United States Navy 
Naval Base Fiji was a naval base built by the United States Navy in 1942 to support the World War II effort. The base was located on Fiji in the Central Pacific Ocean. The base was built as one of many advance bases in the island-hopping campaign towards the Empire of Japan. The US Navy built seaports, seaplane bases and airfields used for staging in the Pacific War. [1]
In 1942 Fiji was a British colony, when Japan's Pacific aggression started in the late 1930s. The United Kingdom worked with New Zealand to build up the defense of the Island. New Zealand drew up plans for the defense of Fiji in April 1939. United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Fiji agreed to the plans which called for air bases, seaplane base, coastal batteries, and other defense on the Fiji Islands. The number of Troops sent would not have been enough to defend Fiji had it been invaded. Most troops were sent to the key Suva Peninsula and nearby Nandali airfield. New Zealand built a system of underground bases with a hospital, supply depot, headquarters and more. A depot and 300-bed hospital were built at Tamavua. Fiji College of Advance Education was used as a hospital during the war. [2] With the rapid expansion of Japan in 1942 and 1943, Fiji was under threat of Japanese invasion in 1942 and part of 1943. Japan had made plans to invade Fiji, called Operation FS, but this was canceled after the major defeat at the Battle of Midway.
After the Attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, it was agreed that the United States Armed Forces could use Fiji as a staging base and training base. United States Armed Forces took over much of the operation of the airfields and seaplane bases. Fiji was a key point on the long shipping route from the United States to South Pacific bases, including major bases in Australia. On 13 May 1942, the United States issued a document called "Joint Army and Navy Plan for the Relief of New Zealand in Fiji and Tonga". [3] The plan requests the replacement of the 10,000 New Zealand troops with US Troops. The New Zealand troops freed up went on to fight in the Solomon Islands. Part of the plan called for the US Navy to build an 80,500-barrel tank farm near Nandi, on Fiji's west coast. The US Navy's Seabee 3rd Construction Battalion formed at Camp Allen was sent to Fiji to start new construction and expansion of existing bases on Viti Levu, Fiji's main island. Work started at the tank farm at Nandi and the port at Suva, Fiji's main port. The hospital ship USS Solace was a regular visiter to Fiji. On 28 July 1942, the US Navy and US Marine did a practice amphibious landing at Fiji's Koro Island. This was to prepare the troops for the upcoming landings at Guadalcanal, the Troop's first major offensive of the War. From the rehearsal, lessons were learned that helped at Guadalcanal. On 31 July 1942, the Troops departed Fiji for the invasion of Guadalcanal. During the Pacific War, 8,000 Fijian troops fought with the Allies in the Solomon Islands campaign and Bougainville campaign. At Suva large staging base was built. Fiji also became a rest and recuperation base for troops fighting in the Pacific War. As the war moved closer to Japan most operations had moved closer to Japan at more advanced bases. By August 1944 most operations at Fiji had been moved out. [4] [5] [6]
Naval Headquarters was at the Fiji capital, the city of Suva, on the main Fiji Island, Viti Levu. Port of Suva had good fleet anchorage. King's Wharf was one of the main docking ports. King's wharf was built on reclaimed land during World War I and replaced the smaller Queen's wharf on Pier Street. [7] [8] The US Navy gave the Suva Naval Headquarters the code name Fantan Two. Suva Navy Fleet Post Office was No. 202 – Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji Islands 130 SF Suva, Fiji Islands. General mail was sent to Fantan Fleet Post Office No. 305 Fiji Islands. The existing Port of Suva was used by the Navy. Port of Suva offered good fleet anchorage. Located at 18°07′07″S178°24′00″E / 18.1186°S 178.40°E Coordinates: 18°07′07″S178°24′00″E / 18.1186°S 178.40°E . [9] [10]
Nadi Bay offered an excellent anchorage. The US Navy built a new advance naval base and camp at Nadi, code name Jampuff. The port base also supported the Nadi airfield built by New Zealand forces. Nadi airfield had two bomber concrete runways each 7,000 feet long (2130 meter). The US Navy Seabee's built Carrier Aircraft Service Unit No. 9 at Nadi. Port of Nadi location at 17°46′11″S177°22′59″E / 17.7697°S 177.383°E . [11] At Nadi Bay was Seaplane Base Nadi with seaplane tenders USS Mackinac and USS Ballard. VP-23, Patrol Squadron 23, known as the Seahawks was stationed at Seaplane Base Nadi with Consolidated PBY Catalina, including black Cats, night fighters. [12]
Port of Lautoka on the western coast of Viti Levu Island was built by the Navy. Seabees 3rd Construction Battalion, Company C built a jetty 60 feet long and 300 feet wide for loading and unloading of ships. The port was used to support Lautoka Airfield. Also at Lautoka was a New Zealand Army, 3rd Division, 30th Battalion camp. At location 17°36′17″S177°26′21″E / 17.6046°S 177.4391°E . [13]
Port of Tomba Ko Nandi was used for fleet anchorage and docking. Tomba Ko Nandi Port is located on the west shore of Viti Levu Island, near the city of Nasoso, at 17°43′43″S177°25′29″E / 17.7286°S 177.4247°E . [14]
Lauthala Bay Seaplane Base was at Lauthala Bay, also called Laucala Bay, built by New Zealand and taken over by US, to the east of the city of Suva on the southern coast of Viti Levu. Island. From 1944 to 1945, the US Navy Navy Air Transport Service (NATS) operated from Lauthala Bay Seaplane Base. During 1945, The Royal New Zealand Air Force operated Short Sunderland from the base in 1945. At location 18°08′54″S178°27′39″E / 18.1482°S 178.4609°E . Based at Lauthala Bay Seaplane Base was VP-91, Patrol Squadron 91 with Consolidated PBY Catalina. [15]
Saweni Bay Seaplane Base, also called Saweni Beach Seaplane Base, was at Saweni, on Saweni Bay, north of Lauwaki on the northwest part of Viti Levu Island in Fiji. The base was 10 miles north of Nadi Airfield. The base was built by the Seabees 3rd Construction Battalion starting July 1942. VP-11, with six Consolidated PBY Catalina, started operating at the base on 4 August 1942. Patrol from the base went north to cover the Solomon Island for the upcoming campaigns. VP-11 also had operations at Naval Base Noumea. By August 1944 Fiji was now far from the active front and the base was closed, as operations had been moved to more forward bases. The Base was operated by Naval Construction Maintenance Unit 503, which depart at the closure. At Saweni Bay was the Seabees camp and supply depot. At location 17°38′46″S177°23′33″E / 17.646154°S 177.392614°E . [16]
The US Navy Seabees built a Fleet Recreation Center at Vunda Point on the west shore of Viti Levu. Located at 17°40′S177°22.99′E / 17.667°S 177.38317°E , just south of Saweni Bay Seaplane Base on the Dreketi inlet. Troops of the 1st Marine Division that were in the Battle of Guadalcanal were able to rest at Fiji before the next campaign, Battle of Cape Gloucester.
Seabees based at Naval Base Fiji:
Lautoka is the second largest city in Fiji. It is on the west coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Ba Province of the Western Division. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane-growing region, the city has come to be known as the Sugar City. Covering an area of 32 square kilometres, it had a population of 71,573 at the 2017 census, the most recent to date.
Vuda Point is a headland on the west coast of Viti Levu island, in Ba Province of Fiji. It is located between the towns of Nadi and Lautoka.
Nadi International Airport is the main international airport of Fiji as well as an important regional hub for the South Pacific islands, located by the coast on the western side of the main island Viti Levu. Owned and operated by Fiji Airports Limited, It is the main hub of Fiji Airways and its domestic and regional subsidiary Fiji Link. The airport is located at Namaka, 10 km from the city of Nadi and 20 km from the city of Lautoka. In 2019, it handled 2,485,319 passengers on international and domestic flights. It handles about 97% of international visitors to Fiji, of whom 86% are tourists. Despite being Fiji's main airport, it is a considerable distance from the country's major population centre; it is located 192 kilometres (119 mi) northwest of the country's capital and largest city Suva and its own airport, Nausori International Airport.
Rail transport in Fiji moves cut sugar cane to crushing mills. Also, there used to be two horse-drawn street tramway systems, some other passenger systems, an underground mine system, and some tramways on construction projects. There are multiple other modes of transport in Fiji.
Naval Advance Base Espiritu Santo or Naval Base Espiritu Santo, most often just called Espiritu Santo, was a major advance Naval base that the U.S. Navy Seabees built during World War II to support the Allied effort in the Pacific. The base was located on the island of Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides, now Vanuatu, in the South Pacific. The base also supported the U.S. Army and Army Air Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, and US Marine Corps. It was the first large advance base built in the Pacific. By the end of the war it had become the second-largest base in the theater. To keep ships tactically available there was a demand for bases that could repair and resupply the fleet at advance locations, rather than return them to the United States. Prior to December 7th, Pearl Harbor was the U.S. fleet's largest advance base in the Pacific. Espiritu became capable of all aspects necessary to support the Fleet's operations from fleet logistics in fuel, food, and ammunition, to transport embarkation for combat operations or returning to the continental United States. The ship repair facilities and drydocks were capable of attending to most damage and routine maintenance. Had it not existed, ships would have had to return to Pearl Harbor, Brisbane, or Sydney for major repairs and resupply. The base became a major R and R destination for the fleet.
US Naval Advance Bases were built globally by the United States Navy during World War II to support and project U.S. naval operations world-wide. A few were built on allied soil, but most were captured enemy facilities or completely new. Advance bases provided the fleet with support to keep ships tactically available with repair and supply depots of facilities, rather than return them to continental United States. Before Japan declared war on the United States the US Navy had a single fleet sized advanced base in the Territory of Hawaii. It was Naval Station Pearl Harbor. During the war the US Navy Seabees built over 400 advance bases categorized by size. Naval bases were either Lions or Cubs while airfields were either Oaks or Acorns. Lions and Oaks were major facilities while Cubs and Acorns were minor. PT Boats typically would get a Cub and airfields with single runways were Acorns. The larger bases could do refueling and overhaul; loading of troopship and cargo ships; and preparing amphibious assault ships. Some became major repair depots. The Seabees developed auxiliary floating drydocks were able to repair battle damage and do regular maintenance in the field saving ships trans-pacific trips for repair. A few bases also were developed to be R and R for all U.S. personnel. Most Advance Bases were built by the US Navy's Seabees in Naval Construction Battalions (CBs). At the start of the war some civilian contractor were employed in construction. The Seabees in World War II built most of the airfields used by the United States Army Air Forces and United States Marine Corps, as they had the ships and cranes needed to transport the vast amount of equipment needed at the advance bases. The US Army and United States Coast Guard also operated out of many of these facilities. Seabees could build new or repair damaged runways, and with advancements in heavy bomber technology lengthen runways as needed. A few Naval Advance Bases were built for the Korean War and Vietnam War.
Naval Base Noumea was a major United States Navy sea and air base at Nouméa, New Caledonia. Naval Base Noumea was built at Noumea Harbor. Noumea was picked for a Naval Base as it was beyond the range of Japanese land-based planes. Noumea is on the east side the Coral Sea, 1,469 km, from Brisbane, Australia. The Base was built during World War II to support the many ships and aircraft fighting and patrolling in the South West Pacific theatre of war as part of the Pacific War. Naval Base Noumea had anchorage for large ships. Noumea was protected against submarine attack by ring of islands and Naval minefields. At its peak 50,000 Troops were stationed at Naval Base Noumea. New Caledonia has been a colony of France since 1853. Noumea is the capital City of New Caledonia on the southwest end of the island. On November 8, 1942, US Navy South Pacific headquarter moved to Noumea.
Naval Base Milne Bay, also called Naval Advance Base Milne Bay, was new major United States Navy sea and airbase base built on Milne Bay in Milne Bay Province in south-eastern Papua New Guinea. By spring 1943, the build up of the US Navy to support the Pacific War had caused overcrowding at the ports on the east coast of Australia. To help the Seabee departed Naval Base Brisbane on June 19, 1943 to set up a new base in Milne Bay. Naval Base Milne Bay headquarters was at Ladava Navy Base. The Royal Australian Navy already had a small base in Milne Bay: HMAS Ladava. Australians were able to defend and keep Milne Bay in the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942. Naval Base Milne Bay was built during World War II to support the many ships and aircraft fighting and patrolling in the South West Pacific theatre of war. Ladava Navy Base provided a large protective US Navy fleet anchorage at Gahora Bay next to Ladava. At Naval Base Milne Bay Seabee built large Naval facility.
Naval Base Manila, Naval Air Base Manila was a major United States Navy base south of the City of Manila, on Luzon Island in the Philippines. Some of the bases dates back to 1898, the end of the Spanish–American War. Starting in 1938 civilian contractors were used to build new facilities in Manila to prepare for World War II. Work stopped on December 23, 1941, when Manila was declared not defendable against the Empire of Japan southward advance, which took over the city on January 2, 1942, after the US declared it an open city. US Navy construction and repair started in March 1945 with the taking of Manila in the costly Battle of Manila ending on March 2, 1945. Naval Base Manila supported the Pacific War and remained a major US Naval Advance Base until its closure in 1971.
Naval Base Okinawa, now Naval Facility Okinawa, was and is a number of bases built after the Battle of Okinawa by United States Navy on the Okinawa Island of Japan. The naval bases were built to support the landings on Okinawa on April 1, 1945, and the troops fighting on Okinawa. The Navy repaired and did expansion of the airfields on Okinawa. United States Navy Seabee built or repaired the facilities on the island. The bases on Okinawa put the United States Armed Forces only 350 miles from Japan's home islands. Most facilities closed after the war, but some are still in use today in all branches of the United States Armed Forces.
Manus Naval Base was a number of bases built after the World War II Battle of Manus by United States Navy on the Manus Island and a smaller island just east, Los Negros Island in the Admiralty Islands chain. The major naval base construction started with the Los Negros landings on February 28, 1944. The Navy repaired and did the expansion of the airfields on the Admiralty Islands. United States Navy Seabee built or repaired the facilities on the islands. The large Manus Naval Base, also called the Admiralty Island base, supported United States Seventh Fleet, Southwest Pacific command, and part of the Pacific Fleet. The base was abandoned by the US Navy after the war.
Naval Base Brisbane was a major United States Navy base built in the early part of World War II at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. At first, operated as a base for patrol aircraft and convoy escort aircraft to protect the last leg of the Pacific War to the Southwest Pacific. As the US Navy expanded in the island hopping campaign, Naval Base Brisbane expanded to include a submarine base, repair depot, seaplane base and other facilities. US Navy operations started on April 14, 1942, and ended after the war in 1945.
Naval Base Sydney was a United States Navy base built during World War II at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The base was built with Australian civilian contractors. As the US Navy expanded in the Island hopping campaign, Naval Base Sydney expanded to include a Naval Base Hospital, repair base and other facilities. US Navy operations started in 1943 and ended after the war in 1945.
Naval Base Darwin was a United States Navy base built during World War II at Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. The first US operations at Darwin was Naval mine depot, built to supply Australia with mines to support the Pacific War. As the US Navy expanded in the Island hopping campaign, Naval Base Darwin expanded to include a Port Darwin submarine base, PT boat Bases, and other facilities. US Navy operations started in 1942 and ended after the war in 1945.
Naval Base Port Moresby was a United States Navy base built during World War II at the city of Port Moresby on Papua New Guinea. The US Navy built a communication center and advance base headquarters for the US Seventh Fleet to support the Pacific War in 1943. The base was part of the New Guinea campaign.
Naval Base Alexishafen was a United States Navy base built during World War II at Alexishafen, north of the city of Madang in New Guinea. The base was built by the US Navy Seabees starting June 13, 1944 as part of the New Guinea campaign of the Pacific War. The base was built at the request of the Seventh Amphibious Force of the United States Seventh Fleet to support the many boats patrolling the area. The US Navy built a boat repair depot including Auxiliary floating drydocks. The base was closed in January 28, 1945.
Naval Base Puerto Princesa, Naval Base Palawan, was a United States Navy base built during World War II at Puerto Princesa on Palawan Island, Philippines, after the Invasion of Palawan on February 28, 1945. Puerto Princesa Bay offered an excellent base for fleet anchorage. At the naval base, US Navy Seabees built: a seaplane base, carrier aircraft fighter plane repair depot, land airfield and other base facilities.
Naval Base Tarawa was a naval base built by the United States Navy in 1943 to support the World War II effort. The base was located on Tarawa atoll in the Gilbert Islands in the Central Pacific Ocean. The base was built as one of many advance bases in the island-hopping campaign towards the Empire of Japan. At Naval Base Tarawa the Navy built a seaport, seaplane base and two airbases. Construction started after the Battle of Tarawa ended November 23, 1943, part of Operation Galvanic.
US Naval Base Solomons was a number of United States Navy bases in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Most were built by the US Navy Seabees, Naval Construction Battalions, during World War II as part of the Pacific War. In August 1942 the United States Armed Forces took the Guadalcanal in the Solomon, in the Battle of Guadalcanal. US Navy Seabees built a new base at Guadalcanal, Naval Base Guadalcanal and then on other islands in the Solomons.
US Naval Base Carolines was number of United States Navy bases on the Caroline Islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea during World War II. The bases were built to support the island hoping Pacific war efforts of the allied nations fighting the Empire of Japan.
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