Forces in the Bahamas.

[thatfloridaguy]

I was wondering if you guys could help me source any ww2 info on the Bahamas. I am in particular looking for general military bases active in the Bahamas during the war and what if any german u-boats operated in the area during the war also. I know off the coast of florida was a popular hunting spot because of the deep water so close to land. Anyway...any info on navy, army, and air bases as well as german u boat movements around the Bahamas during the war would be appreciated.

[Hoist40]

According to the book "Building the Navy's Bases in World War II" Volume II page 32 there was a American seaplane base built on Great Exuma Island in the Bahamas from 1942 to 1945

Its a short entry, aprox a page and a half


Its available online at the links below

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/Bui ... es-18.html

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/Bui ... index.html

[thatfloridaguy]

Im going to have to bookmark that site...it keeps popping up with good info haha. Does anyone have any information about german u-boats in that area?More for the years of 1942-1943, or does anyone know where to look?

[mescal]

does anyone know where to look?

I would suggest to get a copy of Clay Blair's Hitlers's U-Boat War (both volumes if you're interested in 1942 and 1943).
I can't remember for sure, but there may be some information in Morison's History of US Naval Operations in WW2 (volume 1).

Online, you should try uboat.net.
They pretty much have all U-boat war patrols, many with daily positions of the boat.
AFAIK, it's not searchable with criteria like "Bahamas area + 1942", and thus implies potentially a somewhat tedious browsing. But in the end, you'll get what you want.

[YankeeZulu]

I was wondering if you guys could help me source any ww2 info on the Bahamas. I am in particular looking for general military bases active in the Bahamas during the war and what if any german u-boats operated in the area during the war also. I know off the coast of florida was a popular hunting spot because of the deep water so close to land. Anyway...any info on navy, army, and air bases as well as german u boat movements around the Bahamas during the war would be appreciated.

The US had numerous bases in the Caribbean as well as many along the US coast that participated in the Battle of the Caribbean. Crown Bay, V.I.; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; several bases in Puerto Rico, Hato Field, Curacao; Dakota Field, Aruba; NAS Key West, Key West; the list goes on and on. Just look at a map of the entire area and run down individual islands.

I see you're in WPB. Quite a few airfields and airports along the FL coast started out as NAS's and USAAC bases that participated in patrol activity over the Caribbean. Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Executive, and Opa Locka to name a few. Air Glades Field in Clewiston started out as a British Dive-Bomber school for pilots en route to the Pacific. Several died in training and are buried in Arcadia, FL at a tiny British War Cemetery. There are still remnants of these bases at many of these airfields. Avon Park, just N of Lake Okeechobee, used to send USAAC bombers out over the Bahamas to patrol for subs.

I grew up in Lauderdale and WPB(70's-80's). I remember seeing old water-filled bomb craters west of Davie while on approach to Ft.Lauderdale Int'l Airport from when the USN was active in S.FL during WW2. Seems Weston used to be an impact area for training or dropping payloads before landing.

UK, Holland and France have colonial holdings in the Bahamas as well. Bermuda, Martinique, Bonaire etc. Again- if you research those individual islands you should find a wealth of info. The Germans probably had small-scale espionage activity going on sporadically throughout the islands, especially through Vichy contacts. Riech citizens were interned in camps on the Dutch Antilles once Germany invaded Holland.

In addition to German U-Boat activity, there were also Italian subs that patrolled the Caribbean. All U-Boat engagements are fairly well documented. And in addition to USN and USAAC, USGC and US Civil Air Patrol are responsible for sinking subs as well in the region. There's at least 2 off the Outer Banks.

I know I'm coming in on this thread late, but I still hope some of this is helpful.

[Stephen_Rynerson]

I was wondering if you guys could help me source any ww2 info on the Bahamas. I am in particular looking for general military bases active in the Bahamas during the war and what if any german u-boats operated in the area during the war also. I know off the coast of florida was a popular hunting spot because of the deep water so close to land. Anyway...any info on navy, army, and air bases as well as german u boat movements around the Bahamas during the war would be appreciated.

My copy is unfortunately packed at the moment, but I would have to imagine that Gaylord T.M. Marshall's "The U-Boat War in the Caribbean" would have some of the information you're looking for.

[uboatsbahamas]

For 7 years I've been devoted to WWII in Bahamas where I am from and travelled extensively. I suggest grabbing a copy of UBoats in the Bahamas the hardcover book which was published last week by Ingram on Amazon.

Other sites with prime source materials and hundreds of short essays on 112 Italian and German sub patrols to a million square mile area are available at www.uboatsbahamas.com, www.uboatsbahamas.blogspot.com. You can find numerous articles posted at www.ericwiberg.com.

I may be able to help to introduce you around the bahamas historical community. The full logbook of raf otu111 base in Nassau is at the national archives in Kew uk though! Researcher Simon fowler in London can help you get a copy.

[DarrenMarshall]

Italian's submarine operate near Bahamas in 1941-42