Coco Solo

History

The submarine base at Coco Solo was established May 6, 1918. The site corresponds with modern-day Cativá in Panama. It was on the Atlantic Ocean (northwest) side of the Panama Canal Zone, near Colón, Panama. Five C-class submarines were based there during 1914–1919.

United States Senator John McCain was born in 1936 at a small Navy hospital, at Coco Solo Naval Air Station.

The larger Coco Solo Hospital was constructed in the summer of 1941. The area containing it was transferred from the civil part of the Panama Canal Zone to the naval part when Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8981 on December 17, 1941.

On December 7, 1941, three V-class submarines (Barracuda, Bass and Bonita) were stationed at Coco Solo. During World War II, Coco Solo also served as a Naval Air Facility, housing a squadron of United States Army Air Forces P-38 Lightning aircraft.

On October 31, 1955, a PBM-5 Mariner (registration 59232) crashed on takeoff from Coco Solo, resulting in the deaths of eight personnel. Contemporary news reports indicated a ninth person on the aircraft survived.

By the 1960s, no U.S. Navy vessels remained, only some support staff and housing. At the far end of Randolph Road was Fort Randolph, unused except for military training exercises, and where the Fort Randolph Riding Club was located as used by the Canal Zone Horsemen's Association.

Until the mid-1990s, the town site of Coco Solo was used by the civilian employees of the Panama Canal as a residential area. The nearby Galeta Island U.S. Navy communications facility continued in operation as well. After the turnover of the Panama Canal to Panamanians in 1999, US military activity ceased at both Coco Solo and Galeta Island.

Coco Solo is now the site of two container terminals: Colón Container Terminal and Manzanillo International Terminal, which is the busiest container port in Latin America.

Climate

|Jan record high C = 31.7 |Feb record high C = 30.6 |Mar record high C = 33.3 |Apr record high C = 36.1 |May record high C = 35.0 |Jun record high C = 33.9 |Jul record high C = 34.4 |Aug record high C = 33.9 |Sep record high C = 34.4 |Oct record high C = 34.4 |Nov record high C = 33.3 |Dec record high C = 31.7 |Jan record low C = 18.9 |Feb record low C = 20.6 |Mar record low C = 18.9 |Apr record low C = 19.4 |May record low C = 20.6 |Jun record low C = 21.7 |Jul record low C = 20.6 |Aug record low C = 21.1 |Sep record low C = 21.7 |Oct record low C = 21.7 |Nov record low C = 21.1 |Dec record low C = 19.4

References

References

1. Van Wyen, Adrian O.. (1969). "Naval Aviation in World War I". Chief of Naval Operations.
2. Alexander, Paul. (2002). "Man of the People: The Life of John McCain". [[John Wiley & Sons]].
3. Dobbs, Michael. (2008-05-20). "The Fact Checker: John McCain's Birthplace". [[The Washington Post]].
4. Timberg, Robert. (1999). "John McCain: An American Odyssey". [[Touchstone Books]].
5. Dobbs, Michael. (2008-05-02). "The Fact Checker: Citizen McCain". [[The Washington Post]].
6. (1941-12-17). "Executive Order 8981 – Navy Hospital Area, Coco Solo, Canal Zone". [[United States Government]].
7. "US-Fleet Dec 7 1941".
8. "Accident Martin PBM-5 Mariner 59232".
9. (November 2, 1955). "Navy Identifies 9 Victims Of Coco Solo Plane Crash". [[The Indianapolis Star]].
10. "Colón Container Terminal, S.A.". [[Colón Container Terminal, S.A.]].
11. "Manzanillo International Terminal Case Study". [[Tideworks Technology]].
12. "Moyennes 1961-1990 Panama (Asie)".
13. "Météo Climat stats for Coco Solo". Météo Climat.