May 2002
Bill. Enjoying your site, the info and pictures. I served on the CZ Police force from Nov 1959 until we closed out the division in March 1982. I served on both the pacific and Atlantic sides of the Isthmus as well as at Gamboa and at the Gamboa Penitentiary. Finished as Chief, Police Division, a position I held from 1973-1982. Guy Johannes was the only other Chief to serve in that office longer than me. I am the officer standing in front of the "Green Hornet" that you have featured during your salute to the CZP. The Other officer standing in front of the Black & White, was Robert (Bud) Mills. The single motorcycle office was Walter Alves. Thanks for the memories. Bill K.
Born in Gorgas Hospital December 1958. Spent 10 years in PCZ. Haven't been back since 1980's. Your pictures brought back a lot of memories! Raspados rule!
MY FAMILY LIVED IN PANAMA FROM 1955-1958 MY FATHER WAS IN THE AIR FORCE AND STATIONED AT ALBROOK AFB WE LIVED AT FRANCE FIELD NEAR COCO SOLO AND COCO SOLITO - THEN WE MOVED TO RODMAN NAVAL STATION I WENT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN MARGARITA, FT. KOBBE AND BALBOA JUNIOR HIGH WE FISHED AT MADDEN LAKE I REMEMBER TRODDING IN THE JUNGLE ALL OF THE TIME WE USED TO SIT IN MANGO TREES BEFORE THE WERE RIPE, WITH A BOTTLE OF SALT AND SAT UP THERE FOR HOURS AT A TIME I REMEMBER LISTENING TO THE MONSOON COMING OUR WAY EACH AFTERNOON OVER THE JUNGLE LEAVES AND FINALLY REACHING US I REMEMBER DRINKING "KLIM" A POWDERED "MILK" I REMEMBER PUTTING RICE IN THE SALT SHAKERS TO KEEP IT DRY I REMEMBER HAVING TO PUT HOT LIGHTS IN THE PANTRY DUE TO THE HUMIDITY WE HAD NO WINDOWS AT ANYONE OF THE PLACES WE LIVED, JUST SCREENS AND SHUTTERS I PLAYED GOLF AT FORT CLAYTON AND FORT AMADOR I REMEMBER "ARMY ANTS" AND LEAF CLIPPING ANTS THAT WOULD CARRY THEIR LEAFS ALONG TRAILS THAT WENT FOREVER I REMEMBER FORT SAN LORENZO AND SANTA CLARA I REMEMBER ALL OF THE LOCKS AND TAKING THE FERRY ACROSS WHEN THE SHIPS WERE GOING THROUGH I MANAGED TO LEARN HOW TO CLIMB A COCONUT TREE THOSE WERE YEARS I WILL NEVER FORGET
Bill, Great site!!! I enjoy it all and have been able to contact some old friends via e-mail addy's I've found here. Keep up the good work mi amigo.
I lived in the Canal Zone for a short time, but had the opportunity to work with a "Zonie" named Tom at the 24th Wing, Howard AFB. I remember fondly the Fridays we would go to Corozal to pick up the Tropic Times and eat Empanadas with globs of Maggi ketchup!! 2 years and 1 day of my life that I will never forget.
Just wanted to post my new email address (balboacz@comcast.net ) . I also have canalzone@comcast.net , but decided not to use it much, because a statesider friend of mine found it slightly amusing. He wanted to know how he could c (my) anal zone... Reminds me of the time I decided to get personalized plates in California when I first got to the States. PANAMA was already taken, so I decided to get PANCZ, thinking I was sooo cool. A couple of faggots winked at me on the freeway, 'cause they thought I was a PANZY. Took a while to figure that one out, though. It happened more than once. Got rid of those plates quickly after that. I'm just glad I didn't grow up in Colon...
I WAS BORN AND RAISE ON THE CANAL ZONE, WENT TO PARAISO ELEMENTARY, JR. & HIGH SCHOOL I WILL LIKE FOR YOU TO POST MORE PHOTOS OF PARAISO CZ. THANKS SHIRLEY
Awesome work
GREAT WEBSITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wasn't too interested in the art at this site but the quality of the photos of the are is great. I went to the "links" and became engrossed with the pictures and history of Panama and the Canal Zone. They are great and even after several hours of enjoying them have only scratched the surface. Jack
glad to see pics of panama brings back great memories of when i was stationed there
Came across this web site looking for something entirely different thanks to the Google search engine. What a positive surprise. Thank you very much for your extensive work in assembling all this material and setting up the web site. I really enjoyed very much looking through the many photographs. Quite a few reminded me of things I had otherwise forgot. I was in the Army in the Canal Zone February 1971 through January 1972. Worked on the power barge in Miraflores Lake through September 1971, then on the Sturgis Nuclear Power Barge near the Atlantic Locks the rest of the time. I was hoping to see photos of these, but maybe I didn't find the right place in the web site. At various times I lived in barracks first at Fort Amador, then Corozal, finally Ft. Sherman. We used to fight off bats in the Corozal barracks. Also we captured a three toed sloth and kept it as a pet in the barracks until one of the master sergeants found out and forced us to release it. No doubt the best part was meeting my wife in the Canal Zone. We have been married 29 years now. I expect to return to the web site frequently.