March 2005
Thank you for starting this site. In the memory of my father - Horace (Pete) Shellhart who served in Panama from 16 Apr 1941 through 10 Dec 1943
I lived in the ZONE from 71-74 what a great place to live (am a army brat we lived over on Ft. Clayton) I'm looking for Gus Wanner if anyone knows how I can get in contact with him please let me know thanks
need help my inlaw needs info on te date Horoko Golf course was build and who build it any information would be nice also im looking for info on a more dificult to find; where in the interior of panama besides Rio Hato did the us army aircorps had airfields during WW2 i know a treaty with panama was signed in 1942 authorizing 132 defense sites for protecting the panama canal.any veterans of that time who knows please contact me;at bladesroyyahoo.com
This is an excellent web site
some places i recall going with my mom as a kid was the diablo club hose or the balboa clubhouse also i remember going to a place and you older folks can help me on this one i beleive it was the once civil affairs bldg that later might have become someting else before panama took over this place had milk shakes that was brought to the car on a tray and was put on the car windows and i dont rememember if they sold hamburgers. i also remember going to the shoe store and the commisary at balboa i recall a childrens room where parents dropped te kids and they would shop. was this in the balboa commy? my mom used to work in the main px when it was in bldg 95 ft clayton dad used to take me sometimes to pick up mom and i remember running around in the hallway that to me as a kid appear like a tunnel. i remember the army baseball cap the MP kaki uniform te navy khaki? color uniform and the pith helmets tey used i recall seeing te thunderbirds i beleive it was in albrook too bad thats all gone indeed life in te canal zone was so diferent one had to live it to appreciate it.alas as te saying goes all good tings must eventually come to an end. and it did.having been born in gorgas and having an operation when i was 6yrs old i recall dad taking me to te gran morrison on 4th july av and boy did those guys had toys to me as a kid i always loved going to that place.too bad it became a wae casualty.well best be going keep up te good work and i will contact tis site again with the latest tourist proyects info .bye bye now .
Solomon Urriola
Panama.
Comments
Seeing your pictures can makes us happy and sad, but I'm thankful for your great work. I remember the fun times at Balboa. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and I used to go to the Canal Zone and talk to the GIs and friends. How do I miss those awesome days and those wonderful people. Yours pictures and writings touched my heart. May God Bless you and your family. Solomon Urriola Salt Lake City, Utah
Comments
My first visit to the Canal Zone was as a young soldier stationed at Fort Kobbie/Howard Air Force Base in 1954.
Ray Bierbaum is visiting from Virginia and introduced me to your site. Very interesting. Now I know how everyone keeps in touch. I've been retired for 10 years from the PCC and am very active and feeling great. Let me hear from some of my old baseball buddies--BHS Class of 64.
Anyone remember the Ruiz family? Jose Ruiz, (Mike), was stationed there with the Special Forces, he drowned in Panama in 1972.
My previous message showed the wrong email address. I have corrected this to JWRjunior1@aol.com. Hope to hear from you
A very nice site, I served in the US Navy 1962-1970, in 1962 or 1963, can't recall I was lucky enough to past thru the canal on a destroyer. We did not stop, wish we could have, was very interesting to see. I have read a lot of the history of Panama, it has a great history before the canal, as as well as after the canal. I never lived there but I am sad to look at all pictures of the bases that have been closed. I am sure it is very hard for the people who grow up in the zone to see it the way it is now. I have really enjoyed looking at the pictures and reading the history of some of military units that were so much apart of the zone. I will be back to this great site. Keep up the good work.
Very Nice
WAS STATIONED IN THE NAVY AT RODMAN NAVAL STATION1953/1955.I WAS 18 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME, IT SEEMS I GREW UP THERE. I TRULY LOVED IT THERE. A GOOD WEB SITE.
numismatico'exonumia'collectible panama canal-member panama numismatic club.
I was stationed at Ft. Sherman for almost 2 years back in the mid-90's. I was so glad to find your site dedicated to all the Zonies. I miss that place something fierce. When Ft. Clayton was finally closed, we were offered the opportunity to buy one of the houses on "Colonels Row" for the insanely low price of $25,000. I should have taken the offer. I spent many months trekking all over Panama. It is a wonderful country. Too bad President Carter gave away what so many worked so hard to achieve. I wish it were different.
Very enjoyable web site. I was stationed at the Naval Station Coco Solo in 1956 and 1957. My wife and I really enjoyed the experience, and all the great Panamanian people I worked with. I enjoyed the photo of the Black Christ. We were able to go to that celebration shortly after arriving. I can still smell the aroma of iguama cooking on skewers over charcoal fires by street vendors...should have tried it but didn't. I hope you will eventually put Coco Solo in your military section.
My great grandfather worked on the Canal. I just recently inherited some photographs of him in the Canal Zone, along with my great grandmother and my grandmother (as an infant). I also have three different ship passenger lists from their voyages from Colon, Panama to New Orleans and New Orleans to Colon. The pictures are from 1910 and 1911.
Just stopping by again and updating my information. Please email or write if your heart desires.