▁as ▁" Search ▁and ▁Dest roy ". ▁As ▁most ▁sh ipping ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁was ▁not ▁in ▁def ensive ▁con vo ys , ▁aer ial ▁surve ill ance ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁cru cial ▁to ▁their ▁safety . ▁However , ▁in ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁the ▁German ▁Navy ▁changed ▁tact ics ▁and ▁reduced ▁their ▁sub marine ▁activity ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁region ▁to ▁concent rate ▁its ▁activity ▁on ▁the ▁North ▁Atlantic ▁con voy ▁route ▁and ▁the ▁approaches ▁to ▁north west ▁Africa . ▁With ▁the ▁withdraw al ▁of ▁sub mar ines ▁from ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁region ▁the ▁Six th ▁Air ▁Force ▁concentr ated ▁its ▁efforts ▁as ▁a ▁striking ▁force ▁on ▁its ▁primary ▁function ▁of ▁guard ing ▁against ▁possible ▁attacks ▁on ▁the ▁Pan ama ▁Canal . ▁ ▁Post - war ▁mission ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁w art ime ▁Car ib bean ▁air ▁bases ▁used ▁for ▁ant is ub marine ▁pat rol s ▁were ▁returned ▁to ▁civil ▁authorities ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁or ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁The ▁L end - Le ase ▁air ▁bases ▁from ▁Great ▁Britain , ▁which ▁were ▁on ▁ 9 9 - year ▁le ases ▁were ▁reduced ▁to ▁ske leton ▁units ▁and ▁used ▁largely ▁as ▁M AT S ▁weather ▁stations . ▁They ▁were ▁all ▁closed ▁for ▁budget ary ▁reasons ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁post war ▁Six th ▁Air ▁Force , ▁red es ign ated ▁Car ib