New battle on vieques, over navys cleanup of munitions. The vieques, puerto rico, naval training range was a united states naval facility located on the island of vieques, about 5 miles east of mainland puerto rico. Valldejuli has collected the utterances of viequense subalterns who have been silenced in the face of tourism development not to give them voice, but to reveal the mechanics of epistemic violence. Discover vieques military bunkers in vieques, puerto rico. Navy, which in 1941 took over twothirds of the island of vieques, located just off the east coast of puerto rico. Vieques navy military pollution, puerto rico description. The importance of vieques island for military readiness. At the time, land ownership was so concentrated that 71% of the island was controlled by just two sugar plantations. Tourism and language in vieques is a very sensitively and deliberately written ethnography on tourism, power, and language. The books that discuss the navy appear to be from a leftist perspective and i am not sure how. Firing depleted uranium, as the navy admitted doing in vieques, is not only dangerous, it is illegal. There is a gift shop with items to suit every taste and friendly people ready to tell you about our island. As a civilian employee of the navy, sanes was on duty at a military observation point when two bombs fell 1. The navys testing of live ordnance has also included napalm and depleted uranium, substances which the navy originally denied using on the island.
Navy and intensive community struggles, the puerto rican island of vieques was finally returned to civilian. Vieques puerto rico about vieques, puerto rico brief history of vieques. During the 1980s and 1990s, it unleashed an average of 1,464 tons of bombs every year on the island and conducted. English books military power and popular protest very good history or the protest against the bombing by katherine t. Vieques still finding its footing after hurricane destruction the problems facing the mainland in the aftermath of hurricanes irma and maria didnt skip this remote puerto rican island. It had all looked so simple from the planethe puerto rican island of vieques stretching out below like some outsize plantain, all lush green on the west end where the u. From what is the navy protecting the people of vieques. Begun in 1993 by the committee for the rescue and development of vieques, it accelerated in opposition to navy plans for the installation of an intrusive radar system and took off after april 19. Vieques is part of the commonwealth of puerto rico, and retains strong influences from 400 years of spanish presence in the island. I had to read this book for my puerto rican culture class and i have to say being a new york rican i didnt know much about the history of puerto rico and this book. Over the ensuing decades, the navy bombed vieques from the air, land, and sea. The panel laid out history and legal situation, and released its report with 11. It lies miles 21 km east of the main island, fronting south on the caribbean sea and north on vieques sound.
A brief history documents, official and unofficial, relating to the capture and destruction of the frigate philadelphia at tripoli 1850 documents related to the resignation of the german commander in chief, navy, grand admiral raeder and to. Jul 07, 2018 vieques still finding its footing after hurricane destruction the problems facing the mainland in the aftermath of hurricanes irma and maria didnt skip this remote puerto rican island. Navys establishment of its caribbean training crown. Navy left the island of vieques in puerto rico on may, 2003. Puerto rican dissatisfaction regarding military training activities on vieques is driven by several issues.
Like the armys base in okinawa, japan, the facility has drawn. The united states navy used vieques as a maneuvering area and for bomb tests from 1941 to 2003. United states navy in vieques, puerto rico infogalactic. As a result, vieques has inherited a legacy of toxic pollution. Machinereadable bibliographic record marc, ris, bibtex. Residents of vieques, puerto rico, are struggling to deal. In 1999, after years of vehement denial, the navy finally admitted that it tested 24. On a small puerto rican island, banks of secret naval bunkers lie abandoned and filled with piles of office equipment. Residents of vieques, a small island just off the east coast of puerto rico, live wedged between an ammunition depot and live bombing range for the u.
Navys involvement on vieques over the past 70 years. Fouling the seas by sinking the uss killen, used to test the effects of nuclear bombs on navy warcraft, close to the shores of vieques, puts human life in peril. United states navy in vieques, puerto rico wikipedia. Carloss father, severo, wore them for years during protests against the u. Us navy bombing activity and infant health in vieques, puerto rico. By robert rabin cprdvcommittee for the rescue and development of vieques dear friends. Since 1938, the united states navy occupied up to 70% of the puerto rican island of vieques as a training ground for livefire practice and as a bomb testing site. History of vieques lonely planet travel information. Operations began during 1965, with owner osvaldo val gonzalezduriex piloting a plane with three passengers from vieques to humacao. After more than sixty years of occupation by the u. Navy used the small island of vieques, puerto rico, as a bombing range and site for militarytraining exercises. The united states navy ceased military training operations on this small island in 2003, and windows no longer rattle from the shelling from ships and airtoground bombings. Though the navy expropriated the vieques land in the 1940s, target practice did not begin until the 1970s. In 1939 the navy began by acquiring 27,000 acres on the island.
Vieques military bunkers vieques, puerto rico atlas obscura. Wsws links these cases of illness to the us navy s target practice on vieques. Navy in vieques, puerto rico mccaffrey, katherine t on. Puerto rico from world war ii to the korean war is a detailed history of the u. The history of the navy on vieques over the last 60 years of so has caused a lot of suffering for vieques. The importance of vieques island for military readiness the. For more than 60 years, about a trillion pounds of explosives and toxic substances were dropped on vieques by the u. In march 1999, vieques native david sanes was killed by a bomb dropped by a military jet during bombing exercises. By analyzing this particular, conflicted relationship, the book also explores. If any information on this post is incorrect, if you have more info or would otherwise like to tell me something, feel free to contact me. Puerto ricans force united states navy out of vieques. This book highlights a political struggle engaged in by puerto ricans which. Vieques conservation and historical trust is about education, understanding and protection of the natural resources vieques has.
To support my work, go here, or buy books, photography prints, artwork, bricabrac and more on either my website store or etsy. Navy takeover of vieques accelerated in 1947, when it designated roosevelt roads as a naval training installation and storage depot and began utilizing the island for firing practice and. Barretos book is an important contribution to discussions about the meaning and future of vieques, of puerto rico, and puerto rican citizens of the united states. Navy in vieques, puerto rico by mccaffrey, katherine t and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Starting in november 1941, the navy used the range for military exercises. The economy has had little chance to develop normally, people were displaced from their property, and there are ongoing title problems on many of the properties that people still do own. We combine monthly data on tonnage of ordnance in the context of naval exercises in vieques, puerto rico, with the universe of births in puerto rico between. Navy see puerto ricans force united states navy out of vieques island, 19992003.
To see more photos, go to the vieques military bunkers flickr set. The shoes of the fisherman, in carlos venturas case, bear an historic obligation. Navy admitted that it had tested radioactive depleted uranium shells in the island. The vieques, puerto rico, naval training range was a united states naval facility located on. Vieques, the navy, and puerto rican politics new directions in puerto rican studies.
The cancer rate is reportedly about 25% higher in vieques than on the main portion of puerto rico. Vieques island, island and municipality, puerto rico. I had to read this book for my puerto rican culture class and i have to say being a new york rican i didnt know much about the history of puerto rico and this book definitely gives you a great insight into everythign that was going on in the vieques, puerto rico and the struggle against the u. Navys establishment of its caribbean training crown jewel on the puerto rican island of vieques within the context of world war ii and the beginning of the cold war. On the puerto rican island of vieques, thousands are commemorating the 10th anniversary of when the u. The united states navy used vieques, puerto rico for naval training and testing from 1941 to may 1, 2003 some current studies show drastic increases in health problems which may or may not be related to toxic materials left on vieques from the navys occupation. Vieques military bunkers vieques, puerto rico atlas. Hlatam a useful, succinct introduction to the recent vieques controversy for readers with little prior knowledge of puerto rico. The protesters were against the use of the island by the united states navy and united states marine corps for bombing target practice.
Vieques still finding its footing after hurricane destruction. Although unsuccessful, the vieques campaign and the lessons learned from it about the dangers of violence inspired a campaign at the turn of the 21st century that successfully led to the withdrawal of the u. A cherokee aircraft and another airplane were also acquired later, allowing the airline to serve isla verde international airport. The twoweeklong exercise is the first use of airborne troops in support of an amphibious landing and takes place on vieques island, puerto rico. Vieques conservation and historical trust in esperanza. The united states navy usn is the naval warfare service branch of the united states armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the united states. The navyvieques protests is the name given by the englishspeaking media to a series of protests starting in 1999 on the puerto rican islandmunicipality of vieques. To find out, writers for travel spent time in vieques below, st. Puerto ricans force united states navy out of vieques island. New battle on vieques, over navys cleanup of munitions the. Navy s establishment of its caribbean training crown jewel on the puerto rican island of vieques within the context of world war ii and the beginning of the cold war. Vieques, the navy, and puerto rican politics new directions in.
On april 19, 1999, two f18 jets mistook the navy s redandwhite checked observation post on the island of vieques, puerto rico for a target, and dropped 500 pound bombs on it. If the name sounds familiar, thats probably because youve read or heard about use of the island by our countrys navy. Since the 1940s when the navy expropriated over twothirds of the island, residents have struggled to make a life amid the thundering of bombs and rumbling of weaponry fire. This book highlights a political struggle engaged in by puerto ricans which raises attention regarding the inconsistencies between the united states as a democratic society and its treatment of a nation that continues to be. I was at a website for a large on line bookseller and saw there are a number of books about vieques. Vieques lost more than half its population and settled into near dormancy. It offers a regional context and documents the profound impact. Vieques navy military pollution, puerto rico ejatlas. Puerto ricans protest united states navy presence on vieques. The books that discuss the navy appear to be from a leftist perspective and i am.
Wsws links these cases of illness to the us navys target practice on vieques. Many puerto ricans protested the use of part of the island as a bombing range, and in 2003 all u. Caribs joined them and the two groups mounted a fierce resistance to spanish occupation. Mar 19, 2018 to find out, writers for travel spent time in vieques below, st. While 1998 marked the 100th anniversary of the united states invasion and takeover of puerto rico, it wasnt until 1999 that the islands political movements reappeared on the radar screen of the american people. Introduction to the island of vieques, puerto rico vieques.
Carmen concepcion, the origins of modern environmental activism in puerto rico in the 1960s, int. After their withdrawal on 1 may 2003 6, the military left behind a highly contaminated soil with cadmium, lead, mercury, uranium and other toxins. To appreciate the significance of that victory, some history is necessary. Vieques resident david sanes was working at the observation post as a security guard for the navy.