Albrook Air Force Station

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|

Albrook Air Force Station

Part of Air Combat Command
Located near Balboa, Panama
Site information
Type| Military Air Force Station
Controlled by| United States Air Force
Location

Albrook AFS

Coordinates| 08°58′33.24″N 079°33′19.91″W﻿ / ﻿8.9759000°N 79.5555306°W﻿ / 8.9759000; -79.5555306
Site history
Built| 1928
In use| 1932-1997

Albrook Air Force Station is a former United States Air Force facility in Panama. It was closed on 30 September 1997 as a result of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties which specified that United States military facilities in the former Panama Canal Zone be closed and the facilities be turned over to the Panamanian government. It was located on the east side of the Panama Canal just south of Fort Clayton and north of the township of Balboa, Panama. Beginning in January 1999, the air field initiated civilian air service as Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport.

## Major commands to which assigned

[edit]

* Panama Canal Department, 1932- 19 October 1940
* Panama Canal Air Force, 19 October 1940 - 5 August 1941
* Caribbean Air Force, 5 August 1941 - 18 September 1942
* Sixth Air Force, 18 September 1942 - 31 July 1946
* Caribbean Air Command, 31 July 1946 - 8 July 1963
* United States Air Forces Southern Command, 8 July 1963 - 1 January 1976
* Tactical Air Command

USAF Southern Air Division, 1 January 1976 - 1 January 1989
830th Air Division, 1 January 1989 - 15 February 1991
Air Forces Panama, 15 February 1991 - 11 February 1992

* Tactical Air Command, 11 February - 31 May 1992
* Air Combat Command, 31 May 1992 - 30 September 1997

## Major units assigned

[edit]

* 16th Pursuit (later Fighter) Group

24th Pursuit (later Fighter) Squadron, 26 October 1932-10 January 1943; 28 May-9 June 1943
28th Pursuit Squadron, 1 February-5 October 1940
29th Pursuit (later Fighter) Squadron, 1 October 1933-17 May 1942
43d Pursuit (later Fighter) Squadron, 1 February 1940-13 July 1942
73d Pursuit Squadron, 1 October 1933-14 July 1941
78th Pursuit Squadron, 15 October 1932-1 September 1937

* 19th Composite Wing, 25 January 1933

Redesignated 19th Wing, 1937
Redesignated 19th Bombardment Wing, 1940 - 25 October 1941[1]

* 37th Pursuit (later Fighter) Group

30th Pursuit Squadron, 13 November 1940-24 November 1941
31st Pursuit (later Fighter) Squadron, 13 November 1940-9 November 1941; 31 December 1941-3 February 1942; 19 May-30 September 1942

* Headquarters, Panama Canal Air Force, 20 November 1940

Redesignated: Caribbean Air Force. August 5, 1941
Redesignated: 6th Air Force, September 18, 1942
Redesignated: Caribbean Air Command, July 31, 1946
Redesignated: United States Air Forces Southern Command July 8, 1963-1 January 1976

* 12 Pursuit Wing, 10 November 1940 – 6 March 1942
* 32d Pursuit (later Fighter) Group

51st Pursuit Squadron, 1 January-21 August 1941
52d Pursuit Squadron, 1 January-21 August 1941
53d Pursuit Squadron, 1 January-21 August 1941

* VI Bomber Command, 25 October 1941 – 1 November 1946[1]
* XXVI Fighter Command, 6 March 1942 - 25 August 1946
* 1st Communications Squadron, Air Support, 23 April 1942-April 1943
* 40th Bombardment Group, 16 September 1942 - 3 June 1943[2]
* 6th Bombardment Group, 14 January - 1 November 1943[3]

3rd Bombardment Squadron[4]
74th Bombardment Squadron[5]

* Sixth Air Force Base Command

20th Troop Carrier Squadron, 9 June 1943-September 1948

* 1st Depot Repair Squadron, 6 May 1943 – 7 December 1944
* 314th Troop Carrier Group, 1 October 1946 - 10 March 1948
* 5700th Composite Wing

18th Troop Carrier Squadron, 1 August 1948-1 March 1949

* 24th Composite Wing, 8 November 1967 - 3 January 1968
* 830th Air Division, 1 January 1976 – 15 August 1977; 1 March 1989 – 15 February 1991

|

## Post USAF use

[edit]

In September 1997, the base was turned over to Panama. It was then refurbished with an operations / control tower constructed; also a passenger terminal (near Building 446, the hangar that previously housed the former Air Force Post Office). In January 1999, the domestic/commercial Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport was relocated to Albrook from Punta Paitilla (across Panama City). The airport is under Panama's Civil Aeronautics Authority (Autoridad de Aeronáutica Civil —previously named Civil Aviation Directorate).

A number of shops, markets, mall and government agencies (Panamanian Red Cross, International Maritime University of Panama) operate out of some of the old buildings and hangars, and most of the officers quarters are now private homes.

The Civil Aviation Authority has its headquarters in Building 805.[6]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b Conaway, William. "VI Bombardment Command History". Planes and Pilots Of World War Two.
2. ^ Conaway, William. "40th Bombardment Group (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command In Defense Of The Panama Canal 1941 - 45.
3. ^ Conaway, William. "6th Bombardment Group (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command In Defense Of The Panama Canal 1941 - 45.
4. ^ Conaway, William. "3rd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command In Defense Of The Panama Canal 1941 - 45.
5. ^ Conaway, William. "74th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command In Defense Of The Panama Canal 1941 - 45.
6. ^ "Contáctenos." Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved on April 18, 2012. "Oficinas Administrativas: Albrook Edificio 805 - Panamá"

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Albrook Air Force Station.

* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
* Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 20, 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) documentation, filed under Balboa, Former Panama Canal Zone, CZ:
* HABS No. CZ-10, "Albrook Air Force Station", 63 data pages
* HABS No. CZ-10-A, "Albrook Air Force Station, Field Officer's Quarters", 17 photos, 21 data pages, 4 photo caption pages
* HABS No. CZ-10-B, "Albrook Air Force Station, Company Officer's Quarters", 19 photos, 16 data pages, 4 photo caption pages
* HABS No. CZ-10-C, "Albrook Air Force Station, Non-Commissioned Officers' Duplex", 16 photos, 19 data pages, 5 photo caption pages
* HABS No. CZ-10-D, "Albrook Air Force Station, Parachute & Armament Building", 13 photos, 20 data pages, 3 photo caption pages
* HABS No. CZ-10-E, "Albrook Air Force Station, Dispensary", 21 photos, 26 data pages, 3 photo caption pages

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

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Overseas|

* Armstrong
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Air
Defense
units|

| Forces|

* Central Air Defense
* Eastern Air Defense
* Iceland
* Western Air Defense
* First
* Fourth
* Tenth
* Fourteenth

|

Air
Divisions|

* 8th
* 9th
* 20th
* 21st
* 23d
* 24th
* 25th
* 26th
* 27th
* 28th
* 29th
* 30th
* 31st
* 32d
* 33d
* 34th
* 35th
* 36th
* 37th
* 58th
* 64th
* 73d
* 85th

Sectors|

* Albuquerque
* Bangor
* Boston
* Chicago
* Detroit
* Duluth
* Goose
* Grand Forks
* Great Falls
* Kansas City
* Los Angeles
* Minot
* Montgomery
* New York
* Oklahoma City
* Phoenix
* Portland
* Reno
* Sault Sainte Marie
* San Francisco
* Seattle
* Sioux City
* Spokane
* Stewart
* Syracuse
* Washington

Wings|

* Fighter 1st
* 4th
* 23d
* 32d
* 33d
* 50th
* 52d
* 56th
* 78th
* 81st
* 325th
* 328th
* 507th

* Detection and Control 71st
* 73d
* 551st
* 552d

* Air Defense 46th
* 4620th
* 4621st
* 4622d
* 4624th
* 4625th
* 4627th
* 4628th
* 4683d
* 4700th
* 4702d
* 4703d
* 4704th
* 4705th
* 4706th
* 4707th
* 4708th
* 4709th
* 4710th
* 4711th
* 4750th
* 4751st
* 4752d
* 4756th
* 4780th

Groups|

* Fighter 1st
* 4th
* 14th
* 15th
* 23d
* 32d
* 33d
* 50th
* 52d
* 53d
* 54th
* 56th
* 57th
* 78th
* 79th
* 81st
* 82d
* 84th
* 325th
* 326th
* 327th
* 328th
* 329th
* 337th
* 343d
* 355th
* 408th
* 412th
* 414th
* 473d
* 475th
* 476th
* 478th
* 507th

* Air Defense 10th
* 500th
* 501st
* 502d
* 503d
* 514th
* 515th
* 516th
* 517th
* 518th
* 519th
* 520th
* 521st
* 525th
* 527th
* 528th
* 529th
* 530th
* 533d
* 534th
* 564th
* 566th
* 567th
* 568th
* 575th
* 637th
* 665th
* 678th
* 692d
* 701st
* 751st
* 762d
* 765th
* 778th
* 780th
* 827th
* 858th
* 4606th
* 4620th
* 4676th
* 4700th
* 4721st
* 4722d
* 4727th
* 4728th
* 4729th
* 4730th
* 4731st
* 4732d
* 4733d
* 4734th
* 4735th
* 4750th
* 4756th

* Aircraft Control & Warning 503d
* 505th
* 540th
* 541st
* 542d
* 543d
* 544th
* 545th
* 546th
* 563d
* 564th
* 565th
* 566th

Squadrons|

* Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons
* Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons

Major
weapon
systems|

| Electronic|

* TB-29
* EB-57
* EC-121

|

Fighters|

* Propeller:
* F-47
* F-51
* P-61
* F-82

* Subsonic Jet:
* P-80
* F-84
* F-86
* F-89
* F-94

* Supersonic Jet:
* F-101
* F-102
* F-104
* F-106

Missiles|

* AIM-4
* AIM-26
* AIR-2
* CIM-10

Ships|

* Guardian
* Interceptor
* Interdictor
* Interpreter
* Investigator
* Locator
* Lookout
* Outpost
* Pickett
* Protector
* Scanner
* Searcher
* Skywatcher
* Tracer
* Watchman
* Vigil

Texas Towers|

* Texas Tower 2
* Texas Tower 3
* Texas Tower 4

Miscellaneous|

* Air Defense Command Emblem Gallery (on Wikimedia Commons)
* General Surveillance Radar Stations

* v
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Tactical Air Command (TAC)

Air Forces|

* First
* Ninth
* Twelfth
* Eighteenth
* Nineteenth

Air Divisions|

* 20th (ADTAC)
* 21st (ADTAC)
* 23d (ADTAC)
* 24th (ADTAC)
* 25th (ADTAC)
* 26th (ADTAC)
* 28th (ADTAC)
* 831st
* 832d
* 833d
* 834th
* 835th
* 836th
* 837th
* 838th
* 839th
* 840th

Named units|

* Air Forces Panama
* Air Forces Iceland
* Air Defense, Tactical Air Command

Wings|

| TFW|

* 1st
* 4th
* 12th
* 15th
* 20th
* 23d
* 27th
* 32d
* 33d
* 37th
* 50th
* 56th
* 312th
* 323d
* 347th
* 354th
* 355th

|

Other|

* 1st SOW
* 57th FWW
* 63d TAW
* 64th TAW
* 67th TRW
* 75th TRW
* 85th TFTW
* 317th TAW
* 363d TRW
* 405th TFTW
* 461st TBW
* 4505th ARW

Former
bases|

| Active
(MAJCOM)|

* Altus (AETC)
* Brooks (AFMC)
* Cannon (AFSOC)
* Charleston (AMC)
* Creech (ACC)
* Davis–Monthan (ACC)
* Dover (AMC)
* Dyess (ACC)
* Eglin (AFMC)
* Hill (AMFC)
* Holloman (ACC)
* Hurlburt Field (AFSOC)
* Langley (ACC)
* Little Rock (AETC)
* Luke (AETC)
* MacDill (AMC)
* McChord (AMC)
* McConnell (AMC)
* Moody (ACC)
* Mountain Home (ACC)
* Nellis (ACC)
* Pope (AMC) Seymour Johnson (ACC)
* Shaw (ACC)
* Tonopah (ACC)
* Tyndall (AETC)
* Whiteman (ACC)

|

Inactive|

* Bergstrom
* Blythville
* Donaldson
* England
* Forbes
* George
* Howard
* Grenier
* Myrtle Beach
* Orlando
* Sewart
* Turner
* Williams

Inactive,
but with a military presence|

* Bunker Hill
* Biggs
* Dow
* Godman
* Homestead
* Lockbourne
* March
* Otis

Aircraft|

* A-1
* A-7
* A-10
* A-37
* AC-47
* AC-119
* AC-130
* B-26
* B-57
* B-66
* C-7
* C-47
* C-82
* C-119
* C-123
* C-130
* E-3
* E-8
* EF-111
* EC-135
* F-4
* F-5
* F-15
* F-16
* F-47
* F-51
* F-80
* F-82
* F-84
* F-86
* F-89
* F-100
* F-101
* F-102
* F-104
* F-105
* F-106
* F-111
* F-117
* H-1
* H-5
* H-6
* H-19
* H-43
* H-60
* H-53
* KB-29
* KB-50
* KC-97
* O-1
* O-2
* OH-23
* OV-10
* P-40
* P-38
* R-4
* S-62
* T-6
* T-28
* T-29
* T-33
* T-38

* v
* t
* e

USAAF Sixth Air Force in World War II

Previously: Panama Canal Air Force (1940-1941); Caribbean Air Force (1941-1942)

Airfields|

| Caribbean|

* Coolidge (Antigua)
* Dakota (Aruba)
* Batista (Cuba)
* Camaguey (Cuba)
* Hato (Curaçao)
* Vernam (Jamaica)
* Arecibo (Puerto Rico)
* Borinquen (Puerto Rico)
* Losey (Puerto Rico)
* Benedict (Saint Croix)
* Beane (Saint Lucia)
* Carlsen (Trinidad)
* Piarco Airport (Trinidad)
* Waller (Trinidad)

|

Canal Zone|

* Albrook
* France
* Howard

Panama|

* Aguadulce
* Anton
* Calzada Larga
* Chame
* David
* La Chorrera
* Madden
* Patilla Point
* Pocri
* Río Hato

Central and South
America|

* Belém (Brazil)
* Atkinson (British Guiana)
* Zandery (Dutch Guiana)
* Salinas (Ecuador)
* Baltra (Galápagos Islands)
* Guatemala City (Guatemala)
* Talara (Peru)

Units|

| Commands|

* VI Bomber Command
* VI Fighter Command
* XXVI Fighter Command
* XXXVI Fighter Command
* VI Air Force Service
* Antilles Air Command

|

Wings|

* 6th Fighter
* 13th Bombardment
* 19th Composite
* 24th Composite

Groups|

| Fighter|

* 16th Fighter
* 32d Fighter
* 36th Fighter
* 37th Fighter
* 53d Fighter

|

Bomber|

* 6th Bombardment
* 9th Bombardment
* 25th Bombardment
* 40th Bombardment

Reconnaissance|

* 72d Reconnaissance

Squadrons|

* 1st Depot Repair
* 20th Troop Carrier
* 23d Antisubmarine
* 91st Reconnaissance

* United States Army Air Forces

* First
* Second
* Third
* Fourth
* Fifth
* Sixth
* Seventh
* Eighth
* Ninth
* Tenth
* Eleventh
* Twelfth
* Thirteenth
* Fourteenth
* Fifteenth
* Twentieth

* v
* t
* e

Panama Canal

Management|

* Panama Canal Authority

Structures|

* Locks
* Panamax
* Gatun Dam
* Gatun Lake
* Chagres River
* Culebra Cut
* Centennial Bridge
* Bridge of the Americas
* Panama Canal Railway
* Atlantic Bridge

Locations|

| Atlantic side|

* Colón
* Arco Iris
* Cristóbal port
* Enrique Adolfo Jiménez Airport
* Limon Bay
* Gatún

|

Passage|

* Gatun Lake
* Culebra Cut

Pacific side|

* Balboa
* Albrook Airport
* Gamboa
* Panama City

Expansion|

* 2006 referendum
* Atlantic Bridge
* New Panamax / Post-Panamax

History|

| People|

* Philippe Bunau-Varilla
* Ephraim S. Claybourn
* John G. Claybourn
* William Nelson Cromwell
* David du Bose Gaillard
* George Washington Goethals
* William Crawford Gorgas
* Ferdinand de Lesseps
* John Frank Stevens

|

Construction|

* 1903 Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty
* 1921 Thomson–Urrutia Treaty
* Isthmian Canal Commission (1904–1906)
* Health measures
* Panama Canal Museum
* Box 25

US Canal Zone
(1904–1979/99)

* List of governors
* Canal Zone Police
* United States District Court for the Canal Zone
* 1977 Torrijos–Carter Treaties

Former
US military
installations

| Airfields|

* Albrook AFB
* France Field
* Howard AFB

|

Forts|

* Amador
* Clayton
* Davis
* De Lesseps
* Grant
* Gulick
* Kobbe
* Randolph
* Sherman

Ports|

* Coco Solo
* PSA Panama International Terminal

Radio|

* Galeta Island
* Balboa Naval Station

Education|

* Balboa High School

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