page_title: Panama Canal Zone
section_title: Military installations
hierarchical_section_title: Panama Canal Zone / Townships and military installations / Pacific (Gulf Coast) side / Military installations
caption_attribution_description: English: Howard Air Force Base, Canal Zone, 1990's
context_page_description: The Panama Canal Zone was an unincorporated territory of the United States from 1903 to 1979, centered on the Panama Canal and surrounded by the Republic of Panama. The zone consisted of the canal and an area generally extending five miles on each side of the centerline, excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of the Zone. Its border spanned three of Panama's provinces. When reservoirs were created to assure a steady supply of water for the locks, those lakes were included within the Zone.
  Although United States territory, the Zone did not have formal boundary restrictions on Panamanians transiting to either half of their country, or for any other visitors. A Panama Canal fence did exist along the main highway, although it was only a safety measure to separate pedestrians from traffic, and some of the U.S. territory was beyond it. In Panama City, if there were no protests interfering with movement, one could enter the Zone simply by crossing a street.
  In 1904, the Isthmian Canal Convention was proclaimed.
context_section_description: Fort Amador – on the coast, partly built on land extended into the sea using excavation materials from the canal construction
  Fort Clayton – on the east side of the canal, it was the headquarters of the 193rd Infantry and the Southern Command Network (SCN), an American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) outlet.
  Corozal Army Post – close to, but separate from, the civilian township.
  Fort Kobbe
  Rodman Naval Station (which includes the Marine Barracks)
  Albrook Air Force Base
  Howard Air Force Base
  Quarry Heights – headquarters of the United States Southern Command.
caption: Howard Air Force Base in 1970
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