, 1935-01-13
To Locate ON Gulf


The communications contained the
map shown in connection with this
article, and the argumentative mat
ter printed herewith.
The federal government has an
nounced tentative plans for estab-
fishing an aerial naval base on the
Gulf, and II is the contention Of the
Veterans OF Foreign Wars. which
has conducted an intensive cam
paign on the matter, that the tip
or Texas offers the best possible
location dive TO absence Of fogs.
strategic location. and for a variety
OF other reasons.
Mans OF the letters received here
I'm response 10 the airmail COM
municationS show the active inter-
est OF congressman, and some tx
pressed themselves in favor Of 1t
without reservations.
The brief on behalf OF location
I'm Cameron county follows:
l.-Strategic location: Located at
the southernmost point Of Texas.
Port Isabel. in the Rio Grande
Valley. Is shown Ia be ideally sit
uated for intensified training OF
aviation personnel. as well al for
testing and proving in expert
mentation Of all types OF aircraft.
As either a naval, or auxiliary land
base for Joint operations. IL would
eerve to defend both coasts OF the
United States. Central and South
America, from aggression by any
major foreign power, and Is stra-
logically located as a support base
for oil frontier air operations In
the United States and Panama.
1.-The aeronautical hub OF ma
tional defense. o. strategic radial
axis: The graphical map OF North
America illustrates the flying ra-
dii from Port Isabel TO the vital
centers Of industry and population
I'm the United States and its pos
sessions, as the aeronautical hub
or North America for defense OF
the United States. and the Panama
and Nicaragua Canal Zones.
A.-The Washineton-New Eng
land flying radii-approximately
2IlO miles-shows Port Isabel 70 be
equidistant from the mouth OF
Puget Sound and from the north
east corner Of the state OF Maine.
Continuing the radius around We
find that IL passes very neal 70
and including Porto Rico and the
Virgin Islands.
B.-The Panama Canal radn-
approximately 1915 miles-inscribes
an arc. passing through Haiti 70
the Atlantic coast OF the United
states, will enter between New
York and Philadelphia. and. x
tended n0rthwestward. through the
great steel industrial sections. the
iron mines. and near the 500 canal.
viii cross the Canadian line, the
Great Lakes inclusive, passing into
the Pacific very near San Francis
Co. the center Of population Of the
Pacific coast.
C.-The third series Of flying ra-
dii-1O55 mileS-paSSes aPproXlm-
ately $50 miles north Of the propos-
4 ed Nicaragua Canal Zone. passing
through Cuba and paralleling the
east coast Of Florida near Miami.
The arc OF this radius. extending
toward the east coast OF the United
States, passes near Savannah, Char
lesion. Atlanta, Birmingham, India
napolis. st. Louis. Springfield, Chi
caTo. Des Moines, Omaha, Leaven-
worth. Cheyenne. Denver. Phoenix,
and Yuma, and VIII approach within
200 miles of the great naval base at
San Diego, Calf. Port Isabel Is
therefore approximately mid-dis-
lance between the proposed Naval
Air Base OF Miami. Florida. and the
existing naval base at San Diego.
California. Present naval bases and
air training stations are shown.
3.-Press notices indicate that the
congress TO meet In January VIII be
prevailed upon TO appropriate al
least 5000. COG. 1000 for frontier air
bases. Strategic locations must be
found for at least twenty bases for
naval and army aviation. Port lisa
bel As herein presented as an ideal.
Am insert. taken from the
United states Geological Survey
Maps covering Cameron county. IL
illustrates the relative positions OF the
proposed air base site-Port Isabel.
Brazos-Santiago ship channel, Port
OF Brownsville ship channel, the
large expanse OF secluded water IN
the Laguna Madre for aircraft train
Ing. and the sand dunes OF Padre
Island for live bombing and gun
merry practice, the large expanse OF
sparsely settled terrain for maneu-
vcrs and joint exercises in co-ordin-
ating the navy and army advanced
training of aviation personnel. the
secluded location makes 1t particu-
larly adaptable for experimentation
work, testing and proving OF air
craft and anti-aircraft material.
4-Port of Brownsville: This is the
kew port Of entry for shipments and
other traffic from Mexico BY rail
over the Mexican National railways.
The greatest OF the international
airways. the Pan American. MAIN
tains its home base at the Browns
Vile airport.
6.-Natural features for air train
inr base: Port Isabel. with It's 70
foot ship channel through BraZoS-
Santiago pass from the Gulf o.
Mexico. affords entrance for naval
airplane carriers. and the Laguna
Madre. 100 miles long and five TO
sight miles wide. gives ample space
Am secluded quiet water for al forms
OF hydroplane and amphihian train
Inc without the Interruptions con-
geouent upon safe operation In heavy
shipping localities. Is held to DC the
ideal location for "A co-ordlnated
training base and testing and prov
inR around for all types 81 aircraft
and anti-aircraft equipment; u TOT
TIE toin. use Of the aviation sections