Former US Air Force base The Rock, Baltra Island

Five days after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, troops arrived to begin construction of the base. It started as a seaplane base. In 1942, it became a joint army/navy base. It was then developed into a Naval Auxiliary Air Facility with a patrol squadron. Aviation activities were discontinued in May 1944. After that, only an emergency tanker unit with a lifeboat service remained. In February 1946, the last part was transferred to the Ecuadorian authorities.

In its heyday, there were two runways, approximately 200 buildings with 2,400 military personnel and 750 civilians. There was a heavy bomber squadron, a reinforced infantry company, a coastal artillery battery, a detachment from the air force base and a searchlight platoon on the coast.

The island is not open to the public, and there is still an Ecuadorian air force base located on a remote part of the island. The commercial airport is only accessible by shuttle bus. Along the way, you can still see remnants of the installations, bunkers, barracks, etc.

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Source

• Text: Christian Nieuwenhuize
• Photos: Christian Nieuwenhuize