1. Did America ever have possession of Bonaire?

2. If so, what years?

3. What happened during that time?

can't find a definite answer but maybe...

1) some period in the early 1800s the island was leased to a north american for timber...

2) at some point during world world ii was a prison camp for german/dutch prisoners...

i guess it could have been americans in either case...

Great answer, Bob.

Between 1799 to 1816 there was a time of confusion on Bonaire/Curacao.

There were English and French raiders making the coast unsafe. It was the meat on the island that attracted them. The English occupied the island a few times. Fort Oranje was built in 1799 and the cannons were English and left behind. Check them out!

The English didn't maintain strict control during their occupation and white tradesmen began to establish themselves clandestinely on Bonaire. Most settled where the ships lay at anchor. Playa (Kralendijk).

During the period of 1810-1816 the island was leased to an American shipbuilder from New York, Joseph Foulke. Foulke received 300 slaves and everything on both islands (Curacao) for about $2,400 dollars per year. It was during this period where all of the trees of Klein Bonaire were cut and most of the main island trees were devastated.

So, although the Brits had the possession, the Yanks were physically there.

Answer number 2: There is a common misconception here. There was not a prisoner of war camp, but an internment camp and it was initiated and run by the Dutch. America had nothing to do with it.

Tidbit: The internment camp was built in 1940 and was closed in 1947 - in 1951 it became a hotel, the site of the current Divi hotel.

I also think it was the site of Capt.Don's first employment and where the first Regatta began - so, maybe the Americans did have possesion, maybe?

Barry? Internment of whom? For what?

When Holland saw itself becoming occupied by Hitler, the Dutch wanted to protect its possessions.

Just as America interned the Japanese and sympathizers, so did the Dutch, but with the Germans and German sympathizers. They were interned there for about 7 years, but they were treated pretty well, and many of them stayed and helped to establish Bonaire upon their release.