Puerto Rico Forts

American Forts: East

PUERTO RICO

Last Update: 28/OCTOBER/2006

Compiled by Pete Payette - ฉ2006 American Forts Network

Aguadilla Barracks
(1903 - 1921), Aguadilla
An American fort and barracks were here until transferred to the local defense force.
(thanks to Marshall Sitrin for additional info)

Borinquen Field
(1939 - 1973), Borinquen
Battery Aguada, a four-gun 155mm battery (1941 - 1946) on Panama mounts, was located near here (4.5 miles southwest from Aguadilla) in WWII to help protect the military airfield. The airbase later became Ramey Air Force Base in 1948. Now a local airport. The battery site is owned by Puerto Rico Dept. of Natural Resources. Battery Algarrobo (1941 - 1946), another four-gun 155mm battery on Panama mounts, was located three miles northwest from Mayaguez.

ค COLONIAL FORTS of SAN JUAN
Map of Old San Juan

ค El Morro Castle
(San Juan National Historic Site and World Heritage Site)
(1539 - 1966), Old San Juan
Castillo de San Felipe del Morro towers 140 feet above the sea. It is a six-level maze of tunnels, dungeons, barracks, outposts and ramps covering 200 acres. Attacked by the English under Francis Drake in 1595 but repulsed. Attacked by the Dutch in 1625 but repulsed again, although the city itself was sacked. The fort was captured only once - by land, in 1598 by the English and held for three months. Most of the present fortifications were built between 1587 and the 1650's. The original fort was a large square tower with a circular gun battery at the water, completed in the 1580's, although its first guns were installed in the 1550's. The original Hornwork was constructed in 1589, with two half-bastions (Tejada/Ochoa and Austria) and a ravelin. The "V"-shaped Santa Barbara Battery comprises the third level of the fortress behind the old Water Battery. The Carmen Battery is on the fourth level facing the sea. The small Texada Battery faces the sea below Carmen. The Santa Elena Battery, built in 1586, was located outside the Hornwork, between it and Casa Blanca. The last improvements to the fortress were made in 1790. In WWI the American Army had emplaced two 4.7-inch Armstrong guns here, one at El Morro and at Battery Santa Elena. The guns were scrapped in 1919. During World War II, Fort Brooke was established here by the U.S. Army (see listing below).

ค City Walls
(San Juan National Historic Site)
(1634), Old San Juan
Construction began in 1634 after the Dutch sacked the city in 1625. It was essentially completed between 1638 and 1650, but minor work continued until 1678. The wall is composed of two 42-foot high parallel sandstone walls with the space between filled with sand. It surrounds and fortifies the old city and includes several gates, such as the San Juan Gate (1520) near La Fortaleza. Some of it was dynamited near San Crist๓bal Castle to allow the city to expand in the 1890's.

ค La Fortaleza
(World Heritage Site)
(1533), Old San Juan
A part of this mansion was originally a defense against natives, which consisted of a medievel-style castle with round towers. It was originally completed in 1540. The rest of the structure was built in the 1800's to serve as the governor's palace. It is the oldest executive mansion in the Western Hemisphere still in use.

ค Casa Blanca
(1523), Old San Juan
A square stronghouse, originally the home of the family and decendants of Ponce de L้on. Since the 1780's this building has been the military headquarters of the Spanish and then the Americans. It became the Governor's Mansion after WWII. It is now a museum.

ค Dominican Convent
(1898 - 1966), Old San Juan
A 16th-century structure that was used as the Headquarters of the U.S. Army Caribbean (Antilles) Command. It is now a museum.

ค El Arsenal
(1800 - unknown), Old San Juan
An evacuation point for Spanish soldiers in 1898 after the peace agreement. It is now a museum.

ค San Crist๓bal Castle
(San Juan National Historic Site and World Heritage Site)
(1634 - 1961), Old San Juan
Castillo de San Crist๓bal rises 150 feet above the sea and features five separate units covering 27 acres. Although connected by moats and tunnels, each unit is self-sufficient in case any of the others should fall to the enemy. Earlier fortifications were located here in 1625. Originally built as a small redoubt with adjoining earthen ramparts. Substantially rebuilt in 1765, completed by 1783 as the second largest Spanish fortress in North America. An outer line of defense was built at Escabron. The British attacked in 1797 but were repulsed at the Escabron line. This fort fired the first shot of the Spanish-American War in Puerto Rico. Spanish batteries here in 1898 were Battery Princesa and Battery St. Teresa. In WWI the American Army had emplaced one 4.7-inch Armstrong gun at Battery Princesa. The gun was scrapped in 1919. Two American World War II fire-control towers were built on the walls of this fortress. A 155mm gun battery on Panama mounts was also here, built on Battery Princesa. It was part of Fort Brooke. (see listing below) Another website at Geocities.

ค Fuerte San Ger๓nimo
(1791 - 1796), San Juan
Now a military history museum. The grounds offer a great view of the Condado area. Near here at Punta Escambron was the site of a three-gun Spanish battery from 1898, and another much older Spanish battery was located on a small hill to the east. In WWII, Battery 263 was located here (see Fort Brooke listing below).

ค Fuerte San Antonio
(unknown dates), San Juan
A Spanish fort located southwest of Fort San Ger๓nimo near the San Antonio Bridge. Shown on 1898 battle maps.

ค Fuerte El Ca๑uelo
(San Juan National Historic Site)
(1610 - 1625, 1670's - unknown), Isla de Cabras
This fort at the entrance to San Juan harbor was originally a wooden structure which was destroyed by the Dutch. Fuerte San Juan de la Cruz was built of stone in the 1670's. During World War II, Fort Amezquita was established here (see listing below).

คค HARBOR DEFENSES of SAN JUAN

คค Fort Brooke
(1940's - 1966), Old San Juan
This was the renamed El Morro Castle. The Americans built a harbor entrance control post and Battery Point (a three-inch gun mounted on a 4.7-inch Armstrong gunblock) on the fortress, as well as three fire-control towers. Only one of those towers remains today.

Located at San Crist๓bal Castle, under the command of Fort Brooke, were two fire-control towers (still here), and a 155mm gun battery on Panama mounts. Also part of Fort Brooke, located further east, were Battery Schwan / 263 (1942 - 1949, destroyed 1965) at Punta Escambron, near Fort San Ger๓nimo. A swimming pool is now on the site. Battery Lancaster / 264 (1942 - 1946) was located at Boca de (Punta) Cangrejos, north of the east-end of the runway at Luis Mu๑oz International Airport. The battery was used as an aquarium from 1970 - 1975. Site is now private businesses and restaurants.

คค Fort Amezquita
(1940's), Isla de Cabras
World War II batteries here were Battery Reed (1941 - 1948), a 155mm Panama-mounted gun battery, and an Anti Motor Torpedo Boat battery. This site is now used as a local police training area.

คค Fort Mascaro
(Punta Salinas Air Defense Radar Site)
(1940's), East Salinas Island
World War II seacoast batteries here are Battery Buckey / 261 at Punta (Point) Salinas, and Battery Pence / 262. Two fire-control towers were once located on Punta Salinas. The fort is now in use as a Air National Guard base.

คค ALSO: Additional fire-control towers for the San Juan Defenses were once located at Vacia Talega, Maldonado Point, Punta Maria (four), and Punta Escambron, all east of Old San Juan. Those located west of Old San Juan were at Punta Fraile, and Punta Cerro Gordo. Battery Punta Cata๑o (1942 - 1943) was located in Cata๑o. No remains.

Fort Buchanan
(1923 - present), Bayam๓n
A U.S. Army post. Originally known as Camp Buchanan until 1940.

El Fortin Conde de Marasol
(1840 - unknown), Isla de Vieques
This star-shaped fort sits on a hilltop overlooking Isabel Segunda. It was one of the last Spanish forts built in the New World. It is now a hotel.

คคค HARBOR DEFENSES of ROOSEVELT ROADS and VIEQUES SOUND (partial)
(see also Fort Segarra, St. Thomas, USVI)

คคค Fort Charles W. Bundy
(1940's), Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, near Ceiba
All of the following World War II seacoast defenses were planned for Vieques Island but never built: Battery 153 on Mt. Pirata, Battery 154 at Cerro Matias Jalobre, Battery 266 at Cerro Martineau or Punta Mulas, Battery 267 at Punta Arenas or Mt. Pirata, and Battery 285 on East Point.

Other batteries on the mainland planned and not built were Battery 152 at Punta Mata Redonda, Battery 155 at Punta Yeguas, Battery 311 at Cabo (Cape) San Juan, and an Anti Motor Torpedo Boat Battery.

Nearby batteries that WERE built included Battery 406 (1943 - 1947) at Punta Mata Redonda (the magazine was not built, now overgrown), Battery 265 on Isla Pi๑eros, with an SCR-296 radar, Battery 268 (1943 - 1947, never armed) at Punta Lima (site now a prison), a two-gun 155mm Panama mounted gun battery at Punta Yeguas, and an Anti Motor Torpedo Boat Battery and harbor entrance control post at Punta Algodones.

คคค Culebra Island Batteries
(1940's), Culebra Island
These World War II seacoast defenses were planned but never built - Battery 312 at North Point, and Battery 313 at Dolphin Head.

คคค ALSO: Fire-control towers were once located at Punta Puerca and at several other locations on the current U.S. Naval Base. Another tower is located on Icacos Island, but it may not be of military origin.

Henry Barracks
(unknown - 1950's), Cayey
A U.S. Army infantry post. Now campus of the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey.
(thanks to Maj. Hector Gonzalez, PRNG, for info)

Coamo Blockhouse
(1898), Coamo
Captured by the U.S. It was a wooden farm building surrounded by trenches and barbed wire. There were other small blockhouses and posts around here as well.

Fort Allen
(1959 - 1999 ?), near Juana Dํaz
A U.S. Naval Radio Station, located south of the city. It was originally U.S. Army Camp Losey (1941 - 1956). Now home to the Puerto Rico National Guard Military Academy, Officer Candidates School, and NCO Academy, as well as serving as an Army Reserve supply depot.
A four-gun 155mm battery (1941 - 1944) on Panama mounts was located 1.5 miles west of Ponce Harbor, the site of which is now a water sewage treatment plant.
(thanks to Marshall Sitrin and Maj. Hector Gonzalez, PRNG, for info)

Ralph Lane's Fort
(1585), Guayanilla
An English fort that was said to be identical to Fort Raleigh, NC. The English stopped here to pick up supplies, and did a little pirating against the Spanish, before heading north to the American mainland to establish the first English colony in the New World.

Punta Figuras Firing Range
(1940's), Arroyo
An anti-aircraft artillery training site during WWII.

NOTES: Caparra was the first permanent European (Spanish) settlement in 1508. A stronghouse, or casa fuerte, was probably here.

NEED MORE INFO: U.S. Army Camp James located north of Salinas.