Port Havannah | |
|---|---|
Village | |
  Port Havannah Location in Vanuatu | |
| Coordinates: 17°34′8.4″S168°15′36″E / 17.569000°S 168.26000°E Coordinates: 17°34′8.4″S168°15′36″E / 17.569000°S 168.26000°E | |
| Country |  Vanuatu |
| Province | Shefa Province |
| Island | Efate |
| Time zone | UTC+11 (VUT) |
Port Havannah is a port village on Efate Island in Vanuatu.
With Japanese forces establishing bases on Guadalcanal which threatened the sea route between the U.S. and Australia, Admiral King distributed the joint basic plan for the occupation and defense of Efate on 20 March 1942. Under its terms the US Army was to defend Efate and support the defense of ships and positions. The US Navy's task was: (1) to construct, administer and operate a naval advance base, seaplane base, and harbor facilities; (2) to support Army forces in the defense of the island; (3) to construct an airfield and at least two outlying dispersal fields; (4) to provide facilities for the operation of seaplane-bombers. [1]
On 25 March 1942, the Army sent about 500 men to Efate from Noumea, and the 4th Defense Battalion, 45th Marines, arrived on 8 April. Elements of the 1st Naval Construction Battalion arrived on Efate on 4 May 1942. [1] :204
A detachment of Seebees went north to Havannah Harbour to construct a seaplane base to serve a squadron of PBYs. The Seabees built two seaplane ramps of coral, surfaced with wire mesh, and provided buoys for mooring 14 seaplanes. By 1 June, the PBYs began operating from the new base, bombing the Japanese positions on Guadalcanal. In addition to the ramps and moorings, two small piers, two nose hangars, one 40 feet (12 m) by 100 feet (30 m) seaplane workshop, four 5,000-gallon underground gasoline tanks, and housing facilities for 25 officers and 210 men in quonset huts were constructed. [1] :205
US Navy units based at the base included:
In late 1942 the Seebees constructed a 3,000 feet (910 m) by 180 feet (55 m) fighter airstrip at Port Havannah. [1] :206
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US Naval Advance Bases are a number of United States Navy Naval bases built during World War 2 around the world to support the many naval war ships and boats fighting the global war. A few were built at US Allies ports, but most were built at ports captured from the rival armies of the US. In order to keep ships tactically available there was a great demand for bases that could repair and supply ships in theater, rather than return them to CONUS.Before Japan declared war on the United States the US Navy's only fully equipped advanced base was Naval Station Pearl Harbor in the Territory of Hawaii. During the war the US Navy built over 400 advance bases in the Atlantic Theater of Operations and Pacific Theater of Operations. Advance based were categorized by size. Naval bases were either Lions or Cubs. Airfields were either Oaks or Acorns. Some Advance Bases were small and only supported a few PT Boats, others were very large and could support a fleet of ships. Some of the Advance Bases also had airbases. Most bases could do refueling and overhaul; loading of troopship and cargo ships; and preparing amphibious assault ships. Some of the remote ports also became major repair depots. Advanced auxiliary floating drydocks were able to repair battle damage and do regular maintenance in the field. These ships otherwise would have returned to continental bases or Pearl Harbor. The bases also were a place for the troops to rest and regroup. 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 heavy bomber technology lengthen as needed. A few Naval Advance Bases were built for the Korean War and Vietnam War.
Naval Base Saipan or Naval Advance Base Saipan or Naval Air Base Saipan was a United States Navy Naval base built during World War II to support Pacific Ocean theater of war and the many warships and troops fighting the war. The base was on the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. The base was part of the Pacific island hopping campaign. The base construction started after the Battle of Saipan ended on July, 9 1944. US Naval Advance Base Saipan was constructed by the Seabees Naval Mobile Construction Battalions. The base was under the Commander Naval Forces Marianas. Saipan is 12 miles (19 km) long and 5 miles (8.0 km) wide. About 70% of the island was sugarcane cultivation at the start of the base construction. At the start of the Battle of Saipan, the island's population had about 30,000 Japanese troops and about 20,000 Japanese civilians. The city of Garapan was the administrative center for the Saipan governmental district.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.