History

Galeta Point was the site of a highly sophisticated U.S. Navy satellite communications system and an important place for defending the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. In fact, the Navy constructed the building of that now is the Visitor’s Center in the 1950’s and the lab was once the receiver site. These buildings were transferred to STRI in the late 1960’s after a new receiver building was built by the U.S. Naval Security Group, Galeta Island Unit.

During World War II, anti-aircraft weapons were positioned on the East and West sides of the Canal to protect it from attacks by German or Japanese forces. Galeta Island was considered the eyes and ears of the Pentagon. During the take down of the Pinochet government in Chile, strategic conversations were monitored from this site. The U.S. also supported British forces in the Maldives War by locating Argentine ships