Evening star., 1940-10-07
BY WILL p. KENNEDY,
Star Staff Correspondent.

in the Western Hemisphere, two
farthermost outposts-the islands Of
st. Thomas and Puerto Rico-both
acquired as a result OF war expert
ences during the ,ass half century,
are being intensively developed.
St. Thomas, with St. John, st
Croix and some so rocky pin-dot;
in the semicircle of Leeward anc
WindWard Islands. we're purchased
by the United States from Depmark
in 1917, following the World War
for S25 .O0O0 900.
Puerto Rico, the 10O-mile- long
tropical island discovered by Co.
lumbus in 1893, commanding both
the Mona and Anegada Passages tc
the Caribbean Sea ana the Panama
Canal, was ceded tc the United
States by Spain as q result of the
! SpanishAmerican War in 1S98
Fleet Base Is Planned.
Between these two it is anticipated
that the United States will estab-
lish an impregnable fleet base, COM
manding the greatest naval empire
In all history. The initial project
is scheduled as bleakwater be-
tween Puerto Rico, Culebra and Vie
ques Islands. at a cost of approx
mately S50,0O0,000
On St. Thomas and Puerto Rice
are being built strongholGS for both
scout and striking forces of the
Navy, Army and Marine Corps
particularly aviation bases for al
three branches and a submarine
base There is close coordination
Of all these facilities which will ex-
tend their activities. il: connection
with the eight recently acquired
bases on British islands, to maintain
a constant vigllant patrol of the
waters far out to sea along the
entire stretch of the Western Heml-
sphere.
Although the United States pur-
chased the Virgin Islands in 1917
as vitally important defense sta
ton historically recognized since
Civil War days, nathing was done
toward defense establishments until
1885, when President Roosevelt per-
sonally ordered the establishment
of Marine Corps air base and a
submarine base. The Marine base
Is a permanent station, placed be-
fore the war started in Europe. 1t
has been built up from a mangrove
swamp, about two miles out of Char
lotte Amalie-theonly off-shore Ma
rine base of the United States.
Squadron Is Transferred.
On February 27, 1886. a squadron
of ia officers and enlisted men was
transferred from the Marine Bar
racks, Quantico. Va, to Bourne
Field, Charlotte Amalie, V. I. There
as Base Air Detachment 3, it op-
Grated as an independent unit of
the Fleet Marine Force. In 1889
Its designation was changed to Base
Air Detachment and its complement
increased to 140 officers and en-
listed men. 1t comes under the 10th
Naval District Work is now going
forward at Bourne Field to ac-
commodate an important contem-
plated increase in the Marine Avia-
ton facilities and personnel. The
1941 Defense Act, of June 26. 1910
provided an appropriation Of 81 ,500,-
900 for aviation shore facilities. in
Guiding buildings and accessories
The 1941 Supplemental Appropria-
ton Act provides an additional ap-
preparation of S542 900 for gasoline
storage, pump houses, supply lines
quarters for officers and men, filling
q lagoon, a Seaplane hangar, bomb
sight storehouse and shop building
The air field runway has been
lengthened to more than 5000 feet
and broadened. Water facilities have
been improved and increased. Off
GERS quarters are being erected. Am
munition and bomb storage facili-
ties are we'll along. A new ramp
for operation of seaplanes will soon
be in use. as we'll as new admins
tration building and sick bay" with
an increase in housing for enlisted
men. 1t. Col F.. Ovid Rogers is in
command of the Bourne Field Sta
ton.
Started as P. w. A. Project.
The submarine base was started
as a P. w. A. project year age
last June by a grant Of $3.50 .00C
from Secretary Ickes at the solicita-
ton of Gov. Larence w. Cramer
at an old Navy Yard which had
not been in use for more than lC
years Since then, two additional
allotments of S104,000 and $4,000
were made. Then came special
defense appropriation Of 100000
ST. CroiX Island is to have ar
Army Air Corps station, which is
being built from a S550000 appro-
priation, with Col. J. F. c. Hyde in
charge
With this substantially fortified
outpost in the Virgin Islands the
real center of defense in the Carib-
bean is being rushed on Puerto
Rico. Admiral William D. Leahy is
Governor and is keeping President
Roosevelt and the defense strategists
in Washington closely informed OF
developments. Cooperating with
him are Brig. Gen. Edmund l.
Daley, commanding the Puerto
Rican Department. and Rear Ad-
miral Raymond Spruance, COM
mandant of the new naval district
created last January l. The Cover
nor's palace is La Fortaleza, the first
real fortification in San Juan, start
ed in 1888 and completed in 154O
which is now being thoroughly re-
constructed as a $500,000 w. P. A
project. Gen. Daley occupies Casa
Blanca, the oldest residence con-
tinually occupied on the western
hemisphere, built as the home o1
the conqueror and first Governor
Juan Ponce de Leon. The generals
headquarters are in the old Santf