BUILDING BEGINS
Diego Garcia base (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SAN DIEGO (California), The Navy said yesterday a United States warship had delivered a construction force to a remote atoll in the centre of the Indian Ocean to build a joint United States-British communications station. A news release of the Pacific fleet amphibious force headquarters said other United States ships were assigned to deliver construction materials for the Seabees who would do the work.
The island, Diego Garcia, is about the centre of the Indian Ocean, nearly 1200 miles south of India, and that distance generally from eastern Africa and Indonesia. “As Maita is to the Mediterranean, Diego Garcia is to the Indian Ocean,” once remarked Admiral John McCain, commander of United States forces in the Pacific.
The base construction terms call for 50 years occupancy by British and United States forces, the Navy said. Included would be an 8000 ft runway for jet aircraft, and support facilities for aviation and warships.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32566, 27 March 1971, Page 23
Word Count
160BUILDING BEGINS Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32566, 27 March 1971, Page 23
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