15th Naval District

The 15th Naval District was a regional command of the United States Navy responsible for overseeing naval operations, logistics, and administration in the Panama region, including the Panama Canal Zone, from 1917 until its disbandment in 1979. It coordinated naval activities to ensure security, maintained naval facilities, and supported U.S. interests in Central America and the Caribbean. The district played a key role in defending the vital Panama Canal, a strategic maritime route. Its responsibilities shifted over time, especially following the transfer of the Panama Canal to Panama in 1999.