US NAVY TO OVERHAUL SWASTIKA-SHAPED BARRACKS

The U.S, Navy announced this week that it will spend up to $600,000 to alter the appearance of a complex of swastika-shaped buildings at its Coronado base.

The buildings, which serve as barracks for the Seabees, were built in 1967. According to the Navy, the shape of the buildings was not discovered until after they were built.

Since the swastikas were only observable from the air, the Navy decided to leave them in place for the past fifty years.

In recent years, however, aerial images of the barracks have circulated the Internet courtesy of Google Earth. As a public controversy simmered, the Navy committed to wholesale changes to the barracks.

Navy deputy public affairs officer Scott Sutherland said, "We don’t want to be associated with something as symbolic and hateful as a swastika."

As late as spring 2006, Navy officials had downplayed the shape of the buildings, insisting, "The Navy intends to continue the use of the buildings as long as they remain adequate for the needs of the service."

Naturally, the terrible design of the long-standing barracks has led to the inevitable conspiracy theories. One theory posits that the barracks were built by German POW’s who managed to trick the Navy. Another theory suggests that the swastika shape was selected as a bulwark against Japanese Navy sorties.