My Dad was stationed while serving in the Army (33rd Infantry Regiment,
http://www.czimages.com/CZMemories/Fort_Clayton/33rdinfreg.pdf) in the Panama Canal Zone in the late 1940's to the early 1950's. Met my Mom there (Panamanian) and my two older brothers were born in Panama. I visited there a LONG time ago (1971-72 or so). Very nice country, good economy, and a lot of Americans have retired there.