Puerto Rico
Full Name | 121 Territory of Puerto Rico | |
Alliance | Allies - Minor Member Nation or Possession | |
Possessing Power | United States | |
Entry into WW2 | 8 Dec 1941 | |
Population in 1939 | 1,826,300 |
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
ww2dbaseEuropeans first reached the island of Puerto Rico in 1493, and it was subsequently made a colony of Spain. At the end of the Spanish-American War of 1898, Spain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris, which transferred Puerto Rico to the United States. At the eve of WW2, Puerto Rico was governed as a unincorporated organized territory, with governors directly appointed by the US President. During the war, Puerto Rico served similar functions as the island of Oahu of the Territory of Hawaii, in which it hosted a large navy base (Roosevelt Roads) and several Army and Navy airfields. During the war, 65,034 Puerto Ricans served in the US military. Most of them served with the 295th and 296th Infantry Regiments of the US Army National Guard and the 65th Infantry Regiment of the US Army, serving in Europe, Pacific Islands, North Africa, and Panama Canal Zone. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico women were not initially accepted into military service; that changed in 1944 when the Army Nurse Corps finally opened its doors by recruiting about 200 Puerto Rican nurses. After the war, in 1947, Puerto Rico was given the right to democratically elect its own governor. In 1952, it was given commonwealth status, which allowed it to draft its own constitution.
ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia
Last Major Update: Mar 2017
People | ||
del Valle, Pedro |
Facilities | ||
Borinquen Field | Airfield | |
Isla Grande Naval Air Station | Airfield | |
Losey Field | Airfield | |
Roosevelt Roads Naval Base | Naval Port | |
Vega Baja Auxiliary Airdrome | Airfield |
Photographs
![]() | ![]() |
Puerto Rico in World War II Interactive Map
Did you enjoy this article? Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Share this article with your friends: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
- » Japan and Russia to continue negotiations on the Kuriles territorial dispute (22 Nov 2019)
- » Wreck of Akagi Found (21 Oct 2019)
- » Wreck of Kaga Found (18 Oct 2019)
- » USMC corrected Iwo Jima flag raiser identification (18 Oct 2019)
- » See all news
- » 1,067 biographies
- » 331 events
- » 37,111 timeline entries
- » 1,055 ships
- » 333 aircraft models
- » 186 vehicle models
- » 346 weapon models
- » 104 historical documents
- » 201 facilities
- » 463 book reviews
- » 26,084 photos
- » 309 maps
Thomas Dodd, late 1945