Military History of Newfoundland – WWII Bases

An aerial shot of Stephenville.

During the Second World War, the United States military maintained a large presence in Newfoundland.

Under the "Bases for Destroyers Deal," the United States was able to build a naval air station in Argentia, an air force base in Stephenville, and an army base in St. John's.

The "Bases for Destroyers Deal" saw the United States gain strategic locations from Great Britain in exchange for American naval destroyers.

With thousands of American soldiers in Newfoundland, there was a large economic boost. This came not only from employment opportunities for those who built the bases but also from boosts to local businesses. It wasn't all good news, however, as many residents were forced to relocate from leased lands. 

In the decades following the war, the bases continued to operate. The first base to close was Pepperrell Air Force Base in St. John's, which closed in 1961. The base in Stephenville was used for North American Air Defence until 1966. Argentia was the last to close; it continued as an American naval base until 1994.

Eventually, facilities at all three bases were converted to civilian uses.

You can drive around Quidi Vidi Lake today and see housing and businesses that closely resembled military buildings. Many of the buildings in Stephenille are old military buildings, and the street names are named after U.S. states.

Garrison St. John's sits on the north shore of Quidi Vidi Lake on part of the former site of Pepperrell Air Force Base. It is responsible for supporting all military activities in Newfoundland as well as local reserve units. It also indirectly supports 1,500 reservists in Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as 5,000 cadets. Garrison St. John's supports naval vessels of Maritime Forces Atlantic, as many as 30 visiting NATO naval vessels each year.

Back in 2014, the new Surgeon Lieutenant-Commander W. Anthony Paddon Building was opened. It houses the complete station and replaced 17 older buildings.