Opened in 1855, the railway preceded the Panama Canal by half a century; the railway was vital in assisting the construction of the canal in the early 1900s. The first US Navy armored train arrived in 1903. With the opening of the canal, the railroad's route was changed as a result of the creation of Gatun Lake, which flooded part of the original route
On the same day in 1914 that the first ship, the Cristobal, transited the Panama Canal, Germany declared war on France, which ultimately ended in the global conflict of World War One. The war that quickly ensued not only over-shadowed events at Panama, but also had an impact on initial usage of the long-awaited waterway, since there were many fewer commercial ships on the high seas due to blockades, submarine attacks, and commerce raiding. Daily transits usually could be counted on the fingers of one hand until the conflict ended late in 1918.
The 14-inch railway guns were not operational during World War I, as they were developed in the 1920’s. However, their deployment in the interwar period and World War II is contextualized here to address the Canal’s evolving defenses across both conflicts. Among their most notable deployments were the 14-inch railway guns safeguarding the Panama Canal, a vital artery of global trade and military logistics.
The U.S. War Department managed Panama Canal Zone military affairs from 1904 to 1947, with peak involvement from World War I through World War II. This included control of coastal artillery, strategic rail systems, and overall Canal Zone defense infrastructure.
Panama’s Independence: Railroads in the Panama Canal Crisis (1903)
Publication - TR 435-227 - Service Of The Piece, 14-Inch Gun, M1920 MII, On Railway Mount M1920
Key Dates: U.S. War Department in Panama
The U.S. War Department managed military operations and fortifications in the Panama Canal Zone from the time the Canal's construction neared completion in the early 20th century, specifically:
1904: The United States formally takes control of the Panama Canal Zone following the Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty with Panama.
1907–1914: During Canal construction, the War Department (primarily through the Army Corps of Engineers) oversees both construction and early military defense planning.
1914: Completion of the Panama Canal; the War Department assumes full defense responsibilities.
1917: The Panama Canal Department is officially created as a military command under the U.S. Army, with the War Department coordinating military planning, staffing, and coastal defense.
1917–1947: The War Department maintains direct authority over all military operations in the Canal Zone, including railway artillery, anti-aircraft batteries, and harbor defenses at Forts Grant, Amador, Randolph, Clayton, and others.
1947: The War Department is replaced by the newly created Department of Defense under the National Security Act of 1947.
