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Naval Base Trinidad
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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 became known as the Battle of the Caribbean. Naval Base Trinidad was located on the Island of Trinidad in West Indies of the Caribbean Sea.
The base also supported the United States Army Air Forces, United States Coast Guard, US Marine Corps and US Army. Naval Base Trinidad was a US Naval Advance Base built to protect the shipping lanes to and from the Panama Canal from U-boat attacks, by sea and air. The base did fueling, loading and unloading of cargo ships. The base also became a repair depot, with auxiliary floating drydocks that were able to repair boats and ships in the field. Naval Base Trinidad was commissioned on June 1, 1941, and at its peak it had 135,000 troops on the island.
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. 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 carrier fighter 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.
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.
During that period, many calypsos made reference to the American presence in Trinidad.
The Battle of the Atlantic began on September 3, 1939, and by 1941 the United Kingdom (UK) needed help in protecting shipping from British Overseas Territories. The British Overseas Territories had become a lifeline to the UK during the war. France was defeated by Nazi Germany in June 1940. The United States at this time was neutral. Thus England, the British Commonwealth and British empire was alone in the war against German and Italian Fascism. The 50 destroyers, in the base for destroyers deal of September 2, 1940, were Caldwell, Wickes, and Clemson class. The destroyers were transferred to the Royal Navy from the US Navy. The United States received rent-free 99-year leases of US bases on the British controlled islands of Newfoundland, Bermuda, Trinidad, Great Exuma, Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia, the Bahamas, and one in British Guiana. The deal was done by President Franklin Roosevelt by executive agreement, without congressional approval. West coast of Trinidad with the Gulf of Paria was part of the deal.
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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 became known as the Battle of the Caribbean. Naval Base Trinidad was located on the Island of Trinidad in West Indies of the Caribbean Sea.
The base also supported the United States Army Air Forces, United States Coast Guard, US Marine Corps and US Army. Naval Base Trinidad was a US Naval Advance Base built to protect the shipping lanes to and from the Panama Canal from U-boat attacks, by sea and air. The base did fueling, loading and unloading of cargo ships. The base also became a repair depot, with auxiliary floating drydocks that were able to repair boats and ships in the field. Naval Base Trinidad was commissioned on June 1, 1941, and at its peak it had 135,000 troops on the island.
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. 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 carrier fighter 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.
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.
During that period, many calypsos made reference to the American presence in Trinidad.
The Battle of the Atlantic began on September 3, 1939, and by 1941 the United Kingdom (UK) needed help in protecting shipping from British Overseas Territories. The British Overseas Territories had become a lifeline to the UK during the war. France was defeated by Nazi Germany in June 1940. The United States at this time was neutral. Thus England, the British Commonwealth and British empire was alone in the war against German and Italian Fascism. The 50 destroyers, in the base for destroyers deal of September 2, 1940, were Caldwell, Wickes, and Clemson class. The destroyers were transferred to the Royal Navy from the US Navy. The United States received rent-free 99-year leases of US bases on the British controlled islands of Newfoundland, Bermuda, Trinidad, Great Exuma, Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia, the Bahamas, and one in British Guiana. The deal was done by President Franklin Roosevelt by executive agreement, without congressional approval. West coast of Trinidad with the Gulf of Paria was part of the deal.
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