Conclusion! The eyes have it.
One more from the Internet web site CNet images of abandoned military bases with my commentary.
"Eyeing the past"
During World War II, the US operated a base on Baltra in the Galapagos Islands. In 2015, you could still find one of the hundreds of buildings, ultimately redecorated by locals.
"The US Baltra Military Base During WWII"
"The Galapagos Islands were sought after by the United States since 1911, three years before the Panama Canal made the archipelago a refueling stop for ships from North America."
"The Ecuadorian government declined to lease the islands, but the advent of WWII and Pearl Harbor brought a deal between the two nations after a visit from President Roosevelt."
"In 1942, US military personal arrived from Panama, including the commanders and engineers who built the canal. The forces built their base on Baltra, quadrupling the population of the small island by the end of the year."
Never knew a U.S. military installation in the Galapagos ever existed!
1911 the object was to use such a base as a coaling station? American naval vessels at that time [before the opening of the Panama Canal] sailing from the Pacific ocean to the Atlantic or in the reverse direction the only route around Cape Horn at the bottom of South America. A laborious and time-consuming voyage, even dangerous. Refueling mandated, once at least and more likely probably twice.
World War Two the mission of the base was to protect southern approaches to the Panama Canal from attack? Very-long-range [VLR] patrol warplanes of the maritime B-24 variety based on Baltra? Japanese submarines able to launch combat warplanes to bomb the canal a possible. Read here, and here concerning VLR and the I-400 class of Japanese submarine.
coolbert.
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