Naval Station Coco Solo with submarines 1923

US and Colombian ships at NS Rodman in 1989

Naval Base Panama Canal Zone refers to a number of

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

bases used during

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 ...

to both protect 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 ...

and the key

shipping lanes A sea lane, sea road or shipping lane is a regularly used navigable route for large water vessels (ships) on wide waterways such as oceans and large lakes, and is preferably safe, direct and economic. During the Age of Sail, they were determined ...

around the

Panama Canal Zone The Panama Canal Zone (), also known as just the Canal Zone, was a International zone#Concessions, concession of the United States located in the Isthmus of Panama that existed from 1903 to 1979. It consisted of the Panama Canal and an area gene ...

. Bases were built and operated on the Atlantic Ocean side and the Pacific Ocean side. The main Naval Base at the Panama Canal was the Naval Station Coco Solo that had been in operation since 1918.

History

In 1821 Panama voluntarily became part of

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

. In 1903, the United States supported the group that wanted to separate from Colombia. After Panama separated from Colombia that same year, Panama and the US signed the

Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty The Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty () was a treaty signed on November 18, 1903, by the United States and Panama, which established the Panama Canal Zone and the subsequent construction of the Panama Canal. It was named after its two primary negotiato ...

. This gave the United States rights to the 553-square-mile, 10-mile-wide

, a

US Territory In the United States, a territory is any extent of region under the sovereign jurisdiction of the federal government of the United States, including all waters (around islands or continental tracts). The United States asserts sovereign rights for ...

with its capital in Balboa. The Canal opened a waterway from the Atlantic to the Pacific, bypassing the

Strait of Magellan The Strait of Magellan (), also called the Straits of Magellan, is a navigable sea route in southern Chile separating mainland South America to the north and the Tierra del Fuego archipelago to the south. Considered the most important natura ...

. Construction started 4 May 1904 and was completed 15 August 1914. Due to

U-boat U-boats are Submarine#Military, naval submarines operated by Germany, including during the World War I, First and Second World Wars. The term is an Anglicization#Loanwords, anglicized form of the German word , a shortening of (), though the G ...

operations, the Canal Zone was put under the Caribbean Defense Command in 1939. Japan lost Canal use on 22 July 1941 because of its aggression in China. Canal Zone defenses were increased due to the strategic importance of the waterway. The Navy installed

anti-torpedo net Torpedo nets were a passive ship defensive device against torpedoes. They were in common use from the 1890s until the Second World War. They were superseded by the anti-torpedo bulge and torpedo belts. Origins With the introduction of the Whiteh ...

s and

naval mine A naval mine is a self-contained explosive weapon placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines. Similar to anti-personnel mine, anti-personnel and other land mines, and unlike purpose launched naval depth charges, they are ...

s. Bases installed smoke generators,

anti-aircraft gun Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-ba ...

s, long-range

radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...

systems, searchlights, and aircraft warning stations. Troops were deployed to Colón, Margarita Island, and Toro Point's

Fort Sherman Fort Sherman is a former United States Army base in Panama, located on Toro Point at the Caribbean (northern) end of the Panama Canal, on the western bank of the Canal directly opposite Colón, Panama, Colón (which is on the eastern bank). It w ...

. For coast defense, eleven 16-inch Naval guns were installed. The

15th Naval District United States Naval Districts is a system created by the United States Navy to organize military facilities, numbered sequentially by geographic region, for the operational and administrative control of naval bases and shore commands in the Unit ...

was in command of the Canal Zone. Two airfields operated 30 fighter aircraft with

Curtiss P-36 Hawk The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, is an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation ...

s and

Curtiss P-40 Warhawks The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company (1909–1929) was an American aircraft manufacturer originally founded by Glenn Hammond Curtiss and Augustus Moore Herring in Hammondsport, New York. After significant commercial success in its first deca ...

for protection. A

seaplane A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of takeoff, taking off and water landing, landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their tech ...

base had regular submarine patrols. Due to these defenses,

s and

Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, Potsdam Declaration, when it was dissolved followin ...

submarine A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...

s did not attack or approach the Canal Zone. With the loss of the

Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch Empire, Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, declared independence on 17 Au ...

oil fields, the vast Canal Zone tank farms became the supply line for fuel needed to fight the Pacific War. Many tankers and cargo ships were lost in the early part of the

Battle of the Atlantic The Battle of the Atlantic, the longest continuous military campaign in World War II, ran from 1939 to the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, covering a major part of the naval history of World War II. At its core was the Allies of World War II, ...

. To aid the war effort,

fuel oil Fuel oil is any of various fractions obtained from the distillation of petroleum (crude oil). Such oils include distillates (the lighter fractions) and residues (the heavier fractions). Fuel oils include heavy fuel oil (bunker fuel), marine f ...

pipelines were built along the Canal, resulting in a decreased number of tankers traversing the waterway. The first pipeline opened 18 April 1943 and the second pipeline opened at the end of 1943. A

diesel Diesel may refer to: * Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression * Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines * Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine ...

and separate gasoline pipeline were opened the following year. By April 1943, the US believed the threat to the Canal had diminished, the Canal's defense status was downgraded, and there was a reduction in troop bases. Naval bases at the Canal Zone were supported during World War II and afterwards by the larger

Naval Base Trinidad Naval Base Trinidad, also called NAS Trinidad, NAS Port-of-Spain, was a large United States Navy Naval base built during World War II to support the many naval ships fighting and patrolling the Battle of the Atlantic. The fighting in the area be ...

. However,

Axis powers The Axis powers, originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis and also Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis, was the military coalition which initiated World War II and fought against the Allies of World War II, Allies. Its principal members were Nazi Ge ...

did plan to bomb the Canal.

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

had Operation Pelikan, but the plan was aborted. In August 1943, Japan planned to bomb the Canal with planes launched from

Submarine aircraft carrier A submarine aircraft carrier is a submarine equipped with aircraft for observation or attack missions. These submarines saw their most extensive use during World War II, although their operational significance remained rather small. The most fam ...

s, such as the

I-400-class submarine The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) submarines were the largest submarines of World War II, with the final completed submarine being finished roughly a month before the end of the war. The ''I-400s'' remained the largest submarines ever built until ...

s with three Seiran aircraft each. Japanese military trained for the Panama Canal attack, but the plan was canceled in June 1945 because the war was taking a toll on the country. Japan then planned to attack a closer major base,

Naval Base Ulithi Naval Base Ulithi was a major United States Navy base at the Ulithi Atoll in the Caroline Islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea during World War II. The base was built to support the island-hopping Pacific Wa ...

, but Japan surrendered before the base was attacked. With Japan's surrender, the submarine aircraft carriers were insructed to destroy the planes, which were sunk. The three I-400-class submarines were captured by the US Navy. To manage the Canal Zone, the US founded the Panama Canal Company, a government-owned corporation that operated the Canal and other Canal Zone enterprises such as the

Panama Railroad The Panama Canal Railway (PCR, ) is a railway line linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean in Central America. The route stretches across the Isthmus of Panama from Colón, Panama, Colón (Atlantic) to Balboa, Panama, Balboa (Pacific, ...

and the Port of Balboa. The Company was run by a board of directors appointed by the President of the United States. The

Torrijos–Carter Treaties The Torrijos–Carter Treaties () are two treaties signed by the United States and Panama in Washington, D.C., on September 7, 1977, which superseded the Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty of 1903. The treaties guaranteed that Panama would gain contro ...

of 1979 ended the Panama Canal Company. That year, the Canal Zone was renamed the ''Reverted Areas'', as this was the start of the process of turning over the Canal. The Canal Zone was returned to the Republic of Panama on 1 October 1979 per the

Naval Bases Panama Canal Zone

Base used to protect the Panama Canal Zone in World War II: * Naval Station Coco Solo, Fleet Post Office, FPO# 1955 (1918–1999) Atlantic side **US Submarine Base Coco Solo **NAS Upham, at NAS Coco Solo, Seaplane Base, FPO# 720 **Coco Solo ammunition depot **Coco Solo Naval Hospital on , from the Coco Solo air station, In 1954 transferred to Canal Zone Government *Naval Section base Cristobal at

Cristóbal, Colón Cristóbal is a port town and corregimiento in Colón District, Colón Province, Panama. The corregimiento has a population of 49,422 as of 2010. The town is located on the western edge of Manzanillo Island, on the Atlantic side of the Panama ...

, site of the original 1918 base, WW2 troop housing **Cristobal Repair Depot two

marine railway A patent slip or marine railway is an inclined plane extending from shoreline into water, featuring a "cradle" onto which a ship is first floated, and a mechanism to haul the ship, attached to the cradle, out of the water onto a slip. The mar ...

s **Cristobal Dry Dock built in 1907 ** Cristobal administrative HQ for Atlantic side **Cristobal tank farm (

Fort De Lesseps Fort De Lesseps was a small U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps fort located at the northern tip of Colón, Panama. It was named after Ferdinand de Lesseps Ferdinand Marie, Comte de Lesseps (; 19 November 1805 – 7 December 1894) was a Frenc ...

) ***Mount Hope tank farm, Atlantic side, Colón *Naval Base Taboga Island, PT Boat Base, FPO# 40 * David Field, Naval Air Land Base, at

David, Chiriquí David (), known as David City in colonial times, is a city and corregimiento in the west of Panama. It is the capital of the province of Chiriquí and has an estimated population of 82,907 inhabitants as confirmed in 2013. It is a relatively afflue ...

FPO# 19, now

Enrique Malek International Airport Enrique Malek International Airport (Spanish: ''Aeropuerto Internacional Enrique Malek'') is an international airport serving David Sur, a city in the Chiriquí Province of Panama. During heavy travel times, the airport registers 900 operatio ...

, Pacific side *

Rodman Naval Station Rodman may refer to: Places in the United States * Rodman, Iowa * Rodman, New York, a town ** Rodman (CDP), New York, a hamlet in the town * Rodman Mountains, California * Rodman Reservoir, Florida People Surname * Alex Rodman (born 1987), ...

now

PSA Panama International Terminal PSA Panama International Terminal is a port built by PSA International on the site of the former United States Navy Rodman Naval Base located southwest of Panama City at the entrance to the Panama Canal from the Pacific Ocean. US Naval Station 1 ...

(1932–1999 on ) **Arraijan tank farm, for Rodman, Pacific side **Arraijan Ammo depot for Rodman, Pacific side *

Port of Balboa Balboa is a district of Panama City, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. It was the capital of the Panama Canal Zone under American administration. History The town of Balboa, founded by the United States during the constru ...

Naval Base, Pacific side (

Panama City Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...

) (1915–1999) *Balboa 15th Naval District headquarters **Balboa Naval Depot, at

Balboa, Panama Balboa is a district of Panama City, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. It was the capital of the Panama Canal Zone under American administration. History The town of Balboa, founded by the United States during the constru ...

, Naval Supply Depot and Hospital, FPO# 121 **Balboa Dry docks for repair **Balboa ammunition depot and Marine Barracks Panama Canal (1939–1999) **Balboa tank farm **Balboa Naval Hospital **Balboa

Fort Amador Fort Amador () and Fort Grant were former United States Army bases built to protect the Pacific (southern) end of the Panama Canal at Panama Bay. Amador was the primary on-land site, lying below the Bridge of the Americas. Grant consisted of a s ...

, Navy Sector at Fort Amador was (1914–1995) (

Fort Clayton Fort Clayton was a United States Army base in the former Panama Canal Zone, later part of the Republic of Panama. Base Fort Clayton was located northwest of Balboa, Panama, with the Panama Canal located nearby. It closed in 1999 pursuant ...

) *Gatun tank farm, at

Gatun Lake Gatun Lake () is a mostly freshwater (slightly saline near the locks) reservoir to the south of Colón, Panama. At approximately above sea level, it forms a major part of the Panama Canal, carrying ships of their transit across the Isthmus of P ...

, **Gatun Lake

floating nuclear power plant A floating nuclear power plant is a floating power station that derives its energy from a nuclear reactor. Instead of a stationary complex on land, they consist of a floating structure such as an offshore platform, barge or conventional ship. ...

model

MH-1A MH-1A was the first floating nuclear power station. Named ''Sturgis'' after General Samuel D. Sturgis III, this pressurized water reactor built in a converted Liberty ship was part of a series of reactors in the US Army Nuclear Power Program, w ...

(1968–1976) *Camp Rousseau, Rousseau Naval Hospital on 50-acre during WW2, Atlantic side *Almirante Fuel depot, small base at Almirante, Atlantic side. *Trans-Panama pipeline built and used in World War 2, four pipes and pumping stations. *Camp Elliott US Marines, (1904–1927) Culebra, renamed Camp Gaillard Atlantic side *Camp Otis US Marines, east of Camp Gaillard, Atlantic side Canal Zone Naval Radio Stations *Farfan, at Rodman Naval Station, FPO# 63 and FPO# 121, Farfan Radio Station () Pacific side *Toro Point, at

, on Bahía Limón radio compass station FPO# 35 and FPO# 122, Box 30 Atlantic side *Cape Mala, FPO# 17, Radio Compass Station on Punta Mala just south of

Pedasí, Los Santos Pedasí () is a town and Corregimientos of Panama, corregimiento situated on the south-eastern tip of the Azuero Peninsula on Panama’s Pacific coast. It is the capital of Pedasí District in Los Santos Province. Its population as of 1990 was 1, ...

*Summit, FPO# 39 and FPO# 121, Box 20, in

Soberanía National Park Soberanía National Park (''Parque Nacional Soberanía'') is a national park in Panama near the banks of the Panama Canal in the provinces of Panamá Province, Panamá and Colón Province, Colón, some from Panama City. The Chagres River runs t ...

*Gatun, at Fort Davis at Gatun Lake, radio station FPO# 122, Box 60 (

Fort Gulick Fort Gulick was a United States Army base in the former Panama Canal Zone located on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal near Fort Davis, on Gatun Lake. History The post was constructed and opened in 1941, and named for John W. Gulick, a U.S. ...

) Post World War II: *

Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School The Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School (NAVSCIATTS) is one of the three original Panama Canal Area Military Schools along with the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (previously called U.S. Army School ...

(NAVSCIATTS) (1969–1999)) * Galeta Island (1965–1999) *Cocoli Navy housing opened in 1952, near Cocoli Locks

Naval Station Coco Solo

Naval Station Coco Solo and Submarine Base Coco Solo was founded in 1917, near

Fort Randolph Fort Randolph may refer to: * Fort Randolph (Pineville, Louisiana), listed on the National Register of Historic Places * Fort Randolph (Tennessee), a Confederate Civil War fortification in Randolph, Tennessee * Fort Randolph (West Virginia), a 17 ...

, as a submarine base to protect the Canal Zone on the Atlantic Ocean side. Starting in 1914 with five

United States C-class submarine The C-class submarines were five United States Navy submarines built by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company in Quincy, Massachusetts, under a subcontract from the General Dynamics Electric Boat, Electric Boat Company. Built between 1906 and 1909 ...

s that were stationed at the base. In 1919 the C-class submarines were retired. In 1920 USS O-12, USS O-13, USS O-15, and USS O-16 arrived at the base and were retired in 1924. The USS O-5 sank after being hit by the SS Abangarez on 28 October 1923. In 1914

USS S-44 USS ''S-44'' (SS-155) was a third-group (''S-42'') United States S-class submarine, S-class submarine of the United States Navy. Construction and commissioning ''S-44''′s keel was Keel laying, laid down on 19 February 1921 by the Bethlehem S ...

and other S-class submarines were stationed at Coco Solo till 1931.Lenton, H. T. ''American Submarines'' (Doubleday, 1973), pp. 17, 19, & 23. USS S-48 was stationed at the base from 1931 to 1935. USS S-43 for two-year at the base. USS S-45 at the base from 1935 to 1940. In 1940 three V-boat submarines, USS Barracuda,

USS Bass Two submarines of the United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displa ...

and

USS Bonita USS ''Bonita'' has been the name of more than one ship of the United States Navy, and may refer to: *, originally named USS ''Bonita'', a submarine in commission from 1909 to 1919 *, a patrol vessel commissioned in 1917 and sunk in 1918 *, origina ...

were stationed at Coco Solo though most of the war. Coco Solo Naval Hospital operated at the base during the war. The Navy had a major ship and submarine repair base built at Coco Solo. Submarine Base Coco Solo was also used as a training ground for new crews before being moved to more forward war action. New crews would patrol the water protecting the Canal Zone. The base was very busy during World War II: with patrols, training, refueling and repairing vessels. By 1969, Naval

shipyard A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are shipbuilding, built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Compared to shipyards, which are sometimes m ...

activity had ended. By the 1980s all Navy work was moved to The Naval Station on Galeta Island. The base closed in 1999, the site is now the

Manzanillo International Terminal Manzanillo International Terminal (abbreviation: MIT, UN/LOCODE: PAMIT) is located east of the Atlantic opening of the Panama Canal on Manzanillo Bay, Colón Province, Panama. MIT is a distribution center for cargo destined for cities within Pana ...

. US Senator

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...

was born in 1936 at the small Navy hospital at Coco Solo Naval Air Station.

NAS Coco Solo

NAS Coco Solo had a small runway, three plane hangars, one

blimp A non-rigid airship, commonly called a blimp (Help:IPA/English, /blɪmp/), is an airship (dirigible) without an internal structural framework or a keel. Unlike semi-rigid airship, semi-rigid and rigid airships (e.g. Zeppelins), blimps rely on th ...

hangar, three seaplane ramps and tank farm. During the war the base added an engine test depot, a large aircraft assembly depot and a large repair depot. A new runway was built next to the Army runway. Seaplane unit

VP-1 Patrol Squadron One (VP-1), established 15 February 1943, is an active aviation squadron (aviation), squadron of the United States Navy operating the Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft from its home port at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washingto ...

was transferred to NAS Coco Solo on 10 October 1943 operating under FAW-3.

NAS Upham

NAS Upham also called NAS Coco Solo was a

seaplane base An aerodrome, airfield, or airstrip is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for public or private use. Aerodromes in ...

of the US Navy. Named after Admiral

Frank B. Upham Frank Brooks Upham (7 September 1872 – 15 September 1939) served in the United States Navy during the Spanish–American War and as an admiral during World War I. Biography Born at Fort Apache, Arizona, Fort Apache, Arizona Territory Upham wa ...

. NAS Upham seaplanes did

patrols over the

Antilles The Antilles is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest, and the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east. The Antillean islands are divided into two smaller groupings: the Greater An ...

, the

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

, and coasts of South America. The base flew Glenn L. Martin PM-2 seaplane founded on 1 September 1931 as VP-5S. The Naval unit based at NAS Upham was FAW-3. The PM-2 seaplane was an older design from the 1930s

Naval Aircraft Factory PN The Naval Aircraft Factory PN was a series of open cockpit American flying boats of the 1920s and 1930s. A development of the Felixstowe F5L flying boat of the World War I, variants of the PN were built for the United States Navy by Douglas Air ...

. The PM-2 seaplanes were replaced by

Consolidated P2Y The Consolidated P2Y was an American sesquiplane maritime patrol flying boat. The aircraft was also made by Martin as the P3M, as a parasol monoplane, due to the Navy awarding production contracts separately from prototype contracts. Develop ...

s retired in 1941. The P2Y was replaced by the

Consolidated PBY Catalina The Consolidated Model 28, more commonly known as the PBY Catalina (U.S. Navy designation), is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft designed by Consolidated Aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s. In U.S. Army service, it was designated as the OA- ...

s used till the end of the war. While the US did not enter World War II until 1941, On 8 September 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a proclamation of a ''limited" national emergency''. Part of the proclamation stated "neutrality patrols". The "neutrality patrols" were flown out of

NAS Guantanamo Bay Guantanamo Bay Naval Base (), officially known as Naval Station Guantanamo Bay or NSGB, (also called GTMO, pronounced Gitmo as jargon by the United States Armed Forces, U.S. military) is a United States military base located on of land and ...

, Cuba,

San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...

and NAS Coco Solo in Panama. Naval Seaplane Unit

VP-33 VP-33 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 12-F (VP-12F) on 1 November 1935, redesignated Patrol Squadron 12 (VP-12) on 1 October 1937, redesignated Patrol Squadron 51 (VP-51) on 1 July 1939, ...

, known as ''Wings over Panama'', was trained and sent to base for patrols. In 1941 anti submarine bombing was add to the training and the unit was designated VP-32. After the

bombing of Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. At the ...

the VP-32 at NAS Upham started patrolling the Pacific Ocean around the Panama Canal for

Empire of Japan The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...

vessels also. In early 1942 NAS Upham had 28 PBY seaplanes with planes added from

VP-52 VPB-52 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Torpedo Squadron 3D15 (VT-3D15) on 12 July 1928, redesignated Patrol Squadron 3-S (VP-3S) on 21 January 1931, redesignated Patrol Squadron 3 Base Force (VP-3F ...

and VP-81. NAS Upham had convoy escort duty added to its anti-submarine patrols. Later in the war the larger and newer

Martin PBM Mariner The Martin PBM Mariner is a twin-engine American Maritime patrol aircraft, patrol bomber flying boat of World War II and the early Cold War era. It was designed to complement the Consolidated PBY Catalina and Consolidated PB2Y Coronado, PB2Y C ...

seaplanes were added to NAS Upham. Martin PBM had a bombing rack and in July 1943 three German U-boats were sunk after being found with the newer ASG radar. The U-boats sunk were: U-159 south of

Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...

; U-759 east of

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

; and

U-359 German submarine ''U-359'' was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's ''Kriegsmarine'' during World War II. She carried out three patrols. She did not sink or damage any ships. She was sunk by an American aircraft in the Caribbean Sea on 26 July ...

south of Puerto Rico. VPB-32 transferred to

NAS Norfolk Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about of waterfront space and of pier and wharf space of the Ha ...

on 8 July 1944 and patrolled the Atlantic seaboard. Taboga PT Boat base

PT Boat Base Taboga Island

PT Boat Base Taboga Island on

Taboga Island Taboga Island (), also known as the "Island of Flowers", is a volcanic island in the Gulf of Panama. It is a tourist destination, with a small population of approximately 1,600 people, about from Panama City, Panama. Geography At low tide, th ...

in the

Gulf of Panama The Gulf of Panama () is a gulf of the Pacific Ocean off the southern coast of Panama, where most of eastern Panama's southern shores adjoin it. The Gulf has a maximum width of , a maximum depth of and the size of . The Panama Canal connects the ...

was opened in 1942 at Pacific Canal entrance, under Panama Sea Frontier. An Advance base and

PT boat A PT boat (short for patrol torpedo boat) was a motor torpedo boat used by the United States Navy in World War II. It was small, fast, and inexpensive to build, and it was valued for its maneuverability and speed. However, PT boats were hampe ...

base were built in 1942 and completed in 1944. The Navy built a PT Boat overhaul depot at Taboga Island with two small marine railways and a PT Boat training base. The base had a torpedo workshop, and munitions storage depot. At its peak the base had 47 PT boats and 1,200 troops. After the crew was trained and the PT Boat completed sea trails, they would be sent to other

US Naval Advance Bases US Naval Advance Bases were built globally by the United States Navy during World War 2, World War II to support and project U.S. naval operations worldwide. A few were built on Allies of World War II, Allied soil, but most were captured enemy fa ...

. Seebees Detachment 1012 worked at the base. The base had a recreation camp was on nearby Morro Island. The PT Boat base was supported from Balboa Naval Supply Depot. The base was from

, closed in March 1946. Taboga Island was included in the original 1903 treaty, Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty. The current Taboga Hotel was the PT-boat base barracks

Rodman Naval Station

Rodman Naval Station was founded in 1932 and construction was completed in 1937. Rodman Naval Station was across from Port of Balboa on the west side of the Canal, on the Pacific side near Panama City. (Rodman Naval Station is named after Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet from 1919 to 1921, Admiral

Hugh Rodman Admiral Hugh Rodman KCB (6 January 1859 – 7 June 1940) was an officer in the United States Navy who served during the Spanish–American War and World War I, later serving as the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet from 1919 to 1921. B ...

( 6 January 1859 – 7 June 1940). Rodman was also the Marine Superintendent of the Panama Canal Zone in 1914. The east bank of the canal, Port of Balboa had become crowded, so the new base was built across the other side.. The Commander in Chief (Commander-in-Chief) of the United States Atlantic Fleet, Southern Detachment (CINCLANTFLT Detachment South) had its headquarters seat at Rodman Naval Base. For World War II a large fuel depot was built and started operation in 1943, fueling ships in the Panama Canal. A ship repair depot was built at the base with 3 dry docks. The base was turned over to Panama on March 11, 1999. Rodman Naval Station included the Ordnance Department, Marine Barracks, the Lacona housing, Camp Rousseau and the Cocoli housing. The base is now called Vasco Nuñez de Balboa Naval Base.

Balboa Naval Yard and Base

At the

, Balboa Terminal, Panama Canal Zone, the Navy had three

dry docks Dry or dryness most often refers to: * Rain#Deserts, Lack of rainfall, which may refer to **Arid regions **Drought * Dry or dry area, relating to legal prohibition of selling, serving, or imbibing alcoholic beverages * Dry humor, deadpan * Drynes ...

for ship repair, Balboa Naval Depot, Balboa Naval Hospital, Balboa ammunition depot, 820-acre tank farm, refueling docks,

net NET may refer to: Broadcast media United States * National Educational Television, the predecessor of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States * National Empowerment Television, a politically conservative cable TV network ...

depot-weaving, large refrigerator storehouse and the Marine Barracks Panama Canal. The 15th Naval District headquarters was based Balboa on . Before 1914, the Balboa was a

marsh In ecology, a marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants rather than by woody plants.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p More in genera ...

, before the US Navy took over the port, the site was developed by the Army Corps of Engineers during the Panama Canal construction. The 1914 Panama Canal Administration Building at Balboa seats on a hill overlooking the port, called

Balboa Heights Balboa Heights () was more or less part of the Panama Canal township of Balboa, existing on its edge, towards Ancón, and partly on the lower slopes of Ancon Hill Ancón Hill (Spanish language, Spanish: ) is a high hill that overlooks Panama ...

. Administration Building as extensive Canal art displays and the Goethals Monument. The Canal Zone Library and Museum opened in 1914 to showcase the Panama Canal construction. The largest Dry Dock, No. 1, completed in 1916, was able to repair battleships. The dry docks were used to repair some of the ships damaged in the

Attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...

in 1941. Port of Balboa was opened as the French Port ''La Boca'', (the mouth) the US Navy renamed the port '' Port Ancon'', after

Ancon Hill Ancón Hill (Spanish language, Spanish: ) is a high hill that overlooks Panama City, Panama, adjacent to the township of Ancón, Panama, Ancón. It was used for administration of the Panama Canal and was under U.S. jurisdiction as a part of the P ...

, at the start of the Panama Canal construction, opening the port in 1909. In 1915, a US Navy

VLF Very low frequency or VLF is the ITU designation for radio frequencies (RF) in the range of 3–30 kHz, corresponding to wavelengths from 100 to 10 km, respectively. The band is also known as the myriameter band or myriameter wave ...

transmission station opened that radioed commands to US submarines based at Port of Balboa. The Navy also docked ships at Flamenco Island about south of Port of Balboa. Flamenco Island is connected to the mainland by the Amador Causeway. The Amador Causeway was made from rock from the Canal construction. The Balboa drydocks became part of Astilleros Braswell International and now MEC Balboa Dry Docks Panama. Dry dock construction started in 1915. Work on drydock No. 2 was stopped in 1915, and not started again till January 1942. Once completed Drydock No. 2 could drydock two destroyers or two submarines at the same time. By the end of 1943, the Balboa Naval Yard was about the same size and capacity as Navy Yard Pearl Harbor at the end of 1941. For part of the dry Dock's history, since it opened in 1917, the dry dock was available for commercial ship repair. A 1921 rate card quotes a fee of 15 cents ($2.50 in 2022 dollars) per ton for dry docking and undocking, with a minimum charge. In 1920 the rate was 25 cents per ton ($3.59 in 2022). Six vessels were drydocked in 1920, of these two were subs USS R-25 and USS R-24, the other cargo ship, like the SS ''Katrina Luckenbach'', also the yacht ''Carnegie''. One of the first ship built at Balboa was the United States Navy patrol vesse, USS ''Pequeni'' in 1917. *The Dry docks, also called graving dock, gates were the same as those used on the canal: *Dock No. 1: 318 m by 39 m, gate entrance 33.6 m max draft 1.75 m, *Dock No. 2: 130 m by 30.5 m gate entrance 25.9 m max draft 1.75 m *Dock No. 3: 70 m by 16.8 m gate entrance 16.8 m max draft 1.46 m Fort Amador *At Balboa was

, Navy Sector at Fort Amador was . The Fifteenth Naval district headquartered was stationed at Fort Amador. At the fort was the Balboa Naval Radio Station built in 1914. Naval Communications Station Balboa *Naval Communications Station Balboa (NAVCOMMSTA BALBOA) opened in 1908. The Communications Station headquarters was next to the Fifteenth Naval District headquarters, the Naval part of

. At the communications station, the Navy had a control center, a Naval

cryptographic Cryptography, or cryptology (from "hidden, secret"; and ''graphein'', "to write", or '' -logia'', "study", respectively), is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of adversarial behavior. More gen ...

center and a fleet radio broadcast station. The Navy had a large receiver station at Farfan on the Atlantic side. A large Naval transmitter station was built at Summit, the high point on the Trans-Isthmian Highway. Summit had six antennas. At Gatun was the

transmitter for submarines Communications. The bases were part of the Inter-American Naval Telecommunications Network. The Communications Station Balboa closed in 1999. Farfan Housing Community near the 820-acre Farfan radio station, built in 1942, the Navy built a housing community in 1947 and 1948. Farfan Housing Community was built to support the growing base. At the Community 78 houses were built, called the Farfan reservation property.

Seabees

AFDM3centersectionlaterYFD-6floatedPanamaCanal

US Navy

Seabee United States Naval Construction Battalions, better known as the Navy Seabees, form the U.S. Naval Construction Forces (NCF). The Seabee nickname is a heterograph of the initial letters "CB" from the words "Construction Battalion". Dependi ...

s started working in the Canal Zone on 9 September 1942. Seabee Maintenance Unit 555 arrived in December 1943 and relieved the 1942 group. Seabee both did construction and operated

power plant A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the electricity generation, generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electr ...

s, shore batteries, tank farm, did maintenance work and more.

Command

**Canal Command: *1916 – Temporary Headquarters in an Isthmian Canal Commission building (

Panama Canal Department The Panama Canal Department was a department (geographical command) of the United States Army, responsible for the defense of the Panama Canal Zone between 1917 and 1947. First U.S. Army presence The Isthmian Canal Commission and the Panama Ca ...

1917 to 1947) *1920 to 1941 – Panama Canal Department at Quarry Heights at Ancon Hill *1941– to 1947 – Caribbean Defense Command *1947 to 1963 – US Caribbean Command (and Latin America) *1963-1997–

US Southern Command The United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), located in Doral, Florida, Doral in Greater Miami, Greater Miami, Florida, is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for providi ...

(COMUSNAVSO) *1997 closed and moved to

Naval Station Mayport Naval Station Mayport is a major United States Navy base on San Pablo Island in Jacksonville, Florida. It contains a protected harbor that can accommodate aircraft carrier-size vessels, ship's intermediate maintenance activity (SIMA) and a m ...

in Miami, Florida on September 27, 1997. *Bases transferred to Panama 11 January 1998. Uss louisiana bb 19

President William Howard Taft at Locks Site

**Naval Command *1918 to 1993 Balboa

Naval Headquarters **1940 to 1941, the Fifteenth Naval District Headquarters building in Bryan Hall. *1997 closed and moved to

The US Navy worked with the Panama Canal Zone (1917–1979) in operation at the Panama Canal, especially the Port of Balboa (also called Port Ancon), which they shared.
Fleet support
The Naval Base Panama Canal Zone baes are the only bases that supported all the Fleets of the US Navy. Panama Canal is the bridge linking the Fleets: *

United States Fleet Forces Command The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) is a service component command of the United States Navy that provides naval forces to a wide variety of U.S. forces. The naval resources may be allocated to Combatant Commanders such as United Sta ...

(formerly Atlantic Fleet) *

United States Pacific Fleet The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a theater-level component command of the United States Navy, located in the Pacific Ocean. It provides naval forces to the Indo-Pacific Command. Fleet headquarters is at Joint Base Pearl Harbor� ...

United States Naval Forces Central Command United States Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) is the United States Navy element of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM). Its area of responsibility includes the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea. It consists of the ...

United States Naval Forces Europe - Naval Forces Africa United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

Past Fleets: * United States First Fleet *

United States Eighth Fleet The United States Eighth Fleet was a numbered fleet of the United States Navy established 15 March 1943 from Northwest African Force. It operated in the Mediterranean Sea during World War II with a main mission of amphibious warfare, and then wa ...

* United States Ninth Fleet * United States Eleventh Fleet *

United States Twelfth Fleet The Twelfth Fleet was a numbered fleet of the United States Navy and was operational from 1 October 1943. The fleet began demobilization in late 1945 and was disestablished in 1946. Twelfth Fleet was established from the U.S. naval forces unde ...

United States Asiatic Fleet The United States Asiatic Fleet was a fleet of the United States Navy during much of the first half of the 20th century. Before World War II, the fleet patrolled the Philippine Islands. Much of the fleet was destroyed by the Japanese by Februar ...

historic *

United States Navy reserve fleets The United States Navy maintains a number of its ships as part of a reserve fleet, often called the "Mothball Fleet". While the details of the maintenance activity have changed several times, the basics are constant: keep the ships afloat and s ...

Great White Fleet The Great White Fleet was the popular nickname for the group of United States Navy battleships that completed a journey around the globe from 16 December 1907, to 22 February 1909, by order of President Foreign policy of the Theodore Roosevelt ...

nickname for the Atlantic Fleet sent around the world by President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...

in 1908 *

East India Squadron The East India Squadron, or East Indies Squadron, was a Squadron (naval), squadron of American ships that existed in the nineteenth century. It focused on protecting American interests in the Far East, while the Pacific Squadron concentrated on ...

European Squadron The European Squadron, also known as the European Station, was a part of the United States Navy in the late 19th century and the early 1900s. The squadron was originally named the Mediterranean Squadron (United States), Mediterranean Squadron and ...

North Atlantic Fleet The North Atlantic Squadron was a section of the United States Navy operating in the North Atlantic. It was renamed as the North Atlantic Fleet in 1902. In 1905 the European Squadron, European and South Atlantic Squadron, South Atlantic squadr ...

* Mediterranean Squadron *

Scouting Fleet The Scouting Fleet is an important part of the U.S. Navy, established in 1922 as part of the reorganization of the Navy after World War I. It is one of the four core units of the newly formed "American Fleet", which together with the battle Fleet ...

South Atlantic Squadron The Brazil Squadron, the Brazil Station, or the South Atlantic Squadron was an overseas military station established by the United States in 1826 to protect American commerce in the South Atlantic during a war between Brazil and Argentina. When t ...

Commander in Chief
On November 6, 1906,

was the first president to depart the continental United States on an official diplomatic trip. Roosevelt made a 17-day trip to Panama and Puerto Rico. Roosevelt checked on the progress of the Canal's construction and talked to workers about the importance of the project. In Puerto Rico, he recommends that Puerto Ricans should become U.S. citizens. Roosevelt traveled to Panama on the US Navy ship the USS ''Louisiana''. Theodore Roosevelt on May 6, 1904, had appointed

John Findley Wallace John Findley Wallace (September 10, 1852 – July 3, 1921) was an American engineer and administrator, best known for serving as chief engineer for construction of the Panama Canal between 1904 and 1905. He had previously gained experience i ...

, formerly chief engineer and finally general manager of the

Illinois Central Railroad The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the Central United States. Its primary routes connected Chicago, Illinois, with New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama, and thus, ...

, as chief engineer of the

Project. The project was completed by General

George Washington Goethals George Washington Goethals ( June 29, 1858 – January 21, 1928) was an American military officer and civil engineer, best known for his administration and supervision of the construction and the opening of the Panama Canal. He was the first Go ...

on August 15, 1914. Following Roosevelt,

President Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) served as the 27th president of the United States from 1909 to 1913 and the tenth chief justice of the United States from 1921 to 1930. He is the only person to have held both offices. ...

visited the Panama Canal a few times in 1907, 1909, 1910 and 1912. Taft traveled to the Canal on the US Navy USS ''Tennessee'' (ACR-10) and the battleship USS ''Arkansas'' (BB-33).Taft visited the Panama Canal
'ufl.edu''

Airbases

* NAS Coco Solo, Atlantic side **NAS Upham Seaplane Base, Atlantic side ** Coco Solo Field – Coco Walk- France Field, opened in 1917, then France AFB, then Colon Airport in 1949, then 1999 to

Enrique Adolfo Jiménez Airport Enrique Adolfo Jiménez Airport () is an international airport located in Colón, Panama, offering scheduled airline flights to Panama City. The airport is just east of Colon's harbor and cargo handling facilities. This airport contains car ren ...

, Atlantic side *

Howard Field Howard is a masculine given name derived from the English surname Howard. ''The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names'' notes that "the use of this surname as a christian name is quite recent and there seems to be no particular reason for i ...

Pacific side (1941–1999) with

Fort Kobbe Fort Kobbe was an Army fort renamed from Fort Bruja on 15 April 1932 to honor Major General William A. Kobbe. At the time it was located adjacent to Howard Air Force Base in the Panama Canal Zone. In the 1930s it was primarily a United States Army ...

, now

Panamá Pacífico International Airport Panamá Pacífico International Airport is a commercial airport in Panama. It is located on the site of the former Howard Air Force Base, a United States Air Force base that was within the Panama Canal Zone. Panama City can be reached by cross ...

** David Field US Navy and Army, now Enrique Malek Airport, Pacific side *

Albrook Field Albrook Air Force Station is a former United States Air Force facility in Panama. 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 Zon ...

, Pacific side (was Balboa Fill Landing Field) (1922–1997) now Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport *

Rio Hato Field Rio or Río is the Portuguese and Spanish word for "river". The word also exists in Italian, but is largely obsolete and used in a poetical or literary context to mean "stream". Rio, RIO or Río may also refer to: Places United States * Rio, Flo ...

, now

Scarlett Martínez International Airport Scarlett Martínez International Airport , also known as Río Hato Airport, is an international airport serving Río Hato, a town in the Coclé Province of Panama. The airport is east of Río Hato. International airport In 2011 the government ...

* Anton Field abandoned * Aguadulce Field, abandoned

Gallery

File:Panama Canal Zone - Balboa - NARA - 68147536 (cropped).jpg, Housing and Panama Canal Zone headquarters on the hill at Baloboa Naval Depot 1941 File:Balboa, Panama oil tanks, Panama Canal Zone - Balboa - NARA - 68147875 (cropped).jpg, Balboa, Panama oil tanks, Panama Canal Zone 1943 File:Rodman_Naval_Station_map_details.jpg, Map of Rodman Naval Station Panama Canal zone (IA panamacanalzone00unit).pdf, United States. Bureau of Naval Personnel 72 pages File:Western_Atlantic_and_Canal_Zone_Defense_Area_bases_1943.jpg, Western Atlantic and Canal Zone Defense Area, US Navy Base map File:Balboa,_Panama_Canal_Zone_1923.jpg, Group of

Felixstowe F5L The twin-engine F5L was one of the Felixstowe F series of flying boats developed by John Cyril Porte at the Seaplane Experimental Station, Felixstowe, England, during the First World War for production in America. A civilian version of the ai ...

seaplanes moored in Balboa harbor with a submarine chaser at Balboa Naval Depot, Panama Canal Zone in 1923 File:Rodman_Naval_Station_map.jpg, Map of Rodman Naval Station, Port of Balboa and surrounding at Panama Canal Zone File:Balboa, Panama Canal Zone 25 October 1934.jpg, Balboa harbor on 25 October 1934. Fleet moored include two battleships at dock, three cruisers, tenders ''Whitney'' and ''Dobbin'', with more than 40 destroyers, noted are ''McFarland'', ''Goff'', and ''Long'' Balboa Docks - Panama Canal Zone - Balboa - NARA - 68147873 (cropped).jpg, Balboa Dry Docks in Panama Canal Zone 1941 File:Baloboa Docks, Panama Canal Zone - Balboa - NARA - 68147869 (cropped).jpg, Baloboa Docks, Panama Canal Zone 1941 File:US Navy 030728-N-0000X-004 Entertainers Bob Hope and Francis Langford entertaining patients at the Coco Solo Hospital.jpg, Entertainers

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

and

Frances Langford Julia Frances Newbern-Langford (April 4, 1913 – July 11, 2005) was an American singer and actress who was popular during the Golden Age of Radio and made film and television appearances for over two decades. She was known as the "GI Nightinga ...

entertaining patients at the Coco Solo Hospital on March 9, 1944. Entertainers present include (left to right): Frances Langford,

Vera Vague Barbara Jo Allen (born Marian Barbara Henshall; September 2, 1906 – September 14, 1974) was an American actress. She was also known as Vera Vague, the spinster character she created and portrayed on radio and in films during the 1940s and 19 ...

, Jerry Colonna, Bob Hope, and Tony Romano. Also present is

Wendell Niles Wendell Niles (December 29, 1904 – March 28, 1994) was an announcer during the American golden age of radio and later in television. Early years Niles was born in Livingston, Montana and grew up there. He attended New York University and ...

. File:16 inch rifle Panama 1939.jpg, A 16-inch Coastal Defense Gun and crew at Naval Base Panama Canal Zone in 1939. File:Panama_Canal_Zone_-_Atlantic_Ocean.jpg, Panama Canal Zone - Atlantic Ocean, main base Naval Station Coco Solo File:PB2Y-3 VPB-1 at NAAF Galapagos c1945.jpeg,

Consolidated PB2Y Coronado The PB2Y Coronado is a large flying boat Maritime patrol aircraft, patrol bomber designed by Consolidated Aircraft, and used by the US Navy during World War II in bombing, antisubmarine, medical/hospital plane, and transport roles. Obsolete b ...

seaplane with

File:PBY 5A Catalina.jpg, A

seaplane crew File:Martin PBM-5 Mariner in flight c1945.jpeg,

Martin PBM-5 Mariner The Martin PBM Mariner is a twin-engine American patrol bomber flying boat of World War II and the early Cold War era. It was designed to complement the Consolidated PBY Catalina and PB2Y Coronado in service. A total of 1,366 PBMs were built, ...

seaplane in flight File:USS Concord (CL-10) off Balboa 1943.jpg, The

light cruiser A light cruiser is a type of small or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck. Prior to thi ...

USS ''Concord'' off Balboa, Panama, on January 6, 1943 File:Howardafb-panama.jpg,

File:Francefield-panama-4dec1920.jpg,

France Field France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

1920 File:Rio hato army air base.jpg,

in 1940 at Río Hato File:Balboa_and_Albrook_Field_1942.jpg, Balboa and

in 1942 File:Abandoned theatre in Fort Davis.jpg, Abandoned theatre in Fort Davis File:General view of east side with flags and monument, facing west. - Marine Barracks, Panama Canal, Barracks Building, 100' North of Thatcher Highway, Balboa, Former Panama Canal HABS CZ,1-BALB.V,3A-2.tif, Marine Barracks, Panama Canal Balboa File:20th Transport Squadron aircraft - 1943.jpg, 20th Transport Squadron aircraft at Howard Field in 1943 File:Boeing XC-105 Grandpappy and crew in Panama 1943 090430-F-1234S-004.jpg, Boeing XC-105 in 1943 at

File:UH-60A Black Hawks from TM Shadow at Rodman Naval Station to pick up Marine fast team.jpg,

Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift military utility helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted a design for the United States Army's Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System (UTTAS ...

at Rodman Naval Station pick up Marine in 1988 File:Gatun Locks 03 2014 Panama Canal 7820.JPG, Aerial view of Gatun Locks, Panama Canal. On top, several vessels waiting at

to cross the locks. At the bottom is exit canal to the Atlantic Ocean (

Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere, located south of the Gulf of Mexico and southwest of the Sargasso Sea. It is bounded by the Greater Antilles to the north from Cuba ...

) File:Administration BuildingPmaCanal.jpg, Administration Building and Goethals Monument at Balboa File:Undated image of STURGIS operating in the Panama Canal Zone - 180914-A-WZ074-004.jpeg,

(1968–1976), a floating nuclear power station, at the Panama Canal

External links

youtube.com Panama Canal Dry Dockyoutube.com The Coco Solo Hospital

References

{{Authority control Ports and harbours of Panama Panama Canal Naval Stations of the United States Navy Military installations established in 1917 Panama Canal Zone

History

Naval Bases Panama Canal Zone

Naval Station Coco Solo

NAS Coco Solo

NAS Upham

PT Boat Base Taboga Island

Rodman Naval Station

Balboa Naval Yard and Base

Seabees

Command

Airbases

Gallery

See also

External links

References