Then four years ago, a pilot made a tragic mistake. He dropped two bombs in the wrong place and killed David Sanes, a security guard. Immediately, activists started leading protests against the Navy bombing. They pulled down fences and invaded the property, saying the Navy must leave Vieques.
The activists claimed the bombing caused cancer and polluted the island.
Famous people joined the protests. Al Sharpton went through the fence. So did Robert Kennedy Jr. and actor Edward James Olmos.
Lots of politicians from New York, which has a large Puerto Rican population, got involved too, including Gov. George Pataki, Rep. Charles Rangel, Rep. Jose Serrano, and Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Back in 2000, President Clinton decided the Navy would stop the training in Vieques. "We have not always been good neighbors on Vieques," said Clinton.
President Bush supported that decision.
"These are our friends and neighbors and they don't want us there," Bush said.