Photo of the Week
May 16, 2021

CZImages contributor Allan Hawkins sent me some photos this week that knocked me out of my chair.  The top photo shows a crowd of people walking down the street and some with signs.  First thing that came to mind was a demonstration, but then you see the band in the background.  Allan told me that these photos were taken in Paraiso, Canal Zone by the Paraiso Service Center (Clubhouse) and theater.  Then he sent me another photo at a different angle showing more of the theater.  Then my jaw dropped when the next photo came showing military and tanks.  It really looked like a stand off.  I couldn't figure this out....I never heard of such a thing happening in a Canal Zone town.  Then Allan told me that this was a 
Veteran's Day Celebration and parade.  HA!!  Imagine that!  Paraiso had it's share of veterans who fought and died in the U.S. Armed Forces.  I took a photo of a monument in Paraiso while on a trip to Panama in 2003.  I have it posted click here.

After calming down, I started studying the photos and what caught my eye right away was how the Service Center and theater look the same as those built in Gamboa.  The exhaust chimney on the projector room is something interesting and I searched for old projectors and sure enough some old projectors needed an exhaust system to ventilate the projector.  Must have been hot a blazes in the projector room without AC.  It must have been a ride in those tanks from Fort Clayton to Paraiso.  The photos are undated, but appear to be 1950s according to the automobiles.

Thank you for sending these rare photos Allan.