Polytechnic Academy and its attached and independent colleges for later specialty training. Chilean Marine Corps The Chilean Marine Corps ( Spanish : Cuerpo de Infantería de Marina, CIM ) is an entity of the Chilean Navy special forces which specializes in amphibious assaults. The Marine Corps

1650-534: The South Atlantic. Both countries were distracted in the next few years by Argentina's internal military operations against natives and Chile's War of the Pacific against Bolivia and Peru, but by 1890, a full-fledged naval arms race was underway between the two. The Boundary treaty of 1881 between Chile and Argentina had been a major success in laying the groundwork for nearly all of Chile and Argentina's 5,600 kilometres (3,500 mi) of shared borders, but

1705-496: The Spanish until between 1563 and 1574. There is no evidence available to suggest that they were visited for fishing or other reasons by Amerindians before this." The islands were possibly discovered by Ferdinand Magellan as early as 1521. The first confirmed sighting was by Juan Fernández on 6 November 1574 while voyaging from Callao to Valparaíso . Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa wrote in 1579 that "they are now called after St. Felix and St. Ambor (i.e. Felix and Nabor )". However,

Desventuradas Islands - Misplaced Pages Continue

1760-818: The United Kingdom. In response, Argentina ordered two Rivadavia -class dreadnoughts with an option for a third from the United States. They also ordered 12 destroyers from three nations in Europe. With its major rival acquiring so many modern vessels, Chile was forced to respond, although this was delayed by a financial depression brought on by a major earthquake and a drastic fall in the nitrate market in 1906 and 1907, respectively. Eventually, Chile ordered two Almirante Latorre -class super-dreadnoughts and six Almirante Lynch -class destroyers from British shipyards, but received only two destroyers before

1815-607: The amphibious component of the Corps with a mission to support the armed services in peacekeeping missions of in times of conflict and can do operations adaptable to any terrain possible. The brigade is headquartered in the Marine Corps bases in Concon and Talcahuano. The two remaining Marine Detachments plus smaller independent units form the Protection Forces of the Corps. Their duty is the protection of national territory and all naval bases and installations. Each zone has

1870-512: The civilian population, and provide support in cases of natural catastrophe. It also undertakes preventive education campaigns for Chile's population on issues that include security on beaches and seaside resorts, and measures to be taken in the case of a tsunami . The most important naval bases and supply depots are (from north to south) in the Pacific Ocean: Iquique , Easter Island, Valparaíso, Talcahuano, Puerto Montt ; in

1925-482: The deck, unnecessary. For that reason was the predominant role of gunner and the Marine Corps became Artillery Battalion of the Navy. In 1866, the members of this battalion had to cover the garrisons of warships and fortifications on the ground. In such condition they all subsequently participated in all actions of the Naval War of the Pacific, displaying extraordinary courage and aggressiveness. This war highlighted

1980-410: The drawing of boundaries in the largely unexplored inland Patagonia soon became a major source of territorial disputes. Over the 1880s and 1890s, Chile and Argentina engaged in an arms race fueled by nationalistic rhetoric and tax income from their blooming economies. Both countries signed a treaty in 1902 to end the arms race. During the 1890s, the Chilean Navy carried out many hydrographic surveys in

2035-403: The elections of October 1891, Jorge Montt was elected president. Not all navy officers sided with the congress. Some like Juan Williams Rebolledo , Juan José Latorre and Policarpo Toro remained on the presidential side and Francisco Vidal Gormaz declared his neutrality. After the war these officers were removed from their offices. In contrast to these officers whose career or influence in

2090-540: The island into Chile with native Rapanui in 1888. By occupying Easter Island, Chile joined the imperial nations. With the Peruvian Navy destroyed, Bolivia becoming a landlocked country , and Argentina having only a brown-water navy , the Chilean Navy had a regional hegemony in the years following the War of the Pacific. To secure this advantage and not let new Argentine acquisitions challenge Chilean naval power,

2145-437: The island, gathering information on Argentine Air Force movements. Vegetation of the larger islands is a miniature mosaic of matorral , barren rock, various sizes of trees, and shrubs mixed with ferns and perennial herbs. Sonchus laceratus is an endemic shrub species. The large islands, San Félix and San Ambrosio, are home to a critical WWF recognized temperate forest biome . The marine fauna shares close affinities with

2200-635: The islands. The island group has been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it is a breeding site for large numbers of Masatierra petrels . The Desventuradas Islands, from east to west: Chilean Navy The Chilean Navy ( Spanish : Armada de Chile ) is the naval warfare service branch of the Chilean Armed Forces . It is under the Ministry of National Defense . Its headquarters are at Edificio Armada de Chile , Valparaiso . The origins of

2255-461: The late 1970s, the Chilean Navy played an important role in defending Chilean sovereignty over the Picton, Lennox and Nueva islands that the Argentine Navy planned to seize. The birth of the modern Chilean Marine Corps of today began in 1964. Naval educational institutions were reformed in 1968, when president Eduardo Frei Montalva created the "Naval Specialities Schools System" with headquarters at

Desventuradas Islands - Misplaced Pages Continue

2310-493: The marines strengthened and the navy's special forces unit raised. The 25,000-person navy, including 5,200 marines, is directed by Admiral Julio Leiva Molina Martin as of 2017. Of the fleet of 66 surface vessels (soon to be increased to 74), 21 are major combatant ships based in Valparaíso. The navy operates its own aircraft for transport, patrol, and surface and antisubmarine attack. The navy also operates four submarines and

2365-577: The name of the martyr Ambor (Nabor) became confused with that of the more famous bishop Saint Ambrose (San Ambrosio). It is, probably, one of these islands that Captain John Davis struck one night in 1686. He was able to continue his voyage but erroneously reported the position of the incident. San Felix played a part in the Falklands War . In May 1982, the Chilean government allowed an RAF Nimrod R1 to fly signals reconnaissance sorties from

2420-401: The naval power of the nation, contributing effectively to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Marines were to move in line with the means available to the Chilean Navy. The advent of steam ships and the longer range of the artillery, and many other circumstances, ensured fighting occurred at a greater distances; Collisions were becoming increasingly impractical and rifles on

2475-478: The navy did not acquire any warships until after the war. Chile formulated its Antarctic claim in 1940. In 1947, the navy established the first Chilean base, the Captain Arturo Prat Base , on the continent before the Chilean Army or Air Force established their own bases. Since then, the navy has played a major role in supplying Chilean bases and performing numerous rescue missions, among them,

2530-536: The navy was truncated by the war, the 1891 Chilean Civil War served as a starting point of a successful career in the navy for a generation of young officers like Francisco Nef and others who sided with the Congressionals who won the war. After incidents with Chile in 1872, 1877, and 1878, Argentina had decided that a brown-water navy, even if modern, was not enough to back up its ambitions in Patagonia and

2585-466: The requirements of the institution to have a real amphibious capacity and capable of contributing on projecting naval power over hostile territory The other mission of the Marines is the protection, maintenance and monitoring of the naval facilities, the most famous being The Lions Gate with its security unit under the order and security detachment of the Marines in Talcahuano (main naval base Chile)

2640-606: The rest were purchased by the Royal Navy during World War I ; of these, Chile would finally receive three destroyers and one battleship, the Almirante Latorre , after the War. Chile also received six British H-class submarines from the Royal Navy in 1917, and purchased three Capitan O'Brien -class submarines and six Serrano -class destroyers in the late 1920s. Its fleet of cruisers, though, all built in

2695-644: The sailors of the Navy, whose primary responsibility was to properly maneuver their craft during combat. "To provide the operational commander of Marines forces organized, equipped and trained, with the aim of contributing to the projection of naval power, to defend the coast and internal security and institutional." In other words, it consists mainly of amphibious assault force, coastal defense force, special forces, support organs and garrisons. It also organizes, equips and trains them to develop in times of conflict operations and actions that are characteristic over territory or where necessary, as irreplaceable component of

2750-485: The south Pacific and the central Pacific, more so than with the nearing South America . This is partly due to the Humboldt Current , which helps create a powerful biogeographic barrier between these islands and South America. There are no permanent sources of fresh water on any of the islands. Vertebrates inhabiting both of the largest islands are limited to birds. Ten species of marine birds and one land bird species, some of them endangered, make their nests on or visit

2805-445: The strong and sustained aggressiveness shown by the Chilean soldiers. Since 1887, it functions as coastal artillery. Such a definition of the mission led to the updating of Organic Regulations of the Corps, which in 1938 was defined as Coastal defense. Beginning in 1964, the Corps was completely reorganized and refocused, being renamed the Marine Corps and constituting a modern amphibious force which has continued to evolve in line with

SECTION 50

#1732765725703

2860-450: Was also, concurrently, the national defense minister. The training ship Esmeralda functioned as a floating prison and torture chamber for political prisoners during the 1973–1980 period of the military dictatorship. It is claimed that probably over a hundred persons were kept there at times and subjected to hideous treatment. It was also an unprecedented period of growth and expansion of the naval service, as more vessels became part of it,

2915-442: Was born with the establishment of the first armed forces of an independent Chile: the Corps was founded by Don Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme on June 16, 1818, through a Supreme Decree. However, the predecessor of the Marine Corps in Chilean history may be found in the early efforts of patriot revolutionaries against Spain in challenging royal control of the sea. In fact, a force of twenty-five soldiers Cazadores de los Andes, aboard

2970-415: Was defeated at the Battle of Mocopulli . Only after Ramón Freire 's Chiloé expedition in 1826 did the royalist forces at Chiloé, under the command of Antonio de Quintanilla , surrender and Chiloé joined the new Chilean nation. After the wars of independence, a series of conflicts demonstrated the importance of the navy to the nation. First of these conflicts were the War of the Confederation (1836–1839),

3025-431: Was without the fleet practically out of reach for the Chilean Army. From here, the navy organized an army made of nitrate miners, whom they armed and trained to face the 40,000-men-strong Army of Chile. In August 1891, the new army was disembarked in Quintero and defeated the Chilean Army at the Battle of Concón and the Battle of Placilla before the presidential faction disbanded and the Congressional side took power. On

#702297