Evening star., 1941-02-02
Puerto Rico Is Made
Pivot for Defense
OF Caribbean
Military Setup on
Island Broodened
To Include Air Arm
BY DEVON FRANCIS,

BY DEVON FRANCIS,
Associated Press Aviation Editor.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico.-The
United States armed services are
building a fire department in Puerto
Rico, designed to cope with military
blaZes throughout the Caribbean
area and, if necessary, in South
America.
In terms of our defense needs,
the work has only begun.
Months are expected to elapse be-
fore the Navy permanently assigns
to Puerto Rico the patrol squadrons
and the aircraft carrier groups
which are planned.
AS in the United States, the Army
Air Corps projects are considerably
behind the schedule worked out last
fall. They cover two air bases and
the arming of $4,000 troops.
But eventually Puerto Rico, one
Of the prettiest islands of the
Greater Antilles group inclosing the
Caribbean, is destined to become
the main pivot of the mid-ocean
defense scheme in this area of the
Atlantic.
Other pivots will be Bermuda, the
Bahamas, st. Thomas, Antigua, st.
Lucia and Trinidad.
Function Being Broadened.
The military establishment on
Puerto Rico, which has the length
of New York's more familiar Long
Island but twice the width, started
out as one for the defense of the
colony itself. Gradually its func-
ton is being broadened to include
participation in the air defense of
the whole southeastern part of the
United States and the Panama
Canal
In essence, the military problem
OF the United States, somewhat SIM
plified by the acquisition of bases
from Great Britain, is the defense
of Puerto Rico.
To military men it is inconceiv-
stands, any of the other islands in
the Antilles could be occupied by
an enemy.
If Puerto Rico should fall, the
Panama Canal, about 1900 miles
away, might be subjected to dev-
astating air attacks. In the ab-
sence of a two-ocean Navy, that
would render defense of the North
American Continent-not to men,
ton that of South America-criti-
cal.
Radius of 1000 Miles.
Heavy bombardment planes based
here by the Army, and patrol bomb
ers by the Navy, will have a radius
of action of at least 1000 miles. A
circle with that radius drawn from
here would reach almost to Florida
the Canal, the British possession of
Trinidad and 1000 miles into the
open ocean to the east.
1t is easy for the visitor to over
estimate the amount of work already
accomplished here, just as easy to
underestimate the magnitude of the
job. Including w. P. A. funds, the
United States has spent some $780,
100000 in Puerto Rico in the last
eight years. g.,,,
A total of $60,0O0,000 has been al
located to strengthening the defen-
sive establishment.
An air base originally developed
by Pan American Airways, in eX-
tending its network of airlines
throughout Latin America, has been
taken over by the Navy. Here fa-
cilities will be provided for the fuel
ing and maintenance of both patrol
bombers and the 150-odd planes
normally based on carriers.
Airdromes Developed.
The Army is developing the Bour-
h1quen and Ponce Airdromes and
half dozen auxiliary fields. At
Bourinquen an eventual force of 500
officers and 5000 men will be sta
toned. They will man a heavy
and medium bombardment group
two reconnaissance squadrons and
various auxiliary units.
The Ponce field will have a COM
plement of almost 200 officers and
1000 men, manning pursuit group
an observation squadron and an
air base group.
The development of air fields is
predicated on the military formula
Of convenience and dispersion. Dis
persion is being practiced in the
European war, where both German
and British air forces are divided up
among a large number of fields to
present less of target to the enemy.
Six of the auxiliary fields being
prepared for convenience and dis
persion are in Puerto Rico proper,
one. on the island of st. Croix, 40
miles southeast, in the Virgin
Islands group.
Greater Mobility.
In addition to giving the war
planes assigned here measure of
safety the air field system will serve
the further purpose of providing
the entire Air Corps contingent in
the Caribbean area with greater
mobility.
Airplanes must have fuel, bombs,
bullets and shells and maintenance
facilities. Puerto Rico will be one
of the major depots in the Carib-
bean air defense scheme. Planes
from other bases can be concen-
trated here in event of a threat to
Puerto Rico's safety.
Amajor concern of both the Army
and Navy is the possibility of an
enemy's attempting a coup by air
power.
Ground troops and bombers are
intended to prevent such an at
tempt.
Currently only obsolescent types of
Air Corps planes, and those in small
numbers. are based in Puerto Rico.
They will be replaced when the
stepped-up production of American
aircraft factories will permit.