U.S. Will Close Puerto Rico Naval Base

AP | 9/23/03

[kattracks]

The Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico Sept. 23 — The United States will close its Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in eastern Puerto Rico within the next six months, the territory's congressional delegate said Tuesday. Congress and President Bush are expected to sign off on the closure by the end of next week, said Anibal Acevado Vila, the U.S. territory's nonvoting congressional delegate. The Pentagon did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

The base's closure comes after several years of protests against U.S. military exercises in Vieques, which ended with the Navy's May 1 withdrawal from its bombing range on that tiny outlying island.

The United States set up Roosevelt Roads and the Vieques bombing range in the 1940s and used it to prepare for international conflicts from World War II to the war in Afghanistan.

Roosevelt Roads was the site of the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility, which oversaw the exercises on Vieques.

Tensions between the Navy and locals heightened, however, when two errant bombs in 1999 killed a civilian guard on Vieques. Opponents said the bombing harmed the environment, the health of the island's 9,100 residents and its sole industries of fishing and tourism.

The Navy maintains the exercises never posed a health threat, but it turned to inert ammunition following the fatal accident.

Since 1999, more than 1,000 people including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Rev. Al Sharpton and actor Edward James Olmos have been arrested for breaking onto Navy lands to thwart the exercises.

Gov. Sila Calderon wanted Roosevelt Roads to remain open even after the end to Vieques military exercises.

Roosevelt Roads, which began laying off some of its 6,300 employees in April, injects an estimated $300 million a year into the U.S. Caribbean territory's economy.

Acevado Vila, who is running for governor in 2004 from Calderon's People's Democratic Party, said the base's closure would open opportunities for tourism and other investment.

[Mike Darancette]

I wonder if the idiots in PR forsaw this consequence?

At least the empty barricks can be used as barrios to house the thousands of un-employed.

I wonder if Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Rev. Al Sharpton and actor Edward James Olmos are going to pony up the $300 Million a year thet PR will lose because of their actions?

[Destro]

How dare you ask such a question! We need Puerto Rico as a coal fueling station for our steam powered warships, the same reason we took the colony from Spain not so long ago.

[dighton]

"Puerto Rico, my heart's devotion,
Let it sink back in the ocean."

[dwilli]

Back in the seventies the best looking hookers on Earth plied their wares in Old San Juan.

[bethelgrad]

Next step: Embargo
Why: I don't know, it just sounds good

[Axenolith]

I bet THAT bed is gonna be a little hard and knobby to lie on...

[Axenolith]

Yea... Thank God stupidity isn't explosive...

[bjcintennessee]

We didn't Vieques anymore anyway -- our troops got plenty of practice in Afghanistan and Iraq.

OTOH, and future weapons that need experimentation should aim for Massachussetts.

[ableChair]

Kinda sad. I have lots of memories of that place...

[Southack]

"Back in the seventies the best looking hookers on Earth plied their wares in Old San Juan."

True, and a couple of those guys were so good that they even fooled a few drunks...

[holyscroller]

"At least the empty barricks can be used as barrios to house the thousands of un-employed.

You mean we're going to leave them standing? We should do one last bombing run.

[Southack]

Closing down our PR base is AWESOME news!

[Squantos]

Had me goin there for a minute.....9000 residents and 6300 employees ??? Naught naught , carry the 3 add two and divide by.....Then I actually read the article........:o)

Now that they have the base back what shall they do with it.........Stay Safe !

[Fred Mertz]

I'm trying to recall my visit to Rosey Roads....

I took a military hop to RR to visit one of my buddies whose family lived in San Juan. I think I paid $1.35 for the flight (box lunch), and then I had to pay close to $50 to get to San Juan by taxi cab.....ouch!! I think the quarters I stayed in at RR cost about $16 a night...they were nice.

[Squantos]

Yep, nice place to.........visit. Wonder if a caretaker force will remain in place in case of national security needs ?

Stay Safe Fred !

[BenLurkin]

[Bobibutu]

Fond memories on Vieques for R 'n R - after training - beer busts back in the '60s - sorry to see it go...
the "fisherman" tried to be in restricted areas constantly - trying to be "injured" and on the "gravey train"
Our job was to sweep mines and chase them out. We spent more time chasing than sweeping .. ;)

MSO 495 USS Swerve
MSO 430 USS Direct

and the gals were awesome in the '60s too.

[battlegearboat]

I was captain's yeoman on Admin Hill at Roosevelt Roads.

I tended bar at the Casa Coqui Officer's Club.

The place was great. It was the world's largest U.S. Naval Station.

It was built to accomodate the British Throne in the event Hitler won the Battle Of Britain.

Sharks were always a problem at Roosey's beaches.

The Navy provided a "fenced in" safe beach out by Capehart housing but it was sort of lame.

Pablo Cassals lived right outside Gate One in Ceiba.

From the Casa Coqui, you could see St. Thomas on a clear day.

Well, time marches on I suppose.

[Travis McGee]

It sure sits on some prime real estate. Heart breaking, in a way. Not as bad as what we gave away in Panama though.

[battlegearboat]

I'm going to book a room in that new resort that sits on the bluff where the Casa Coqui Officer's Club was...after it is built in the near future of course.

This is really going to hurt the towns of Fajardo and Luquillo not to mention Ceiba and Humacao.