Aguadulce Army Airfield (also known as Airdrome Aguadulce ) is a former

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

airfield in

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

used as part of the defense of the

Panama Canal The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...

. It was closed on 1 March 1948. Established on 1 April 1941, Aguadulce Airfield's mission was to defend the

. Most of its operational history was that of an auxiliary airfield, hosting fighter squadrons. Training of South American air force personnel was also conducted at the field. Wartime units assigned were: *

74th Bombardment Squadron The 74th Reconnaissance Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, part of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California. The squadron was first active during World War II as the 74th Aero Squadron. In 1933 it was ...

(

6th Bombardment Group Alec Trevelyan is a fictional character who is the main antagonist in the 1995 James Bond film ''GoldenEye,'' portrayed by actor Sean Bean. Bean's likeness was also used as the model for Alec Trevelyan in the 1997 video game '' GoldenEye 007'' ...

) : 8 November-11 December 1941 (B-18 Bolo) : 13 February-1 May 1945 (B-24 Liberator) *

59th Bombardment Squadron The 59th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was first activated in Panama in 1941 during the expansion of the United States Army Air Corps before World War II. Following the Attack on Pearl Harbor the squadron ...

(

9th Bombardment Group 009 may refer to: * OO9, gauge model railways * O09, FAA identifier for Round Valley Airport * 0O9, FAA identifier for Ward Field, see List of airports in California * British secret agent 009, see 00 Agent * BA 009, see British Airways Flight 9 ...

), 11 December 1941 – 19 February 1942 : Detachment operated from: Hato Field,

Curaçao Curaçao, officially the Country of Curaçao, is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in the southern Caribbean Sea (specifically the Dutch Caribbean region), about north of Venezuela. Curaçao includ ...

, 13 January-24 September 1942 : Detachment operated from:

Dakota Field Queen Beatrix International Airport (; ) Is an international airport located in the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba. It has flight services to the United States, Canada, several countries in the Caribbean, the northern coastal countries of Sout ...

Aruba Aruba, officially the Country of Aruba, is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in the southern Caribbean Sea north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguaná Peninsula, Paraguaná and northwest of Curaçao. In 19 ...

, 14 January-24 September 1942 * 29th Bombardment Squadron (

40th Bombardment Group 4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is a square number, the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures. Evolution of the H ...

), 16 June 1942 – 29 March 1943 (B-18 Bolo, Northrop A-17 Nomad) *

30th Fighter Squadron 030 may refer to: * Motorola 68030 * BR-030 * Geographical telephone calling prefixes ** Greater Accra area code, Ghana ** Utrecht, Netherlands ** Berlin, Germany ** Bar Municipality and Ulcinj Municipality of Montenegro ** Province of Brescia, It ...

(

XXVI Fighter Command The XXVI Fighter Command was a formation of the United States Army Air Forces. It was assigned to Sixth Air Force throughout its existence. It was based at Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone, where it was inactivated on 25 August 1946. It engage ...

), 10 February 1943 – 25 January 1945 (P-40 Warhawk) With the end of World War II Aguadulce was reduced in scope, with only a skeleton staff. It was closed on 1 March 1948 due to budget reductions. For several years, it was used as a civil airport, but was later closed; today the airfield is abandoned, with the runway still visible but in poor condition.

References

* * Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Panama Airports established in 1941 {{USAF-stub