U.S. Military Role in Initial Panama Canal Treaty Implementation (1977-1984)

Initial Treaty Implementation Planning and Execution

While that Treaty provided the general framework for this new relationship and ensuing responsibilities (and the U.S. Public Law passed by the U.S. Congress in September 1979 provided the authority), extensive planning under a compressed time period was required by the U.S. military community (the U.S. Southern Command and its component commands in coordination with the military services and many other agencies within the Department of Defense).

Such planning began immediately after the signing of the two Treaties because the Panama Canal Treaty had stipulated that both Treaties were to enter into force six months after the exchange between the two governments of the instruments of ratification of the Treaties. However, one of the conditions attached to the U.S. Senate's ratification of these Treaties (and agreed to by Panamanian Head of Government General Torrijos) in March and April 1978 established October 1, 1979, as the date of their implementation (commonly referred to as Treaty Day). (To preclude the appearance of prejudging Senate action on ratifying the two Treaties, initial Treaty Implementation planning was classified; much of it was declassified after the Senate ratified them in 1978.)

The Treaties' instruments of ratification were exchanged between President Carter and General Torrijos in Panama City on June 17, 1978, a visit which required considerable support by the U.S. military. (During his two days in Panama, President Carter spoke to the American community in a visit to Fort Clayton the day after having spoken to the Panamanian people gathered at the Fifth of May Plaza.)

The initial planning concept for transferring military properties and facilities to the Panamanian government envisioned that they would be transferred to the Panama Defense Forces to be used for similar purposes -- which turned out to be the rule. Among procedures developed were joint walk-through inspections of each facility to be transferred.

Specific military agencies had to be identified before Treaty Day to assume several civil affairs and community functions to be transferred on Treaty Day to the Department of Defense from the Canal Zone Government and the former Panama Canal Company for continued support to the U.S. community in the Panama Canal Area. (The Treaty, which dissolved the Canal Zone and hence the Canal Zone Government, also prohibited the Panama Canal Commission from carrying out retail and many community support functions.) Thus, procedures and regulations had to be developed, and initial funding and manpower requirements secured to ensure the continued operation of such activities as schools, hospital and medical clinics, postal operations, two commissaries, and certain other activities.

With the treaty mandating to the United States the primary responsibility for the defense of the Panama Canal (with increasing participation by the armed forces of Panama -- modified in 1990), a new military relationship was begun with the establishment on Treaty Day of the Joint Committee and the Combined Board.

These two treaty-mandated bi-national bodies were designed to provide the day-to-day interface for activities and issues concerning the relationship between the U.S. military and Panama and along with the other four bi-national bodies under the Treaty to serve as forums for implementing the Panama Canal Treaty.

Operational procedures for the Joint Committee and Combined Board had to be developed (by the United States and Panama) to amplify on the responsibilities in the basic Treaty documents and as well as positions filled in those bodies. Also, detailed regulations and procedures had to be developed for many activities and issues covered for the first time beginning on Treaty Day under a Status of Forces Agreement for the military community in Panama.

Joint Committee

The Joint Committee, established by Article III of the Agreement in Implementation of Article IV of the Panama Canal Treaty, is responsible for agreements on all treaty matters that pertained to the U.S. military community in Panama. Its basic mission is to perform the functions specifically indicated by the provisions of the Agreement in Implementation of Article IV of the Panama Canal Treaty (considered to be a Status of Forces Agreement or SOFA) and other functions entrusted to it by both governments. It was jointly chaired by the Director of U.S. Southern Command's Center for Treaty Affairs--in 1991 renamed the Center for Treaty Implementation (which reported to the Southern Command's Commander in Chief through the Deputy Commander in Chief) and, since 1990, the Director of the Panamanian Executive Directorate for Treaty Affairs (DEPAT) under the Minister of Foreign Relations. Until December 20, 1989, the Panamanian co-chairman was the Chief of the Joint Committee element of the Panama Defense Forces' Defense and Security Commission, which was abolished with the dismantling of the Panama Defense Forces after December 20, 1989.

The U.S. co-chairmen of the Joint Committee (1979-1999) were the following (Air Force unless noted otherwise): Colonel Robert E. Waller, Colonel Charles B. Simmons, Colonel Jose F. Gomez, Colonel Patrick H. Corbett, Army Lieutenant Colonel Darrell L. Sponberg, Army Lieutenant Robert Perry, Army Lieutenant Colonel John T. Browne, Colonel Jacobowitz, Colonel Richard M. O'Connor (1992-1996), and Colonel David J. Hunt (1996-1999).

Combined Board

The Combined Board, established by Article IV of the Panama Canal Treaty and composed of representatives from the Southern Command and the Panama Defense Forces, was concerned with canal protection and defense issues and activities.from 1979 through 1989, the U.S. side of the Combined Board was attached to Southern Command's Directorate of Operations.  Following the dismantling of the Panama Defense Forces (and conversion of the military into a Public Force/National Police by the Panamanian government) after Operation Just Cause (the December 20, 1989 invasion of Panama), the missions and functions of the Combined Board were assumed by the Joint Committee.

Initial treaty implementation Events

On October 1, 1979 (Treaty Day):

The following military properties were transferred to the Government of Panama on the date of implementation of the treaty as stipulated by the treaty:

Before and on Treaty Day, the U.S. military forces stationed in Panama numbered about 10,000, a level that was not to change significantly until 1998 (for reasons explained in later sections).

Remaining property transfers in the first five years of the treaty period

1979-1982: Several buildings previously occupied by Department of Defense, Army, and Army and Air Force Exchange Service activities and located in the PAD (former Panama Air Depot) Area adjacent to the former Albrook Army Airfield and near Albrook Air Force Station. The remaining family housing in the nearby Curundu Heights housing area (88 units) were transferred to Panama.

On October 1, 1984: The following facilities and bases were transferred to the Panamanian government on the fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the treaty:

Those transfers represented the last military facilities that were mandated by the treaty to be transferred by specific dates. (All remaining military property transfers were governed by the later Panama Canal Treaty Implementation Plan developed by the Southern Command and the Department of Defense.)