Albrook Air Force Station is a former

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...

facility in

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

. It was closed on 30 September 1997 as a result of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties which specified that United States military facilities in the former Panama Canal Zone be closed and the facilities be turned over to the Panamanian government. It was located on the east side of the

Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a condui ...

just south of Fort Clayton and north of the township of

Balboa, Panama Balboa is a district of Panama City, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. History The town of Balboa, founded by the United States during the construction of the Panama Canal, was named after Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the Spani ...

. Beginning in January 1999, the air field initiated civilian air service as Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport.

Major commands to which assigned

* Panama Canal Department, 1932- 19 October 1940 * Panama Canal Air Force, 19 October 1940 - 5 August 1941 * Caribbean Air Force, 5 August 1941 - 18 September 1942 *

Sixth Air Force Sixth is the ordinal form of the number six. * The Sixth Amendment, to the U.S. Constitution * A keg of beer, equal to 5 U.S. gallons or barrel * The fraction Music * Sixth interval (music)s: ** major sixth, a musical interval ** minor si ...

, 18 September 1942 - 31 July 1946 * Caribbean Air Command, 31 July 1946 - 8 July 1963 *

United States Air Forces Southern Command The United States Air Forces Southern Command is an inactive List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force. It was headquartered at Albrook Air Force Base, Panama Canal Zone, Canal Zone, being ...

, 8 July 1963 - 1 January 1976 * Tactical Air Command : USAF Southern Air Division, 1 January 1976 - 1 January 1989 : 830th Air Division, 1 January 1989 - 15 February 1991 :

Air Forces Panama Air Forces Panama is an inactive United States Air Force (USAF) headquarters. It was assigned to Tactical Air Command, most recently to Twelfth Air Force. Its headquarters were located at Albrook Air Force Station and Howard Air Force Base in th ...

, 15 February 1991 - 11 February 1992 * Tactical Air Command, 11 February - 31 May 1992 * Air Combat Command, 31 May 1992 - 30 September 1997

Major units assigned

* 16th Pursuit (later Fighter) Group : 24th Pursuit (later Fighter) Squadron, 26 October 1932-10 January 1943; 28 May-9 June 1943 : 28th Pursuit Squadron, 1 February-5 October 1940 : 29th Pursuit (later Fighter) Squadron, 1 October 1933-17 May 1942 : 43d Pursuit (later Fighter) Squadron, 1 February 1940-13 July 1942 : 73d Pursuit Squadron, 1 October 1933-14 July 1941 : 78th Pursuit Squadron, 15 October 1932-1 September 1937 * 19th Composite Wing, 25 January 1933 : Redesignated 19th Wing, 1937 : Redesignated 19th Bombardment Wing, 1940 - 25 October 1941 * 37th Pursuit (later Fighter) Group : 30th Pursuit Squadron, 13 November 1940-24 November 1941 : 31st Pursuit (later Fighter) Squadron, 13 November 1940-9 November 1941; 31 December 1941-3 February 1942; 19 May-30 September 1942 * Headquarters, Panama Canal Air Force, 20 November 1940 : Redesignated: Caribbean Air Force. August 5, 1941 : Redesignated: 6th Air Force, September 18, 1942 : Redesignated: Caribbean Air Command, July 31, 1946 : Redesignated:

July 8, 1963-1 January 1976 *

12 Pursuit Wing The 12th Air Division an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Eighth Air Force, based at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. It was inactivated on 31 July 1990. History The division was established as the ...

, 10 November 1940 – 6 March 1942 * 32d Pursuit (later Fighter) Group : 51st Pursuit Squadron, 1 January-21 August 1941 : 52d Pursuit Squadron, 1 January-21 August 1941 : 53d Pursuit Squadron, 1 January-21 August 1941 *

VI Bomber Command The VI Bomber Command was a military formation of the United States Army Air Forces. Its last assignment was with Sixth Air Force. It was based throughout its service at Albrook Field, in the Panama Canal Zone. It was inactivated on 1 Novembe ...

, 25 October 1941 – 1 November 1946 * XXVI Fighter Command, 6 March 1942 - 25 August 1946 * 1st Communications Squadron, Air Support, 23 April 1942-April 1943 * 40th Bombardment Group, 16 September 1942 - 3 June 1943 *

6th Bombardment Group Alec Trevelyan (006) is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1995 James Bond film '' GoldenEye'', the first film to feature actor Pierce Brosnan as Bond. Trevelyan is portrayed by actor Sean Bean. The likeness of Bean as Ale ...

, 14 January - 1 November 1943 : 3rd Bombardment Squadron : 74th Bombardment Squadron * Sixth Air Force Base Command : 20th Troop Carrier Squadron, 9 June 1943-September 1948 * 1st Depot Repair Squadron, 6 May 1943 – 7 December 1944 * 314th Troop Carrier Group, 1 October 1946 - 10 March 1948 * 5700th Composite Wing : 18th Troop Carrier Squadron, 1 August 1948-1 March 1949 * 24th Composite Wing, 8 November 1967 - 3 January 1968 * 830th Air Division, 1 January 1976 – 15 August 1977; 1 March 1989 – 15 February 1991

Post USAF use

In September 1997, the base was turned over to Panama. It was then refurbished with an operations / control tower constructed; also a passenger terminal (near Building 446, the hangar that previously housed the former Air Force Post Office). In January 1999, the domestic/commercial Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport was relocated to Albrook from Punta Paitilla (across Panama City). Airport is under Panama's Civil Aeronautics Authority (Autoridad de Aeronáutica Civil —previously named Civil Aviation Directorate). A number of shops, markets, mall and government agencies (Panamanian Red Cross,

International Maritime University of Panama The International Maritime University of Panama (in Spanish: Universidad Marítima Internacional de Panamá, UMIP) is a maritime college in Panama City, Panama. It trains cadets to become merchant marine ships' officers. It is located in the Albr ...

) operate out of some of the old buildings and hangars, and most of the officers quarters are now private homes. The Civil Aviation Authority has its headquarters in Building 805.Contáctenos
" Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved on April 18, 2012. "Oficinas Administrativas: Albrook Edificio 805 - Panamá"

Notes

References

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External links

Historic American Buildings Survey Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) is a division of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) responsible for administering the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), and Historic American Landscapes ...

(HABS) documentation, filed under Balboa, Former Panama Canal Zone, CZ: ** ** ** ** ** ** {{authority control 1932 establishments in Panama 1997 disestablishments in Panama Airports in Panama Buildings and structures in Panamá Province Historic American Buildings Survey in the former Panama Canal Zone Installations of the United States Air Force in Panama Military installations closed in 1997 Panama Canal Zone