GUANTÁNAMO BAY

U.S. BASE OF GUANTÁNAMO BAY
In 1898, at the start of the Spanish-American War, an U.S. Marine Corps camp
was established on McCalla Hill at Guantánamo Bay, to serve as base for the
further conquest of Cuba.  
Five years later, in 1903, independent Cuba agreed to lease - for an annual
sum of $ 2000 - a "Naval Reservation", located in the area, to the U.S. to
serve as a naval and coaling station. (1)

(1) The agreement also gave the U.S. the right to establish another base 
    at Bahía Honda. This area was however returned to Cuba in 1912, in
    exchange for larger facilities at Guantánamo Bay.

    In 1934 the Treaty of Washington reaffirmed U.S. perpetual rights to
    Guantánamo Bay.
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U.S. ADMINISTRATORS
Commandants of the U. S. Naval Station

1903 - 1904   William H. Allen
1904 - 1906   Charles C. Rogers
1906 - 1907   Albert A. Ackerman
1907 - 1908   Clark D. Stearns*
1908 - 1909   Charles H. Harlow
1909          Myles Joyce*
1909 - 1912   Walter Ball
1912 - 1913   George W. Kline
1913 - 1914   Merritt S. Corning*
1914          Hilary Williams 
1914 - 1916   John M. Luby
1916 - 1917   Dudley Wright Knox                             1877 - 1960   
1917 - 1918   E. E. Wright 
1918 - 1920   Guy Whitlock
1920 - 1921   John J. Hannigan
1921 - 1923   Robert T. Menner
1923 - 1924   Ward K. Wortman
1924 - 1926   Charles M. Tozer
1926 - 1928   Charles C. Soule Jr.
1928 - 1930   Charles S. McWhorter 
1930 - 1931   Alfred Hart Miles                              1883 - 1956   
1931 - 1933   Thomas L. Johnson
1933 - 1934   Edward C. Raguet
1934 - 1936   Charles M. "Saavy" Cooke Jr.
1936 - 1938   Mark L. Hersey Jr.
1938 - 1940   Worral Reed Carter
1940 - 1941   George L. Weyler

Commandant of the U. S. Naval Operating Base (2)

1941 - 1944   Grorge L. Weyler
         
Commanders of the U. S. Naval Operating Base

1944          F. A. Braisted
1944 - 1945   J. J. Mahoney

(2) At the outbreak of WWII in 1941 the Naval Station became part of a 
    larger complex - the U.S. Naval Operating Base - which, next to the
    Naval Station, also included the Naval Air Station, the Marine Corps
    Base and the Naval Net Depot (with its auxilary bases at Litlle Goat
    Island, Jamaica and Great Exuma, Bahamas)


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