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Albrook Air Force Station

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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; -79.5555306
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[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]

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). 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]

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.

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