After Adolf Hitler’s declaration of war against the United States on December 11, 1941, U-boat operations were extended to East Coast of the United States, Gulf of Mexico, and to the Caribbean. So Naval Base Trinidad became a key to keeping Panama Canal, Venezuela oil and the Caribbean open. The US Navy and US Army landed on Trinidad on September 2, 1940. Much of Naval Base Trinidad was built by private contractors in 1941 and in 1942 expanded by the Seabees of Naval Construction Battalions. Naval Base Trinidad also was a training center for troops preparing for war. Trinidad supported US Navy subbases in St. Lucia and British Guiana. The base also supported emergency advance bases on the northeastern coast of Brazil.
Naval Base Trinidad and seven other bases in the Caribbean became known as Destroyer Bases. This name came from the U.S.-British Destroyers for Bases agreement which exchanged older US destroyers for U.S. rights to operate Advance Bases in the Atlantic. This was done so the US could have tactical bases, patrol aircraft and ships to control the Caribbean Sea. Trinidad, Bermuda, Santo Domingo and Argentia became major bases. The US Navy started construction at Trinidad on January 193, 1941.[clarification needed] Over 10,000 Trinidadian workers were hired for the construction projects. Trinidad, off the coast of Venezuela, was key to protecting South American trade routes and the Panama Canal. The Naval Base was built on the northwest tip of the island on 7,940 acres, this included the land on five small islands in the Gulf of Paria. Later 3,800 more acres were added to the base, but only 1,200 acres were built up.[5] Four bays were used for Naval activities: Carenage, Chaguaramus, Teteron, and Scotland. Two major land bases were built at Chaguaramus (Chaguaramas Naval Base) and Tucker (Tucker Naval Base).
The second task after the port was built, was building a naval air station and a seaplane base at Carenage Bay. The Gulf of Paria was used for major fleet anchorage. Carenage Bay was also built up as a major port with the construction of a 500-by-50-foot tender pier. Both bays had major dredging projects done, so the port could support large ships. A 200 men team worked full-time on a malaria reduction project, due to the swamps in the area. Teteron Bay became a major navy depot. Seabees arrived at Trinidad on December 30, 1942. The Seabees of the 30th, 83rd and 11th Construction Battalion took over the operation and maintenance of the base from the civilian contractors. The US Army built two major airfields, Waller Field and Carlson Field. Both were also used by the Navy as bases for aircraft carrierfighter aircraft and transport services. Carlsen Field became a US Navy lighter-than-air base in the fall of 1943 when blimps were added to the patrol dues. The 80th Seabees built a large blimp hangar, a mooring post, and a helium purification plant to support the blimps. By May 1944 all major construction had been completed and the 11th Construction Battalion was released. The Bureau of Yards and Docks departed on June 30, 1943.[6]
Trinidad being a large base and training center did not close after the war, like many other bases. Troops departed in 1967, the base closed in 1977, and the lease of the land was given up by the US in 1988. Today the base headquarters are a hotel and convention center.[7][8][9][10]
Later in the year the United States transferred ten Lake-classCoast Guard cutters to the Royal Navy to be used as anti-submarine convoy escorts. The large refinery at Pointe-à-Pierre on Trinidad a key to winning the war.[11][12][13]
Pan American Airways developed airports in Latin America in the fall of 1940. This was with the support of the United States, the program was called the Airport Development Program. The goal was to increase United States presence should the US enter the war. Once the US entered the war the US Army and US Navy did take over these Pan American Airways airports.[14] Naval Base Santo Domingo was the other large Caribbean Naval Base.
Barracks at Trinidad Naval BaseNaval Supply Depot at Naval Base TrinidadTrinidad Naval HospitalSmall Boat Landing Trinidad Naval BaseUS Navy K-class blimp, used in good weather long patrols
Total of 11,740 acres, with 1,200 acres were developed[4]
Most of the base was on the northwest tip of the island on 7,940 acres
The Base included five small islands in the Gulf of Paria.
Secondary bases: Naval Base Trinidad headquarters managed and supplied logical support for subsidiary satellite Bases, also called emergency advance bases and NAAF Trinidad.[4]
NAF St. Lucia, on St. Lucia island north of Trinidad. Port and 221-acres of land at Gros Islet, built Advance base, airbase, seaplane base with tenders. The base was started in February 1941 and had 200 troops based at the camp. The base was decommissioned on September 1, 1943. Base was located at the north end of the island at 14.081°N 60.953°W / 14.081; -60.953.[17]
NAF Ipitanga seaplane base at Port of Aratu, BrazilNavy blimp K-110 with Patrol Squadron ZP-42, escorting a convoy of merchant ships on Brazilian coast during World War 2
NAF Recife and NOF Recife at Recife, with Ibura Airfield that became Recife Airport. NAF Recife opened on October 1, 1943. Most common plane was the PV-1 Ventura used for patrol. One blimp was used for patrol also. The 150-bed Knox Hospital was built in 1942. The base also had a ship repair depot, to keep destroyers at sea. NAF Recife Fleet Post Office FPO# 120 NY and NOB Recife FPO# 1501. The United States Fourth Fleet worked out the base. The large base was closed in November 1945. At location 8.122297°N 34.926906°W / 8.122297; -34.926906.[24][25]
NAF Belem at Belém harbor, stated on September 22, 1942. Took over Pam American and Brazilian airlines facilities. Naval base with seaplane ramp. Also at the site was the Val de Cans Airfield that became Belém/Val-de-Cans International Airport. Fleet Post Office FPO# 118 NY Belem, Brazil. NAF Belem at location 1.381069°N 48.477995°W / 1.381069; -48.477995. NAF Belem was closed June 15, 1945.[28]
NAF Parnamirim Field, in Natal became the busiest US air base in 1944. The two runways were the closest to French West Africa, so medium-range planes could use the route to get to Africa and many then on to Europe. The shorter Northern route was often closed due to bad weather. NAF Parnamirim Field house 6,600 troops and seaplane port. Later became Parnamirim Airport and then Natal Air Force Base. Fleet Post Office FPO# 119 NY Natal, Brazil. At location 5.902424°N 35.25151°W / 5.902424; -35.25151.[29][30]
NAF Maceio, in Maceio, Salvador. A nearby Lake Lagoa do Norte (North Lake) was used as seaplane base starting on June 1, 1941. A runway was used starting on July 22, 1943. FPO# 407.The base had two blimps. NAF Maceio was at location 9.636161°N 35.715472°W / 9.636161; -35.715472.[32]
NAF Caravellas, at Caravellas opened in January 1944 and closed August 1, 1945. NAF Caravellas had two blimps. The runway was used for supplies and emergency landings. FPO# 331. A nearby river was used as a port. NAF Caravellas was at location 17.733782°N 39.264946°W / 17.733782; -39.264946.[35]
NAF Rio de Janeiro, at Rio de Janeiro, after war became Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport also in Rio de Janeiro was seaplane base. Fleet Post Office FPO# 153 NY Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. NOB Rio de Janeiro, Naval Base FPO# was 1505.[37]
Naval Base Ascension Island on Ascension Island in the Atlantic was a naval and air station, it provided anti-submarine warfare operation in the Battle of the Atlantic. FPO# 316.
NOF Rio Grande at Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, US Navy anchoring and base. Fleet Post Office FPO# 153, Box A Rio Grande, Brazil. Opened Sept. 11, 1944[40]
Santa Elena Bay seaplane base was built next to a new Army air base at Salinas, Ecuador. Ships had to anchor more than a mile off shore and transfer supplies to small boats. The seaplane base was built in January 1942. A pontoon pier was built and a seaplane base ramp. FPO# was 413. The base had 1,000-barrel of storage tanks.[42]
Honduras advance base
Naval Base Puerto Castilla at Puerto Castilla, Honduras, on Cape Punta Caxinas, the Navy built a base to tender small craft at route to Cristóbal, Colón Panama and to refuel US Navy seaplanes. The base also was crash boat station. The base opened November 10, 1942 and closed in February 1946. The seaplane base was a naval auxiliary air facility. Some of the work done at the base was by Seabee Naval Construction Battalion Detachment 1012.[43]
Colombia advance base
Naval Air Base Barranquilla' at Barranquilla, Colombia was Naval air base, and lighter-than-air base, with a repair shop, the land base patrol bombers also used parts of Soledad International Airport, closed in March 1945. The base was used to protect the Caribbean shipping lanes using the Panama Canal and the Colombian oil ports. Some of the work at the base was done by the Naval Construction Maintenance Unit 555.[44]
Naval Base Trinidad and its sub-bases had the role of both hunting for submarines and providing air cover for Allied convoys.
Convoys traveling from Key West to Aruba and Trinidad were give the code WAT. Allied convoy code TAW was given for the Trinidad to Aruba and Key West trips. Convoy code for Guantánamo to Aruba and Trinidad was GAT and the return trip TAG.
Allies called the shipping lane between Guiana and Trinidad Torpedo Junction as it had many Allies merchant ships.[48]Columbus Channel which separates the southwest corner of Trinidad and Tobago from the coast of Venezuela was given the nickname Serpent’s Mouth.[49]
German submarine U-161, as part of Operation Neuland, operated off Trinidad. U-161's second tour was in Caribbean Sea. On February 19, 1942 U-161 damaged the SS British Consul and SS Mokihana off Trinidad.[50] Next she sank the SS Circe Shell, SS Lihue and tanker SS Uniwaleco off St Vincent. At St Lucia she damaged the Lady Nelson and Umtata while in harbor.[51] On March 14, 1942, she sank the SS Sarniadoc a Canadian Steam merchant off Guadeloupe.[52]
The USCGCAcacia, a mine planter, March 15, 1942, was sunk of Haiti.[53]U-161 third tour took her to the Brazilian coast. She sank the SS Neuva Altagracia on 16 June 1942. On July 3, 1942, she sank the SS San Pablo in the port of Puerto Limón, Costa Rica. U-161 Fifth tour she sank the SS Angelus off Bermuda on May 19, 1943.[54] On September 20, 1943 U-161 on her sixth tour she sank the SS St. Usk and sank the SS Itapagé on September 26. U-161 was sunk 200 miles of Salvador with loss of all 53 crew menm on September 27, 1943. U-161 was sunk by a PBM Mariner plane from the Salvador Emergency advance bases and the troops of the VP-74.[55]
German submarine U-129 sank the tanker SS Nordvangen off Trinidad on 20 February 10, 1942. On 22 March 1944 U-129 sank the SS Anadyr off Recife, Brazil. U-129 was one of then U-Boats to not be sunk during the war.[56]
German submarine U-156 on June 1, 1942, sank the SS Alegrete of St. Lucia.
On June 3, 1942 U-156 sank the SS Lillian south of Barbados. On May 29, 1942 U-156 sank the SS Norman Prince off St. Lucia. On May 21, 1942 U-156 sank the SS Presidente Trujillo off Martinique. On February 20, 1942 U-156 sank the SS Delplata off Martinique. A sea plane sank U-156 on March 8, 1943 off Barbados.[57]
German submarine U-67U-67 sank the SS Penelope on 14 February 14, 1942 off St. Lucia. U-67 sank six other ships on her next tour off the north coast of South America. On 16 July, U-67 was sunk by a Grumman TBF Avenger with four Mk.7 depth charges.[58]
Seapower, geostrategic relations, and islandness: The World War II Destroyers for Bases deal. By: Flint, Colin. Island Studies Journal. May 2021, Vol. 16 Issue 1, p271-291
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain:U.S. 4th Fleet Public Affairs, This story was written by U. S. 4th Fleet Public (15 March 2018). "U.S. 4th Fleet Established 75 Years Ago". US Navy. Retrieved 6 December 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
Röll, Hans-Joachim (2011). Korvettenkapitän Werner Hartenstein: Mit U 156 auf Feindfahrt und der Fall "Laconia" (in German). Würzburg, Germany: Flechsig.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler
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Trinidad and Tobago
United States Navy
