Timeline of Guantánamo Bay

Noteworthy events of Guantánamo Bay.

Timeline 30 April 1494 – Christopher Columbus, on his second voyage of exploration, sailed into Guantánamo Bay and remained overnight. He called the bay "Puerto Grande". 18 July 1741 – Vice Admiral Edward Vernon, with 3,000 British troops under General Wentworth, arrived at Guantánamo Bay to begin an unsuccessful campaign to capture Santiago. December 1760 – Boats from the frigates and cut-out the French privateers Vainquer and Mackau hiding in the bay. The French were also forced to burn another, the Guespe, to prevent her capture. 10 June 1898 – A battalion of Marines landed at Fisherman's Point and made camp on McCalla Hill, the first U.S. troops ashore in Cuba in the Spanish–American War. 23 February 1903 – President Theodore Roosevelt signed original lease agreement with Cuba for a naval base at Guantánamo Bay. See Platt Amendment. 3 March 1903 – U.S. Congress appropriated $100,000 for "necessary expenditures incident to the occupation and utilization of the naval station at Guantánamo, Cuba ..." 10 December 1903 – Cuba turned over the Naval Reservation to the United States. 27 April 1904 – An appropriation of $385,500 was made for an emergency repair installation at Guantánamo Bay, including a dry dock to be built on South Toro Cay. 1906 (exact date unknown) – Work on dry dock on South Toro Cay was discontinued. 29 September 1906 – Roosevelt sent U.S. troops to Cuba to crush a revolt, thus bringing about the second U.S. occupation of Cuba, which lasted until 1909. 1908 (Spring) – Station ship burned. 10 March 1913 – LT John H. Towers (later Admiral and Chief of Bureau of Aeronautics) flew from Guantánamo Bay to Santiago in a Curtiss flying boat in 46 minutes. 10 December 1913 – The Naval Station was officially opened at its present location, the main activities having been moved from South Toro Cay. 1924 (Winter) – First concentration of Atlantic and Pacific Fleets in Caribbean. 7 August 1928 – Naval Station damaged by hurricane, whose center passed 50 miles (80.5 km) to the south. 1938 (late in year) – Hepburn Board visited Station and made recommendations for expansion. 20 February 1939 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Guantánamo Bay in . 1 July 1939 – Station started receiving water from pumping station at Yateras River via new pipeline. 4 December 1940 – President Roosevelt visited Guantánamo Bay in . 12 July 1940 – Contract signed with Frederick Snare Corporation to begin a vast construction program for build-up of the Station. 1 April 1941 – Naval Operating Base, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, established. 25 February 1948 – President Harry S. Truman visited Base. 18 June 1952 – Title of Naval Operating Base changed to Naval Base. 8 June 1993 – US detention of HIV-positive refugees at Guantánamo Bay declared unconstitutional.

In addition to two presidents, many other distinguished people have visited the Naval Base. At one time General John J. Pershing was a visitor on board . Charles A. Lindbergh was a visitor during his goodwill flight around the Americas in the "Spirit of St. Louis". Before and during the World War II years, visitors included: members of Congress, Cabinet officers, ambassadors, Harry Hopkins, Eleanor Roosevelt and others.

Other important visitors the base have included: U.S. Ambassador Robert Butler (from Havana), 21–22 December 1950 Admiral and Mrs. Forrest P. Sherman, 31 December 1950 – 1 January 1951 Vice Admiral R. V. Symonds-Tayler, RN, 8–15 January 1951 Carlos Hevia, former President of Cuba and Cuban Minister without portfolio (graduate of U.S. Naval Academy, class of 1920) in 19 October 1951 U.S. Ambassador and Mrs. Howard Travers (from Haiti), 4 December 1951 on two occasions subsequently Peruvian Minister of Marine Roque A. Saldias, 20–22 May 1952 Cuban Minister of National Defense Nicolas Perez Hernandez 17 June 1952 U.S. Ambassador and Mrs. Willard L. Beaulac (from Havana) 19–20 June 1952 The Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral W. M. Fechteler, 18 December 1952.

Timeline of Guantánamo Bay

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