Photo courtesy Flight Spirit Magazine. Did you miss our ‘Know Your Country Tour’? We’re back, enthusiastic as ever, and this time we’ll be exploring the closed American army base of Wallerfield.
Stashed away between Arima and Cumuto in Trinidad, there once existed the American Waller Air Force Base during World War II, which was activated on 1st September, 1941. It was named after a World War I combat pilot, Major Alfred Waller, who was killed in an air crash. The question arises now, if Trinidad and Tobago was a British colony, why was an American base established?
There had been an exchange between Britain and the United States whereby bases within British colonies would be handed over to United States forces under the Destroyers for Bases Agreement in September 1940. During World War II, as a result of the conflict between Germany and Britain, Nazi naval forces began appearing in the Caribbean Sea intending to disrupt British shipping. With the transfer of the base’s ownership, United States forces swarmed the twin island to ward off the threat of the Nazis, and it was successful. Due to airfield congestion, the base was moved to Edinburgh (Carlsen) Airfield in central Trinidad.
Stashed away between Arima and Cumuto in Trinidad, there once existed the American Waller Air Force Base during World War II, which was activated on 1st September, 1941. It was named after a World War I combat pilot, Major Alfred Waller, who was killed in an air crash. The question arises now, if Trinidad and Tobago was a British colony, why was an American base established?
There had been an exchange between Britain and the United States whereby bases within British colonies would be handed over to United States forces under the Destroyers for Bases Agreement in September 1940. During World War II, as a result of the conflict between Germany and Britain, Nazi naval forces began appearing in the Caribbean Sea intending to disrupt British shipping. With the transfer of the base’s ownership, United States forces swarmed the twin island to ward off the threat of the Nazis, and it was successful. Due to airfield congestion, the base was moved to Edinburgh (Carlsen) Airfield in central Trinidad.
Photo courtesy Conrad Baird Photography. Though the base is now closed, there are many million-dollar projects unfolding in the area which include the construction of the main University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) Campus, housing complexes and other projects. It currently boasts of Trinidad and Tobago’s first Scientific and Research Park known as Tamana InTech Park. It is used to generate knowledge-based jobs from small businesses to major companies and goes as far as providing on-site housing, medical and entertainment facilities. Additionally, the base’s former airstrips have been used as racing and car show / sound-off hotspots for many decades.
Though Wallerfield’s inception occurred during global unrest, the silence of its remnants still whispers the untaught history, diplomacy, zeal and bloodshed of an almost forgotten time.
Did you enjoy our article? Have you ever visited Wallerfield before? Let us know about your experience.
Though Wallerfield’s inception occurred during global unrest, the silence of its remnants still whispers the untaught history, diplomacy, zeal and bloodshed of an almost forgotten time.
Did you enjoy our article? Have you ever visited Wallerfield before? Let us know about your experience.
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