World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseSan Juan Bay in Puerto Rico was an excellent harbor, and prior to WW2 that location was recommended for a large naval base. Approval was granted by the United States Congress in 1939, and funding was provided in 1940. Isla Grande, the location selected for the eventual Naval Air Station at San Juan Bay, had the size of 340 acres. The site already had an airstrip previously used by Pan American Airlines; it was re-surfaced with asphalt and extended to the size of 5,400-foot by 500-foot. A secondary 2,300-foot by 150-foot was built. Additionally, two steel aircraft hangars, one utility hangar, one engine overhaul shop, four seaplane ramps with connecting bulkhead, asphalt parking areas, a 450-foot concrete tender pier, and other structures were built. After the war, the facility's role shifted to become a dual military-civilian airfield; in this role, it served as San Juan's main international airport until 1954. In 1971, US Coast Guard Air Station San Juan at the Isla Grande site was relocated to Ramey Air Force Base further to the west on the island of Puerto Rico. It remained a civilian airport through the time of this writing in 2017.

Isla Grande Naval Air Station Interactive Map

Isla Grande Naval Air Station Timeline

Photographs