Pepperrell Air Force Base - Establishment

Establishment

For more details on this topic, see Destroyers for Bases Agreement.

In October 1940, the governments of the United States and United Kingdom came to the Destroyers for Bases Agreement, whereby the United States (still a neutral country) would provide 50 ex-US Navy destroyers in exchange for the right to lease territory in British territories in Newfoundland and the Caribbean. Of particular importance was Newfoundland, which the United States sought to arm as a buffer area similar to Alaska territory.

A board of experts on naval and air bases arrived in St. John's by March 1940 to investigate areas necessary for developments being considered by the recently set-up Canadian/United States Defence Board, and with the agreements signed and most of the negotiations completed, the first movement of U.S. troops to Newfoundland was planned.

Colonel L.W. Rook was Judge Advocate of the US Army "lend-lease" force commanded by Gen. Charles H. Bonesteel.

On March 27, 1941 a 99 year lease was acquired from the United Kingdom (the UK did not want to sell or give land away so a 99 year lease system was set up) for construction of air and naval bases on sites in Newfoundland, Bermuda, Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Guinea. The Leased Bases Agreement provided wide powers to the United States military in taking necessary steps to defend the areas around its leased bases, including additional powers in time of war or emergency.

One of the locations under consideration for a military base was St. John's, the capital city, which was approved by Newfoundland Governor Humphrey T. Walwyn.