Naval Base Panama Canal Zone

In 1821 Panama voluntarily became part of Colombia. 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. This gave the United States rights to the 553-square-mile, 10-mile-wide Panama Canal Zone, a US Territory with its capital in Balboa. The Canal opened a waterway from the Atlantic to the Pacific, bypassing the Strait of Magellan. Construction started 4 May 1904 and was completed 15 August 1914. Due to U-boat operations, the Canal Zone was put under the military authority of the Army's Panama Canal Department 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 nets and naval mines. Bases installed smoke generators, anti-aircraft guns, long-range radar systems, searchlights, and aircraft warning stations. Troops were deployed to Colón, Margarita Island, and Toro Point's Fort Sherman. For coast defense, eleven 16-inch Naval guns were installed. The Panama Canal Department remained as the senior Army headquarters in the region until activation of the Caribbean Defense Command (CDC) on 10 February 1941. Both commands were located at the relatively new headquarters at Quarry Heights. The CDC was commanded by Lieutenant General Daniel Van Voorhis, who continued to command the Panama Canal Department. The 15th Naval District was in charge of Navy activities in the Canal Zone. Two airfields operated 30 fighter aircraft with Curtiss P-36 Hawks and Curtiss P-40 Warhawks for protection. A seaplane base had regular submarine patrols. Due to these defenses, U-boats and Imperial Japanese Navy submarines did not attack or approach the Canal Zone. With the loss of the Dutch East Indies 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. To aid the war effort, fuel oil 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 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. However, Axis powers did plan to bomb the Canal. Nazi Germany had Operation Pelikan, but the plan was aborted. In August 1943, Japan planned to bomb the Canal with planes launched from Submarine aircraft carriers, such as the I-400-class submarines 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, but Japan surrendered before the base was attacked. With Japan's surrender, the submarine aircraft carriers were instructed 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 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 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 Torrijos–Carter Treaties. ==Naval Bases Panama Canal Zone==