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truetrini

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Offline Jumbie

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2012, 01:39:21 PM »
Sir I have a question. When the yanks were here in TandT, did any famous battle ships or Subs make call? What were the official number of Yanks (service people) here at the peak?

truetrini

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2012, 12:28:04 AM »
December 2, 1942, USS Asterion got underway for Trinidad, BWI, via Old Bahama Channel, following Trinidad convoy routes, including patrols westward of Aruba, The ship was fueled at NOB Trinidad. Bearing repairs, of serious nature, resulted in the delay of sailing from Trinidad from December 12th until December 26th, when USS Asterion departed Trinidad en route for New York, arriving January 10, 1943.

http://www.history.navy.mil/museums/seabee/UnitListPages/cbmu/CBMU%20559.pdf

I know USS Dorado (SS-258) was in T&T that is a sub.

Air Craft Carrier  USS Ranger CV4

USS Oklahoma City  CL-91

USS AUCILLA (AO-56)  visited T&T.  You have to remember that T&T was the main base in the Caribbean before Puerto Rico.


USS Abbot DD629 was also in T&T.  Jumbie to tell you the truth MANY US vessel and aircraft sialed into T&T...the war was happening just off T&T in the south atlantic yes.  Convoys leaving POS were threatened by german U boats and had to have escorts also.  There was an estimated 9 German subs operating daily in T&T waters,  In sept 1942, 24 sinkings, 8 in October and 5 in December

Trinidad had real, real action off shore during the WWII!  Real excitement for true...lol

Bauxite was a main target and if yuh remember ALcan in carenage was a storage depot! 

On 16 October 1942, USS Big Horn (AO-45/IX-207) sailed in convoy T-19 from Trinidad to the point of separation. That same afternoon, three U-boats attacked the convoy, and at 15:20 in 11°00′N 61°10′W / 11°N 61.167°W / 11; -61.167, the British steamer SS Castle Harbour was hit on the starboard side by a torpedo and sank in less than two minutes. (Big Horn was attached to NOB Trinidad)

At almost the same time the United States steamer Winona, coal-laden, was struck forward on the starboard side. Later she limped into Trinidad.

Soon afterwards, lookouts on Big Horn sighted a U-boat  moving at periscope depth on the port beam, but in such a position that no action could be taken without damaging the United States troopship Mexico or the Egyptian ship Raz El Farog.

At 16:27, lookouts on Big Horn  again sighted a periscope and conning tower, on the port side, and her four-inch (100 mm) gun was trained in that direction just as a submarine chaser crossed through the line of fire and dropped five depth charges.

Thereafter, the cruise in these waters was continued without incident for several days and Big Horn returned to NOB Trinidad about 29 October.

« Last Edit: February 25, 2012, 01:15:45 AM by truetrini SC »

truetrini

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2012, 12:28:12 AM »
S.S. TOPA TOPA AMERICAN TORPEDOED AND SUNK 29 AUGUST 0100Z.  POSITION 10-16
NORHT 51-30 WEST.  35 SURVIVORS OF 61 CREW PASSENGERS AND ARMED GUARD LANDED
HERE ALL AMERICAN.  7 ARMED GUARD AMERICAN, 18 CREW AMERICAN, 1 BRITISH MISSING
AND PRESUMED DEAD.  CODES IN LOCKER DOWN WITH SHIP.  ATTACKED BY 2 SUBMARINES.

DISTRIBUTION
ACT:  COMINCH...
10/11...16...20G...F37....39...00R...20K...23...20P...20Q...OPDO
FILE:   20-OP...

1st Endorsement
U.S. Naval Operating Base
Trinidad, B.W.I

TB33/A16-3
Serial                     September 6, 1942


From:      The Commandant.
To:         Commander in Chief, United States Fleet.

Via:         Commandant, Tenth Naval District.

Subject:      S.S. Topa Topa, Sinking of.


1.   Forwarded.

2.   It is suggested that paragraph 8 of basic letter be brought to the
attention of the Navy Department Permanent Board of Awards.

            J.B. OLDENDORF


TENTH NAVAL DISTRICT
HEADQUARTERS
San Juan, P.R.
A16-3/P15                        SAC/oma
Serial CCSF 0279
SECOND ENDORSEMENT               10 September 1942.

From:      Commander, Caribbean Sea Frontier
To:         Commander in Chief, United States Fleet

Subject:      S.S. Topa Topa, sinking of

1.   Forwarded

2.   The Commandant Caribbean Sea Frontier concurs in paragraph two of the
first endorsement.

3.   It will be noted that paragraph 8 of the basic letter states that
statements of Hyatt's actions shall be turned over to the proper authorities. 
No mention of statements in regard to actions of other personnel is made.

               S.A. Clement
               Captain, U.S.N.
               Chief of Staff


U.S. NAVAL OPERATING BASE
TRINIDAD. B.W.I.

NB33/A16-3                  September, 4, 1942

CONFIDENTIAL

From:      Armed Guard Commander, S.S. Topa Topa.
To:         Commander in Chief, United States Fleet.

Via:         (1) Commandant, Tenth Naval District.
         (2) Commandant, N.O.B. Trinidad.

Subject:      S.S. Topa Topa, sinking of.

1.   The S.S Topa Topa was torpedoed without warning at 2100 August 28, 1942,
60th Meridian Time, while enroute from New York to Takoradi, West Africa, in
position approximately 10-16-30 North and 51-30 West.

2.   The Topa Topa departed Port of Spain, in convoy, on morning of August 26. 
Depth charges were dropped by escort during the day and night of August 27th. 
At approximately 0600, August 28th, the escort departed and the convoy dispersed. 
We then started zig-zagging with a mean course 091 true.  We increased speed
to about 11.5 knots and started smoking heavily.  In the afternoon the smoking
continued, extremely dense and black, and I, personally went to the Captain,
telling him that we would be hit that night if there were a submarine within
a 35 mile radius.  I even suggested slowing to 10 knots on the morrow if the
smoke were not discontinued.

3.   At about 1900 we stopped zig-zagging and hauled left 30( on an evasive
course.  At about 2000 we again went to 091( true and the Captain was waiting
for moonrise to resume zig-zagging.

4.   At about 2100 we were hit in the #2 hold on starboard side, in which
there was about 2000 drums of aviation gasoline.  The starboard side of the
bridge was blown off and the ship was engulfed in flames forward.  I was
knocked down and dazed in the wheelhouse, which was a steel box (splinter
protection).  Incidentally, this saved the lives of the helmsman and myself. 
At about 10 seconds later a second torpedo hit in No. 5 hold on starboard side,
in which there was also aviation gas in large quantity.  This caused the after
half of the ship to be engulfed in flames.  There was no time for any orders
nor was there any means of issuing any.  The Captain and officer on watch had
been killed on the starboard wing of the bridge instantly.

5.   Only one boat was lowered without mishap and this must have been done
in 10 seconds.  As we were pulling clear of the flames, we heard screams of
those burning on the ship and in the water.  We looked for anyone who might
be seen, but saw no one.  It was a dark cloudy night and had commenced to
rain just prior to the first torpedo.  It was also lightening.

6.   As we drifted away from the blazing wreck a large sub bumped our boat
and circled and came back and asked for the Captain.  As he wasn't in the boat,
the Officer said, "One of you come aboard".  The Chief Mate went on board and
we were told to remain alongside.  Three of the officers, in southwesters,
hip boots, and rain clothes made various remarks.  One told us in a question
that we were out of Trinidad bound for Freetown.  One said we would now get
$500 and a month's rest!  Another asked if we had water and could make land. 
This was all spoken in English with a German accent.  I took particular note
of the submarine, which had what I believe to have been a 6: gun forward and
a 4" gun aft.  I am positive that the after gun was larger than any 3" gun we
have.  The submarine was painted silver.  Many members of the boat saw a
second submarine.  I did not.

7.   Of fourteen members of the Armed Guard and myself, seven were killed
or drowned and two were injured (burned).  We were in the boats until around
1200, August 30, at which time we were picked up by the Clan Macinnes, Captain
A. Lynch, Commanding.  Of the merchant personnel, eighteen were lost.

8.   The U.S.N personnel acquitted themselves well in every instance.  One
Navy man, Hyatt, who was clear of the flames and in the water, swam back to a
drowning gun crew member, Evans, took off his life jacket and a third man,
evidently drowning, took hold.  In the ensuing struggle all were drowned. 
I recommend and award for this man whose previous conduct was unexcelled. 
Another member of the naval gun crew let a merchant seaman hang onto him until
they found a boat.  Another naval gunner, George Hoy, tried to save Cox Smith
and was severely burned.  However, there were no witnesses to this.  In the
boats, Hoy and Patton, both badly burned, never complained once.  This should
go into their records.  I have signed statements as to Hyatt's actions which
shall be turned over to the proper Naval Authorities.

            LT. (jg) John L. Ridenour

truetrini

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2012, 12:35:49 AM »

he XPBM-1 prototype flying-boat patrol bomber
This aircraft was found in T&T as well as Gitmo and Caribbean

truetrini

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2012, 12:38:01 AM »
There was a lot of sub marine action off of T&T and Guyana  German U boats

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/31/a4167731.shtml

truetrini

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2012, 12:53:18 AM »
Did you know that US President Harry Truman visited Piarco/Trinidad in 1948?

Waller Field was a US air base?  was the largest and busiest in the world at one time?

Trinidadians served in the Europe during the war as pilots and did so gallantly, in fact these intrepid fighter pilots made T&T  a must visit place for other aviators?

That Sea Planes came in at Cocorite?

These are the names of a few pilots:  There is Fernand Farfan, he flew Spitfires in the Middle Esat and had been trained at Piarco.

He joined the Air Force in 1941, Farfan and then he took part in that famous battle at the Falaise Gap.

He returned home as the first local pilot to fly for BWIA.

Then there is a certain Philip Kelshall.  This man flew Mosquito fighters on night missions over London.  This was done to surprise the intruders(Germans) and this was really considered very perilous. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.

Kelshall also served with the 29th Nightfighter Squadron. When his time was up and his enlistment over, he returned to Trinidad in July 1946 to become the second local pilot for BWIA.

Then there was Esmond Farfan who came home to Trinidad at the end of the war.   He had piloted as Captain the HUGE Lancaster bomber over the shrapnel-filled sky of Berlin. He witnessed the fires of Stuttgart and Darmstadt and he too got the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Esmond was to become BWIA’s third local pilot and served the airline for 33 years.




truetrini

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2012, 01:18:40 AM »
VP-48, VPMS-8 and VPB-208  Naval Air Station Trinidad  All Squadrons attached to T&T

Then there were the USMC and SeaBee  559 Maintenance Unit there.

The US Naval Forces Southern Command was established on February 18, 2000 with its headquarters Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. USNAVSO consolidated the Navy's Commander, Western Hemisphere Group formerly at Mayport, Florida, and the Commander, South Atlantic Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (COMSOLANT). The headquarters was moved to Naval Station Mayport, Florida in 2004.

COMUSNAVSO was built around the core of COMSOLANT, that was established on June 1, 1958 with headquarters in Trinidad and Tobago (Chaguaramas, Trinidad). When the Naval Station in Trinidad was closed in 1967, COMSOLANT moved to Naval Station San Juan, Puerto Rico.

« Last Edit: February 25, 2012, 03:48:49 PM by truetrini SC »

Offline Jumbie

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2012, 11:08:47 AM »
Much appreciated.. you're doing a great service here with all the historical info.

Let me know when you're ready to add some insight on the cooking site as far as the fusion of our food, the major influences and the contribution of the native indians... that may make for a wonderful series.

truetrini

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2012, 03:35:03 PM »
http://www.chagdev.com/Pages/Chag-HistoryAmerican.htm

 The strategic position of Chaguaramas came into prominence when the area became one of the famed “destroyer bases” in 1941. the British government in exchange for fifty over age destroyers, surrendered eight bases to the united states government. Chaguaramas then became a united states naval base and came into  full operation in 1943. the importance of Chaguaramas to the world war II effort was even greater increased with the construction in 1966 of one of the eight Omega navigation systems in the world
           
The United States  arrived in Trinidad on the 10th October, 1940 on the USS St. Louis. They had arrived in relation to the agreement of 2nd September, 1940, concerning  naval and air bases. Instantly on their arrival Admiral Greenslade and General Deevers, the head of the military side of the mission met with Governor Hubert Young and his Colonial Secretary.
     

The Governor specified to the Americans that he had previously received an outline of the facility which was anticipated to be asked for in Trinidad. It became reasonably clear from very early that the Americans did not consider the object of the assignment as the pursuit of a naval and air base for the United States in a fraction of the British Empire for the security of the British Empire but supplementary so as that of a naval military and air base in an outlying island, the South American continent for the protection of which the United States government would presume responsibility and which was to serve, if essential, as a jumping off ground for operations by the United States army . One of the undertakings subsequently said that the United States considered Trinidad alone as valued comparable to 40 of the 50 destroyers that had been handed over by the United Stated government in deliberation of the bases and facility given to them by the agreement of the 2nd September.

The admiral admitted that Trinidad is not essential for the protection of the Panama Canal but as an advanced base in the direction of South America.

Groundwork of the site for the naval base and air station commenced on March 1st, 1941, and ceremonial possession took place by 31st March. Installations were recognized in about 3 months time. The base was commissioned on Friday, 1st June, 1941.

The right to evict people off the peninsula was given to the Americans by the Lease Land Agreement, the Defense Regulations, and by the Trinidad Base Agreement. Governor Young disagreed with the Americans quite a lot of times, not only on the concern of the villagers having to depart from Chaguaramas, but on the subject of the bathing beaches being put out of limits to holiday seekers and common villages. He did not like the idea of the Americans having Chaguaramas and wanted them to develop the Caroni Swamp instead and establish a base there He was overridden and ultimately sent home to England.
     

On February 23rd, 1941, the government set up a resettlement group to facilitate the villagers. On March 14th, 1941, the last 25 families in the district called Nicholas were given three months to find other homes. By the beginning of December 1941, Staubles Bay was sealed off and later the same month Tetron Bay. Notices to Quit were handed to Tetron residents in mid-December. Some of the residents of Nicholas and Tetron Bay were resettled in Carenage. Others moved to Diego Martin and Port-of-Spain, and especially to St. James.

The year 1942 began with Chaguaramas in the role of a military base. Native homes had all been demolished, beach clubs and holiday homes were closed down. In 1943 and 1944 Chaguaramas base was a full military area with the North/West peninsula strictly prohibited to the public.
 
     

During the second World War, United States bases were place in strategic positions in an arc stretching from Argentina, New Foundland in the North to Trinidad in the South. Trinidad commanded a exposed approach to Panama Canal and South American trade routes. By 1942, Trinidad became a naval in service base, outfitted with a section base, net, supply and fuel depots, a hospital, a degaussing range (pelican island) and ship restore facilities.  Chaguaramas, north west Trinidad, was a branch of this base. Nevertheless, in the agreement between the United Kingdom (for Trinidad) and the United States, precise mention is made that “the area Known as La Retraite shall be excluded”. La Retraite is also acknowledged as Stauble’s bay and was the location of the Marine Police from about 1929 – 1230.

truetrini

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #10 on: February 25, 2012, 03:39:37 PM »
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpc3wNwTWW4

Found this while hiking in Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago. It was probably built around 1941 by the US government through Roosevelt's Lend-Lease agreement. It is a BMEWS early warning radar site, missile tracking site on the U.S. Air force Eastern Test Range.

This array was part of the first operational Ballistic Missile detection system. Wikipedia describes this type of dish as "AN/FPS-92 Dish 85 feet (26 m) in diameter, installed in a large radome.

One fence antenna covered a 40-degree sector of the horizon, for a total site coverage of 120 degrees. The full BMEWS radar network became operational in the early 1960s.

Each site had dual IBM 7094 computers for signal processing and impact prediction. RCA manufactured and maintained the electronics utilizing an RCA 501 computer with 32k "high speed memory", 5-76KC 556 bpi 3/4" tape drives and a 200 track random access LFE drum to maintain wire connection lists at RCA's Astro Electronics Division facility in Hightstown, NJ.

Every wire was able to be traced from origin to destination with software and the weight of the cable interconnecting cabinets was automatically calculated by an RCA 501 machine language program named "signal path" written by Robert Goerss, computing facility director."

The site has been abandoned since the 1960's (I don't know exactly when). Inside, I found unopened MRE's.

« Last Edit: February 25, 2012, 03:50:35 PM by truetrini SC »

truetrini

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2012, 03:42:04 PM »
http://legacy.guardian.co.tt/archives/2006-04-23/overand_padmore.html

Williams stood for sovereignty

This 50th anniversary year of the founding of the PNM is an appropriate time, through occasional articles, to refresh T&T’s memory and to enlighten those, then unborn, of some of the PNM’s major positive contributions to the shaping of modern T&T.

These fundamental contributions undoubtedly explain PNM’s enduring relevance to our young country.

Yesterday, marked the 46th anniversary of the march in the rain by thousands of citizens for the return of Chaguaramas.

This march was an uncompromising statement of T&T’s nationalism; our signal to the world that we were no longer a subject people, malleable by virtue of being a colony, but rather a proud independent people, in fact, determined to make it so in law.

The struggle for Chaguaramas was a veritable David versus Goliath encounter, pitting small T&T against the mighty United States, supported by Britain.

At issue was whether Chaguaramas should become the capital of the West Indies Federation, the decision of West Indian political leaders through the Standing Federation Committee (SFC) or remain a US naval base.

The snag was that Chaguaramas was the principal US military base in the region leased to America by Britain in 1941, for 99 years, for 50 aged destroyers to assist the British war effort, during the bleak days of World War II.

Dr Eric Williams, the T&T leader, objected and abstained from voting on the SFC resolution, saying:

“It placed (him) in an impossible situation. (The PNM) had given a clear, distinct and unequivocal guarantee before our election that we would honour all international obligations, including the US bases agreement.

“The Chaguaramas base was vital for the defence of Trinidad and its oil—an important basis of federal revenue.

“If Trinidad supported the resolution, she would be exposed to the charge of using the SFC to break international commitments.”

If Trinidad opposed it, she would be suspected of trying to foist some other side upon her federal partners.”

Notwithstanding T&T’s abstention, the resolution was passed. The majority, led by Robert Bradshaw (St Kitts), Norman Manley (Jamaica) and Grantley Adams (Barbados), were determined to “press for the release of the base for the capital,” outnumbering those whose reservation concerned the fear of antagonising the US.

Dr Williams agreed to participate in the West Indian delegation as an observer. SFC members were concerned that unless there was full participation from T&T, the delegation’s prospects for success would be seriously prejudiced.

They urged T&T to reconsider. It did. Having consulted with the US and UK governments and receiving their assurances that T&T’s full participation in the federal delegation would not be regarded by them as a breach of its international pledges, T&T became a full member on the understanding, conveyed to all parties, that, as necessary, Dr Williams would make separate submissions on behalf of T&T.

Significantly, the SFC was initially more aggressive in pursuit of the return of Chaguaramas than the newly-elected and more prudent PNM government, concerned as it obviously was with projecting an image of responsibility that T&T’s government does not break its pledges with impunity.

The seeds of the acrimony that developed in these negotiations were sown from the very outset, because of the pre-emptory manner adopted by both the US and UK at the initial talks in London in July, 1957.

Manley, the West Indian leader, presenting the case for Chaguaramas, was inviting the US to facilitate the aspirations of worthy neighbours about to undertake the task of democratic nation-building.

The US, in response, was unmoved and inflexible. The naval base could not be released; its capabilities were essential on military and economic grounds.

The former Federal Deputy Governor General, John Mordecai’s chronicle of these proceedings described the US as laying it down, not bargaining.

Moreover, he described the attitude of the British chairman as a sly baiting of the West Indians.

This was too much for Dr Williams who, Mordecai said, at this point: “broke his angry silence and altered the entire tenor of the meeting, shattering the complacency of the American delegation.

“Dr Williams was now launched on a fundamental change in his approach to Chaguaramas for which, prior to going public with it, he prudently sought and received PNM’s endorsement by a convention resolution.

“Dr Williams’ profound attitudinal change was dictated by extremely diligent research of T&T’s government files—some reaching him in London mere hours before the conference began.

“The colonial Governor was resolutely opposed to the lease and its terms; too much land was being alienated to the US military. He suggested locating the base where it would contribute to T&T’s development, example, the Caroni Swamp region.”

The Governor’s powerful pro-T&T stand led Dr Williams to condemn the entire moral basis of the bases agreement, noting that it had never been sanctioned by T&T legislation.

Dr Williams, in Mordecai’s account, insisted that a small country, then, had been callously “bulldozed” by two mighty powers who were again using the same methods to perpetuate an international outrage.

Regardless of the military considerations, Dr Williams described the proposed US stand as untenable.

The intensity of Williams’ intervention produced the first cracks in the hitherto unified West Indian approach.

This wholly unanticipated impasse was temporarily resolved by the establishment of a joint commission of technical experts to consider the West Indian request, taking into full account military and economic considerations.

This is how Williams described this development:

“With respect to the composition of the joint commission, I advocated representation of T&T as of right and was unable to accept counter proposals for the inclusion of T&T, either on the UK team or on the Federal team.

“My Federal colleagues, whose recognition at all times of Trinidad’s overriding interests in the matter I gratefully acknowledge, unambiguously endorsed my proposal for a four-power commission and my declaration that hereafter not one square foot of the soil of T&T will be alienated to anybody for any reason without the free and full consent of the elected ministers of the people of Trinidad and Tobago responsible to this honourable council and to the people themselves.”

Chaguaramas for Williams was clearly an issue of nationalism and sovereignty; T&T’s and The West Indies’.

truetrini

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2012, 03:43:44 PM »
Chaguaramas is the place where the Treaty of Chaguaramas was signed, establishing CARICOM, the Caribbean Community on July 4, 1973.

In 1941, Chaguaramas was leased to the US Government for 99 years. The 99-year lease would have ended in 2040. But with the end of World War II, Dr Williams insisted that the US leave.

Our late Prime Minister, led thousands of people against the American occupation of the area. That Walk for Chaguaramas aroused nationalist sentiments and set in train a series of events that forced the US to leave. The US Government agreed to close the Naval Base and handed over the peninsula to the people of Trinidad and Tobago in 1967.

Most people know that Sparrow's Jean and Dinah was inspired by the presence of US soldiers in Trinidad. But few know that Lord Invader's (Rupert Westmore Grant) Rum and Coca Cola, first sung at Club Versailles, New York and later made popular by the Andrews Sisters, was a composition arising from the social upheaval caused by the arrival of US marines in Chaguaramas.

Because of its strategic, geographic location, the British Government leased Chaguaramas to the US Government for use as a Naval Base. The US naval base came to be known as the Chaguaramas Naval Base. At its peak, during World War II, there were some 30,000 resident US troops based in Chaguaramas.

In 1813, Venezuela was invaded from Chacachacare Island. The invasion was orchestrated form Chacahacare island under the leadership of Santiago Marino, a Venezuelan patriot

truetrini

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #13 on: February 25, 2012, 03:45:30 PM »
During the Cuban Blockade the Mux patrolled the Anegada Passage, which is between the British Virgin Islands and the island of Angilla. The Mux contacted 55 ships during the 9 days she was on station. Also Task Force 137, of which the Mux was flagship for Admiral Tyree, included 11 ships from 6 OAS nations (including the US), many of these ship/subs we had exercised with during Unitas III. The total ship contacts for TF 137 was 153. Also, the reason Mux went to Callao, (Lima) Peru was to drop off Tyree so he could fly back to Trinidad to establish TF 137 and make quarantine plans.

truetrini

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2012, 04:05:38 PM »
Hear nah, Williams real rough up the yankees yuh know. 

Williams advocated the American withdrawal from T&T for 10 years, yet he had agreed to renew the lease for Chaguarams for 300 million US for a 5 year period.  Vital funds for T&T at the time.

The US Commander R Kaye said the base had contributed to Trinidad's economic stability and possibly its politically stability.

He said that is the US left it might expose T&T to external aggression and T&T's army was only 300 men!

Hear Eric in dey pweffen:  "It's you Americans who fear aggression."  "You should move Cuba to the Pacific."  "You can do it, you are all powerful."  "But let Castro mind his business and we will mind ours."  "We wont tolerate interferences from anybody."

Eric when asked what he thought would be the ideal relationship between T&T and the USA said:  "Just leave us to our own devices and we will get along."

"We just want to be free to trade with other countries without restrictions."   "Free trade means more to us than foreign aid." "A Poor people can't pay interest on a loan however small it is."  The USA needs to end tariff regulations on Caribbean imports."

truetrini

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Re: The US Base in Tetron Chaguaramas
« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2012, 04:10:29 PM »
Venereal Disease and the US base....good article..shows how high VD was BEFORE the Yankees came!

SHows the rate of infection increased with the UK and Canadian troops!  lol...

http://uwispace.sta.uwi.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2139/11063/Article%203%20-%20VDS.pdf?sequence=1

 

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