September 2004
Thank you for this web site! Panama was the greatest place I ever lived. It is a well kept secret. My family and I lived in Fort Clayton. My sister, Vicky and I went to Curundu Elem. Would love for our friend to contact us. We love the Pics. Do you have any pics of the eleven hundred block? Never forget JUST CAUSE!
HELLO CONGRATULATION FOR THIS SPECTACULAR PAGE, I'LL APPRECIATE IF YOU CAN GET MORE OLDS PICS. FROM COLON CITY, IF YOU HAVE A DVD SAMPLE, JUST TELL HOW MUCH WE TO PAY. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR ATTENTION AND HELP. BEST REGARDS MUNDINS MAURICIO
Your site brought back many great memories. I was born in Fort Clayton, CZ in 1949. I went to many of the schools you showed photo's of. The last school I attended was Diablo Jr High School (eighth grade) in 1964. Panama was an adventure. It was a great place to grow up as a child. The last place that I resided at was Diablo Terrace..which was next to Albrook Air Force Base. I perused the sign in log hoping to spot any familiar names. A couple looked familiar but with out any history attached to the name I can not be sure that they are the same ones. Thank you for the chance to revisit my childhood.
I came to Panama in April of 1950 and was assigned to A Co 33rd Infantry RCT at Fort Kobbe. I was there until Jan. 1953 I returned in 1999 on a tour with the 33rd Inf Assn. I was amazed by the additions to the Panama City skyline But was saddened by the conditions down around J Street where all the old bars were and where me and my comrades spent a great many happy hours. I think it was absolutely insane for the US to turn the zone and all these facilities over to the Panama Government. I understand that all the port terminals are now controlled by China which means that someday we will have to take it all back and put it back together again.
I spent many 90 day Temporary Duties at Howard Air Force Base, including a Canal Zone Defense Exercise held in the "Bubble's" adjacent to Rodman Naval Station/HOROKO Golf Course Area. NOTE: "HOROKO" = HOward-ROdman-KObbe Golf Course! My TDY's were usually over the Christmas/New Year season so the married people in my unit could stay home with their families. I have stayed at Howard Air Force Base Billeting, Albrook Air Force Station Billeting, the Plaza Paitilla Hotel & the El Panama Hotel. Many of my co-workers/friends stayed at Rodman Naval Station Trailer Billeting, affectionately calling themselves "Trailer Trash"! I shopped at Corozal Exchange & Commissary, ate out at Fort Clayton Food Court "Popeye's" Had a lot of fun in the area, learned much about the People of Panama. So many live in poverty, some live somewhat well, others do well for themselves. A friend of mine who worked as a maid in Albrook AFS Billeting essentially said: I am sad to see the United States leave Panama, I will lose my job, and the country will suffer by not having a United States presence for protection and employment of Panamanian Citizens. I guess that means blame President Jimmy Carter and other federal level politicians of the day. May Panama continue to Prosper and avoid hostile foreign influences! Mark E. Brown, USAF Retired ALSO, I VERY MUCH LIKE YOUR WEBSITE! I ALMOST FORGOT TO ADD THIS COMMENT BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR OTHER THINGS BESIDE YOUR REQUEST FOR A OPINION ON YOUR WEBSITE. Before I left Panama the last time, I submitted a anonymous e-mail to the Tropic Times editor of the newspaper. He assured me and others who read the article that U.S. Cemeteries in Panama and other countries where the United States would have no further active involvement, that the cemeteries would be properly maintained instead of becoming "Modern Ruins" as I had stated in the e-mail concerning that subject. Hopefully this is so, and will be so forever until time itself stops! I still have a copy of that Tropic Times issue somewhere here at home. Will have to find and file it properly along with the copy of the Allied Forces Humanitarian Training Exercise in El Salvador we participated in.
iam from Panama, personally poses more special interest in knowed much other details about Sentoku sub type & Seiran plane. the information about this why knowed if more scarcy, very little. my special interest in this thing if debt at ancient relates of my grandmother (actually deaded), why reffering she knowed in these days ones Japanese fishers(possibly secret IJN Agents) why living in San Miguel, in Las perlas Archipielago,Panama,during wartime.my grandmother suppose knowed theirs and your sons calling Nobo & marco and sayed why theirs poseyed apparatus to measured the sea profoundities and radio communicators read too why appart of theirs in Panama living too the IJN Marschal Jakuji Oshi why living in Darien province,i supposed why these IJN agents debt to stay in communications between theirs and sended reports of US movements at nearest IJN Sub units too. preciselly these agents are the local support of Japanese I°Imperial Sub Fleet Panama Canal Strike. your last fate if why at Japanese IJN Marschall are arrested to send at California and the suppose Jap Fishers are deported to Japan or asia from Argentina, unknowed the fate of theirs. additionally my idea to rescue and display of I-400 example or in your deffect one exact replica with Seiran Plane if debt to these examples of sea rescues of german Unterseeboots: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/gaz/u-534.html (rescue operation of U-534) http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/U505/U505home.html (the display of U-505) http://www.deutscher-marinebund.de/u995 (exibition of U-995) for other part if one observed this next route map: http://www.pacerfarm.org/i-400/fig11f.gif (the proceeded from I-400 page: http://www.pacerfarm.org/i-400/ is clear why the last destiny of the I-400 examples from sasebo(Japan),Eniwetok(Marschall islands)continuing in Pearl Harbor (Hawaii) finalizing in Californian west US Coast or how are debt to finalizing,(debt at why this if your combat mission) Panamenian Pacific Coast, Panama Republic. for this if one desire why any organization, historical group or museum interesting in sea rescues and restaurations making one sea rescue mission of one example these sub or making one exact replica of this for display with one example or exact copy of Seiran plane,the Panama canal Bomber, in panama canal area or any coastal area in my country. I sended other links of this topic over plans to strike of panama canal: http://www.blinkynet.net/spag/bombcanal1.html over I-400 & I-401 subs: http://www.pacerfarm.org/i-400/ over Seiran plane: http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircraft/aichi_serian.htm more thanks wladimir k Panama, central America
My late grandfather, who died in 1989 when I was 25, was stationed at Fort Davis with the 14th infantry from 1931 - 1934. He left quite e few things about the canal that are very interesting. Does anyone know the dates of the pictures of the troops? If they are prior to 1935 I'll get my magnifying glass out and look. Thanks Phil
I lived in Panama in 1976 when I was a kid and went to St. Margarita Elementary school just for few months....I remember to run faster than anyone in the baseball field everyday!.... I have great memories and I love it. Nice website!
This is a really neat website. I hope to see more photos, etc. of Howard AFB, Balboa High School, and the former Canal Zone College. I lived in Panama from 1978 - 1981 while my dad was stationed at Howard AFB. I have my class ring which was the last year to say Balboa HS, Canal Zone. The following year everything was DODDS. I'll check back often.
