On January 28th, 2024, the rest of the U.S. Navy forces reached Aparri. The soldiers and Marines from the U.S. Army began to disembark from their ships, stepping onto Philippine ground for the first time at this location. Around them, Blackwatch Naval Base was busy and fully operational, equipped with everything a military force might need.
The base featured runways busy with aircraft, multiple helipads active with helicopters coming and going, and well-maintained naval facilities that supported both the stationed personnel and the newly arrived forces. For the American troops, this was a new setting, far from home, but the mission was clear, and the sense of purpose unified them with the Blackwatch personnel they were meeting for the first time.
