Naval History and Heritage Command

The Fifteenth Naval District, headquartered at Balboa in the Canal Zone, was established on 28 November 1917 by an executive order dated 27 August 1917 and encompassed "the waters adjacent to the Canal Zone exclusive of the area between the inner limits of the defensive sea areas established at the Atlantic Entrance and the Pacific Entrance of the Panama Canal." In 1945 the district consisted of the following geographic area: Panama Canal Zone. The Fifteenth Naval District was disestablished on 31 December 1975 its responsibilities were transferred to the Panama Canal US Naval Station.

Notes: CAPT = Captain, RADM = Rear Admiral.

The administrative records of the Fifteenth Naval District are located in Record Group (RG) 181.2.14 at the National Archives and Records Administration’s Southwest Region facility at 501 West Felix Street, Building 1, Fort Worth, Texas 76115-3405, telephone 817-831-5620.

An unpublished 2-volume administrative history of the Fifteenth Naval District and Panama Sea Frontier during World War II, known as “World War II Naval Administrative History # 122,” is located in the Navy Department Library. It is unavailable for loan and must be consulted in the library. Photocopying of this manuscript is generally prohibited; the use of digital cameras by researchers is encouraged. Permission to photocopy a limited number of pages may be granted by the reference staff, contingent upon the physical state of the item. Any photocopying of this manuscript shall be done under the close supervision of the reference staff. The use of personal scanners by non-library staff personnel must be approved by the reference staff on a document-by-document basis (Reference: Naval Historical Center Instruction [NAVHISTCENTINST] 5070.1C.). When requesting the administrative history, please specify its number. For example: "I'd like to examine World War Two Admin. History #122."