Fort Sherman facts for kids
Fort Sherman was a United States Army base in Panama. It was located at the Caribbean (northern) end of the Panama Canal. The base was on the western side of the Canal, right across from the city of Colón.
Fort Sherman was the main base for defending the Caribbean side of the Canal. It also became a major center for US jungle warfare training. Its partner base on the Pacific side was Fort Amador. Both Fort Sherman and Fort Amador were given back to Panama in 1999.
Fort Sherman's Story
When the Panama Canal was being built, military bases were also developed. These bases were meant to protect the Canal. They had large guns to defend the coast. They also had soldiers ready to stop any attacks on the ground.
Fort Sherman was the main base for soldiers on the Caribbean side. Fort Amador protected the Pacific side. Construction of Fort Sherman began in January 1912. It was part of the original defense plans from 1910. The base was named after General William Tecumseh Sherman. This happened on November 24, 1911.
The Fort covered about 23,100 acres (93.5 square kilometers) of land. About half of this area was covered by thick jungle. The developed parts of the base included homes and barracks for 300 soldiers. There was also a small airstrip and places for fun activities. In 1941, Fort Sherman got the first early warning radar used by the US military. It was called an SCR-270.
Big Guns of the Fort
Fort Sherman had several large gun batteries. These were places where big guns were set up to defend the coast. Here are some of the main batteries:
- Battery Baird: It had four 12-inch mortars.
- Battery Howard: This also had four 12-inch mortars.
- Battery Stanley: It had one 14-inch disappearing gun.
- Battery Mower: This battery also had one 14-inch disappearing gun.
- Battery Kilpatrick: It had two 6-inch disappearing guns.
- Battery Sedgwick Pratt: This battery had two 12-inch barbette guns.
- Battery Alexander Mackenzie: It also had two 12-inch barbette guns.
During World War I, more guns were added near Fort Sherman. These included four 155-mm guns and four 75-mm guns.
Modern Uses of the Fort
After the big coastal defense guns were no longer used, the jungle area of Fort Sherman became a training ground. It was used by the United States Army South (USARSO) Jungle Operations Training Center (JOTC). The JOTC started in 1951. It trained both US soldiers and soldiers from allied Central American countries. They learned how to fight and survive in the jungle. About 9,000 people trained there each year.
The JOTC also offered a ten-day Air Crew Survival Course. This course was open to all parts of the military. There was also a four-week Engineer Jungle Warfare Course. After finishing the course, soldiers could earn the Jungle Expert Patch.
Between 1966 and 1979, many sounding rockets were launched from Fort Sherman. These rockets could fly up to 99 kilometers (about 61 miles) high.
Fort Sherman was also used in a movie! Parts of the 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace were filmed there.
See also
In Spanish: Fuerte Sherman para niños
- List of former United States military installations in Panama
