April 2006

Thanks for the great website!

I am trying to research the 5^th Infantry Regiment who was station in the Canal Zone before WWII. My grandfather was assigned to the 5^th (from the 23^rd Inf. Reg. / 2^nd Inf Div., Ft Sam Houston) in 1939, and being the senior Master Sgt, at the Canal Zone, was designated Regimental Sgt Major. I can find very little on the 5^th. Was curious if you knew anything about them? (What Division they were attached to, etc…)

I will write more once I confirm you are still on-line.

Thanks for your time.

S. Pipes

I am a ZONIAN, born and raised, graduated BHS 1966 and Texas A&M University ( Maritime College ) in 1970. Presently working in Tzula , Turkey on the upgrade and refurbishment of a drillship, I am the project manager, enjoy your site and go to it quite often to bring back the old memories, thanks for the wonderful site

I WAS STATIONED AT FT. KOBBE, PANAMA FOR 10-87 TO 2-89. I WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 536TH ENGINEER BATTALION AS THE BATTALION LEGAL NCO. (JAG) I HAD A GREAT TIME DOWN THERE. MY SECOND CHILD WAS BORN DOWN AT GORGAS HOSPITAL ON 12-1-88. I HAD A WIFE WHO WAS ECUADORIAN, AND A DAUGHTER WHO WAS BORN AT WALTER REED IN DC ON 7-28-87. WHEN I BROUGHT THEM DOWN IN JAN 88, I WAS LIVING IN A HIGH RISE APARTMENT BUILDING IN VENTURA IN PANAMA CITY. THEY MIGHT AS WELL HAVE BEEN BLACK IN ALABAMA IN THE 1960'S. WE HAD TO EVACUATE IN THE SPRING OF 88 TO FT. KOBBE BECAUSE OF ANTI-NORIEGA UPRISINGS. IT WAS NICE TO BE ON POST. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE ALMOST KIDNAPPED IN FEB 88 BY THE PDF AT A SHOPPING MALL BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT PANAMANIAN AND MY 7MONTH OLD DAUGHTER WAS LIGHT COMPLECTED, BLACK HAIRED AND BLUE EYED.
OVER ALL I ENJOYED PANAMA, BUT I ALWAYS FEARED THAT SOMETHING WAS READY TO ERUPT INTO TO ANARCHY. I JOURNEYED INTO THE INTERIOR TO ALGUADUCE. I TRAVELED FROM PACIFIC TO CARIBBEAN. I FOUND THE COUNTRY AND MOST OF IT'S PEOPLE TO BE FRIENDLY AND I APPRIECIATED THAT. ONE TIME MY FAMILY WAS BEING HARASSED AND ASSAULTED BY MEMBERS OF THE PDF IN 1988, WE WERE PROTECTED BY OTHER PANAMANIAN CITIZENS WHO SAW US FOR WHAT WE WERE. JUST REGULAR PEOPLE LIKE THEM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WEBSITE. I GO TO IT EVERYDAY. MY SON THOMAS WHO WAS BORN AT GORGAS HOSPITAL IS NOW 17 YRS. HE IS A STARTING LEFT HAND PITCHER FOR AN INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL. HE HAS TAKEN 5 YEARS OF SPANISH, AND IS VERY CURIOUS ABOUT HIS BIRTHPLACE. HE HAS BEEN SCOUTED BY COLLEGE AND PRO BASEBALL SCOUTS BUT HIS PRIMARY INTEREST IS PANAMA. I AM AMERICAN. HIS MOTHER IS ECUADORIAN, HE WAS BORN IN PANAMA. HE HAS A CHOICE OF 3 CITIZENSHIPS. HE WANTS TO GO TO PANAMA SO BAD. HE HAS NO MEMORY AT ALL OF THERE. WHEN WE LEFT THERE HE WAS 3 MONTHS OLD. IT HAS BEEN SO NICE TO SHOW HIM PICTURES OF HIS BIRTHPLACE FROM YOUR WEBSITE. ANY PICTURES YOU HAVE OF GORGAS HOSPITAL OR FT. KOBBE FROM THE LATE 80'S WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WEBSITE.

Very fine work. Wonderful Old pictures, which are my favorites...and the one you put as "Now and Then" super.