Albrook Air Force Station

Albrook Air Force Station
Part of Air Combat Command
Located near Balboa, Panama
Albrook AFS
Coordinates 08°58′33.24″N 079°33′19.91″W / 8.9759000°N 79.5555306°W / 8.9759000; -79.5555306Coordinates: 08°58′33.24″N 079°33′19.91″W / 8.9759000°N 79.5555306°W / 8.9759000; -79.5555306
Type Military Air Force Station
Site information
Controlled by United States Air Force
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

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

Major units assigned

  • 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]
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
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

After the base was turned over to Panama and the domestic/commercial Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport was relocated to Albrook from Punta Paitilla (across Panama City) in January 1999 after refurbishing the former Air Force Base and constructing an operations/control tower and a passenger terminal (near Building 446, the hangar that previously housed the former Air Force Post Office). 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]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Albrook Air Force Station.

References

  1. 1 2 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"

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

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