NAVY DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
WASHINGTON
MEMORANDUM TO THE PRESIDENT
Subject: Inspection trip to the Canal Zone, Galapagos, and
Cocos, March 6-28, 1942.
Enclosure: (A) Track Chart of Air Patrols.
(B) Diagram.
(C) Photos.
1. In accordance with orders, I have visited the
following:-
Balboa, C.Z. -- Headquarters of Caribbean Defense
Command, and of Fifteenth Naval District.
Coco Solo, C.Z. -- Naval Air Station, Submarine
Base.
Galapagos -- Army and Navy Advance Air Bases.
Salinas, Ecuador --- Army and Navy Advance Air
Bases.
Cocos Island-- Future Base for Motor Torpedo
Boats.
Gulf of Fonseca -- Navy Sea-plane Base.
Guatemala City -- Army Advance Air Base.
All travel was by air. At every place visited I conferred with the senior
officers present and in addition I sought facts and opinions from all
reliable sources. I submit herewith briefly my conclusions:-
SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS
Paramount Duty
The most important present task of the Army and Navy in the Canal Zone is
to defeat any attempted bombing attack on the Panama Canal. Such an attack
from the Pacific side most probably would come from enemy carriers,
launching their planes during bright moonlight and at a distance up to
possibly 700 miles from the Canal. Dangers from submarine raids are
secondary.
Paramount Duty (continued)
To insure the defeat of such a bombing attack, the enemy carriers must be
discovered during daylight of the day preceding the attempted assault. This
means, roughly, in the area between the 800 mile and the ll00 mile circles.
See diagram.
The patrolling of this vast expanse of ocean can only be done effectively
by long range planes.
Consequently the maintenance of this patrol on the Panama Sea Frontier is
the most vital part of the war effort of the Army and Navy forces in the
Canal Zone.
Army. -- Under the aggressive leadership of Lieutenant General F. M.
Andrews, USA, Commanding General, Caribbean Defense Command, the Army is
doing a fine job. The personnel from top to bottom is grimly earnest and
alive to the realities of the war situation and the importance of the tasks
assigned to them.
Navy. -- The Navy's war efforts, in some
respects, have been sluggish because of lack of virile leadership. Lack of
effective cooperation with the Army was evident.
Rear Admiral F. H. Sadler, USN, Commandant, Fifteenth Naval District, has
been ordered relieved of his command. His successor, Rear Admiral Clifford
Van Hook, USN, is an able, younger officer who has proven his ability to
cooperate with the Army.
Aviation. -- The organization of Naval aviation activities in the
Fifteenth Naval District is neither logical nor workable. Recommendations
made by me to the present Commandant were summarily rejected by Admiral
Sadler on the grounds - among others - that to accept them would aid the
Army in its alleged plot to gain and retain control of Naval aviation.
Admiral Van Hook will correct this situation immediately upon taking
command.
It is a pleasure to report that the high efficiency and splendid
cooperation of Patrol Wing Three and its dynamic commander, Commander
Arthur Gavin, USN, were highly praised by Generals Andrews, Johnson
and Lyons.
-2-
Aviation (continued)
The Army Air Force also is on its toes. However, its tremendous expansion
has necessarily diluted the skilled personnel to a greater extent than is
yet the case in Naval aviation, and, in consequence, the Army is
experiencing more difficulties in maintenance and upkeep.
ADVANCE AIR BASES.
Cocos. -- Except for being sighted twice
daily by patrol planes, no surveillance over, or use of Cocos was in
effect when I arrived.
As of today, a striking force of four submarines is basing for patrol
intervals of two weeks on Cocos. Also, 8 tuna boats are now stationed
on a North-South line just west of Cocos to serve as aircraft warning
posts.
About July 1st a squadron of motor torpedo boats with a tender will be
stationed at Cocos. By July 1st the Army expects to have in operation a
long range Radar installation on Cocos, and this will carry with it a
radio set and personnel so that there will then be a small shore-based
force on the Island. Navy aviators were unanimous in their opinions that
seaplanes could not be based at Cocos except at irregular intervals.
From my personal experience I concur in this opinion.
Galapagos. -- By May 1st the Army will have a fully fortified
and equipped Advance Air Base on Seymour Island with approximately 1500
troops, one squadron of "Flying Fortresses" and one squadron of pursuit
planes. Small dispersion air fields on other islands are under consider-
ation by the Army. The Navy bungled its job in setting up a Seaplane Base
on North Seymour Island. However, I persuaded the Commandant to discard
his original plan and to take steps to get the Navy base properly and
promptly implemented. By July 1st there will be facilities to support the
operations of two squadrons of PBY's at the Navy base. A converted
destroyer now serves as tender.
The Navy also plans to install a fuel oil depot, probably on Charles
Island, so that cruisers, and destroyers on convoy or patrol duty can
top-off their fuel tanks without returning to Balboa.
-3-
Galapagos (continued)
Two long range Radar installations will be made on other islands in the
Galapagos.
It is planned to base one squadron of motor torpedo boats with tender in
the Galapagos by May 1st.
In view of the air patrols now in effect which cover parts of the
Archipelago every day, the further air patrols to be inaugurated upon the
completion of the Air Bases on Seymour Island, the basing in the Galapagos
in the near future of a squadron of 12 motor torpedo boats, and the
installing of two Radar stations (with radio), there appears to be no
urgent need of lookout posts on shore or the employment of fishing craft
to supplement the present surveillance.
Salinas, Ecuador. -- The Army is building an Advance Air Base to support
two squadrons of "Flying Fortresses" and two pursuit squadrons. The work
is well advanced: there are nearly 1000 troops there now, 6 inch guns are
mounted; there is a Radar installation, and 8 heavy bombers and 8 pursuit
ships are operating regularly from this Base.
The Navy's Seaplane Base will not be completed until June at which time two
squadrons of PBY's can be handled. In the meantime, a converted destroyer
serves as a seaplane tender at Salinas.
Gulf of Fonseca -- The Navy has established a small Seaplane Base here
that can serve as an over-right refueling stop. Further development must be
done to make this a secondary operating base for either seaplanes or motor
torpedo boats.
Guatemala City. -- The Army is enlarging the airport there, and is now
operating 12 heavy bombardment type planes and 8 observation and pursuit
planes from this field, An emergency landing field for the Army's use is
being built at San Jose on the Pacific Coast of Guatemala.
AIR PATROL OPERATIONS -- At present the air patrol in the Panama Sea
Frontier, Pacific Sector, is being carried on by 24 Navy PBY's and 20 Army
B-17's and LB-30s.
-4-
AIR PATROL OPERATIONS (Continued)
8 Navy planes and 7 Army planes are on patrol every day as shown on
attached track chart. The Army states that not less than 70 planes
of the B-17 or PBY types are needed to maintain an effective patrol.
During the next 6 months the Army is scheduled to receive at Panama
an additional 29 such planes and the Navy 12.
The Army hopes to have additional heavy bombers to use as a striking
force and for training purposes. The Navy is seeking large landplanes
to use in lieu of flying boats. There is no doubt of the superiority
of the B-17 type over the PBY type and it would seem logical to provide
the Naval aviators with some landplanes so that the best planes could
be utilized by the men best trained to operate over the ocean.
MOTOR TORPEDO BOATS -- There is one squadron of motor torpedo boats
now based in the Perlas Islands. When this squadron's tender, the USS
NIAGARA, arrives this month the squadron will be moved out to the
Galapagos. Additional squadrons with tenders are expected during the
next few months and will be stationed at Cocos, Salinas, and the Gulf
of Fonseca.
These squadrons will constitute a powerfully effective and speedy
striking force on the Panama Sea Frontier for use particularly against
enemy carriers at night.
Respectfully
Paul F. Foster,
Commander, U.S.N.R.
-5-
AIRPLANE COMMANDER'S REPORT
Reconnaissance and Patrol Missions
Unit________________ Date________________
1. Indicate on map on reverse side point and time of take off and landing,
track of airplane to include latitude, longitude, and time of
all turning points, hourly positions, positions of air and surface craft
sighted, bad weather areas, and mean altitude of each leg of track.
2. Were messages sent or received? __________ Attach copies of all
messages.
3. In event of combat action, submit detailed report to include injuries
and damage received and inflicted on enemy, ammunition expended,
performance, characteristics and tactics of enemy. See Form F, Field
Manual 1-40.
NARRATIVE ACCOUNTS WILL BE MADE HEREON OF THE FOLLOWING:
4. Observations enroute description, position, and time of all surface and
air craft seen.
5. General weather conditions. Show bad weather areas and resultant change
of course on map.
6. Difficulties experienced.
7. Remarks. Use additional sheets if necessary.
Signed__________________________________
Airplane Commander