Naval Base Okinawa, now Naval Facility Okinawa, was and is a number of bases built after the

Battle of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

on the

Okinawa Island is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands of Japan in the Kyushu region. It is the smallest and least populated of the five main islands of Japan. The island is approximately long, an average wide, and has an ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. 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 United States Naval Construction Battalions, better known as the Navy Seabees, form the U.S. Naval Construction Force (NCF). The Seabee nickname is a heterograph of the initial letters "CB" from the words "Construction Battalion". Depending upon ...

built or repaired the facilities on the island. The bases on Okinawa put the

United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

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

OneofmanyroadimprovementbySeabeeonOkinawa1945

PontooncausewaysbuiltSeabeesOkinawafor_LSTs

Construction history

Construction and improvements to captured facilities were given to Navy Seabee construction brigades 8th, 10th, 70th and 11th. The 1181st

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

Engineer construction joined in the construction projects. Some construction brigades came ashore during the landings as support combat engineers. As soon as the beaches were secured, the construction brigades began fixing and improving beach exit roads and bridges. Construction brigades were given the dangerous task of clearing

land mine A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...

s and demolitions. The other high priorities for the Construction brigades were

fresh water Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does include ...

and the repair and expansion of the

airfields An aerodrome (Commonwealth English) or airdrome (American English) is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for publi ...

on Okinawa, once they were captured. Construction brigades worked in shifts around the clock, due to the high priorities of these tasks. Seabee 43rd Naval Construction Regiment landed with the troop on the east coast of Okinawa. The next Seabee landings were the 36th, 40th, and 87th Seabee Battalions in late April from

Naval Base Saipan 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 World War II, Pacific Ocean theater of war and the many warships and troop ...

on LST ships. Seabee built their own loading zone for the heavy equipment needed for

road work Road work may refer to: * Roadworks, when part of a road has to be occupied for work relating to the road * ''Roadwork'', a novel by Stephen King published in 1981 * ''Roadwork'' (album), a 1972 live album by Edgar Winter and his band White Trash ...

and

runway According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt concrete, as ...

repair and improvement. Heavy rains sometimes slowed and stop the work. Work on

Yontan Airfield Yontan Airfield (also known as Yomitan Auxiliary Airfield) is a former military airfield located near Yomitan Village on the west coast of Okinawa. It was closed in July 1996 and turned over to the Japanese government in December 2006. Today it i ...

and

Kadena Airfield ( IATA: DNA, ICAO: RODN) is a highly strategic United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its hi ...

started on April 3, both were ready the next day by the efforts of 1901st Aviation Engineer Battalion and Seabee 624. The repaired runways were used by

fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield ...

and

reconnaissance aircraft A reconnaissance aircraft (colloquially, a spy plane) is a military aircraft designed or adapted to perform aerial reconnaissance with roles including collection of imagery intelligence (including using photography), signals intelligence, as ...

. Seabee added a tank farm for fuel storage. On April 28, Seabee started construction of new runway that could handle the needs of

Bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped ...

s at Yontan Airfield. There were now 95,000 construction troops on Okinawa, improving and building facilities. Next repair and improvement started at

Bolo Airfield Bolo Airfield (also known as Bolo Point Airfield) is a former World War II airfield at Naval Base Okinawa in Okinawa, at Bolo Point on the East China Sea coast. The airfield was inactivated after 1946 and returned to Japanese control in 1972. Cu ...

and

Yonabaru Airfield Yonabaru Airfield or NAB Yonabaru is a former World War II airfield on the Pacific coast of Okinawa. The base was disestablished on 30 June 1947. History World War II Yonabaru Airfield was originally established by the Imperial Japanese Army Ai ...

. When completed Yonabaru Airfield was 6,500 feet long. Due to poor drainage at

Awase Airfield Awase Airfield or NAB Awase is a former World War II airfield on the Pacific coast of Okinawa. History World War II The Awase area was captured during the first week of the Battle of Okinawa and was surveyed for possible airbase construction ...

, the captured runway was abandoned, for later work. From June 15 to Awase Airfield completion on June 30, Seabee did massive earthwork project to drain and fill the Awase runway. Awase Airfield became a fighter aircraft base. Seabee 36th Battalion began building a new 5,000-foot fighter aircraft runway nearby to Awase starting on April 23. On May 6 Seabees of the 40th Battalion began the repair and improvement of the

Chimu Airfield Chimu Airfield or NAB Chimu is a former World War II airfield on the Pacific coast of Okinawa. The airfield was inactivated after October 1945. History World War II The Chimu Wan area was captured during the first week of the Battle of Okinawa. ...

. On the

Katsuren Peninsula The is a peninsula on Okinawa Island. It is bordered by Nakagusuku Bay to the south, Kin Bay to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the east.South China Morning PostThe stunning fortresses of Okinawa have endured centuries of conflict , Post Ma ...

at Katchin Hanto Seabees of the 7th Battalion started work on a

seaplane A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of takeoff, taking off and water landing, landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their tec ...

base, that opened on July 1. Also at Katchin Hanto Seabees built a large supply depot. For unloading all the needed cargo harbor facilities at Katchin Hanto, Tengan and Baten Ko at

Buckner Bay is a bay on the southern coast of Okinawa Island on the Pacific Ocean in Japan. The bay covers and ranges between to deep. The bay is surrounded by the municipalities of Uruma, Kitanakagusuku, Nakagusuku, Nishihara, Yonabaru, Nanjō, all in ...

were built. At Tengan a breakwater and pier was built. A number of anchored pontoon piers and causeways were built to get over the

coral reef A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. Co ...

s. Seabees used many

tugboat A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, su ...

s and

barges Barge nowadays generally refers to a flat-bottomed boat, flat-bottomed inland waterway vessel which does not have its own means of mechanical propulsion. The first modern barges were pulled by tugs, but nowadays most are pushed by Pusher (boat) ...

to get cargo ashore. Most ships could not get to pontoon causeways, so ships would unload into barges, barge cargo was then loaded into trucks. Additional piers and causeways were built at City of Kin on Chimu-Wan Bay, Awase, Machinato, Chimu Wan, Yonabaruand, City of Kuba Saki and Bisha Gawa. Unten Ko on Motobu Hanto and Chimu Wan became a supply depot with boat repair,

naval mine A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, any ...

depot. Each depot has an

ammunition Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...

depot outside of the main depot. A ship repair depot was established at Baten Ko. Buckner Bay and Chimu Wan became massive supply depots. Port at Awase became an aircraft repair depot, with the docking of aircraft repair ships and Combat Aircraft Service Unit. On June 1, 1945, the original Seabees Battalion were given a break as replacements arrived and took over unloading the massive amount of cargo still needed for operation. The new units were: Seabee 3rd, 4th, 11th, 12th, 23rd, 27th, and 36th Special Battalions, the Seabee 81st, 28th, and 148th Pontoon Battalions, and the Seabee 137th and 139th Trucking Battalions. June rain slowed the supply chain on muddy roads, priority cargo was unloaded first due to this slow down. Okinawa Island was declared secured on June 22, 1945. By July 1 supply chain problems were gone. Seabee also built the Third Amphibious Corps evacuation hospital at Yontan and Special Augmented Hospital 3, 4, 6 & 7. Seabee built degaussing station at Tsuken Shima, and a joint Headquarter communications center. All this work was interrupted from the landing to victory by air attacks, troops and Seabee were bombed, strafed and

Kamikaze , officially , were a part of the Japanese Special Attack Units of military aviators who flew suicide attacks for the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, intending to d ...

attacked on ships. On the ground, sniper fire, artillery, mortar fire, land mines and booby traps were a constant danger for work crews. Seabee repaired the remaining airfields at

Ie Shima Airfield is a training facility, managed by the United States Marine Corps and a former World War II airfield complex on Ie Shima, an island located off the northwest coast of Okinawa Island in the East China Sea. The airfield as such was inactivated ...

, Futema Airfield, Machinato Airfield and Tsuken Shima Airfield. By August, the troops peaked at 87,000 construction and engineering troops on Okinawa in 36 naval construction battalions, 21 Army engineer aviation battalions, 14 Army combat engineer battalions, and 7 Army engineer construction battalions.

Post War

More than 12,000 US Troops died during the fighting on Okinawa. The Okinawa Bases were building up for the planned, more costly, invasion of Japan home island, called

Operation Downfall Operation Downfall was the proposed Allied plan for the invasion of the Japanese home islands near the end of World War II. The planned operation was canceled when Japan surrendered following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, th ...

. With the

Surrender of Japan The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally signed on 2 September 1945, bringing the war's hostilities to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy ...

on September 2, 1945, the invasion was not needed. The Navy cleared naval mines around Okinawa waters in

Operation Zebra Operation Zebra was a July 1945 major mine clearance operation by U.S. Navy Minesweeper (ship), minesweepers off Sakishima Gunto, in association with the invasion of Okinawa by Allied Forces in World War II. See also * USS Staunch (AM-307) * Mines ...

The Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metony ...

decided to keep Okinawa Bases as an Naval Advance Base. Seabee projects that were planned continued after the surrender of Japan. These projects included a full naval base at Baten Ko, camp for receiving troops at Kuba Saki, camp for outgoing troops, new ammunition depot, Fleet Hospital #116, a small naval base at Katchin Hanto, full aviation supply depot, making a deep harbor at Baten Ko, building a fleet recreation area at Tsuken Shima, and enlarging the naval supply depot at Tengan on Chimu Wan. On September 1, 1945, the agreement between the US Army engineer and the Seabee ended. Before this time both operated under a single command. This ended the largest ever joint construction force assembled. On October 9, 1945, the south part of Okinawa Island was hit by a

typhoon A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...

, Typhoon Louise. Typhoon Louise did massive damage to the fleet post office at Baten Ko, departure camp, and Special Augmented Hospital No. 4, along with general damage across the southern bases. The typhoon did more damage to vessels than the air attacks. At the end of construction in late 1945, The US Navy bases and facilities covered 20,000 acres. Construction crews had built for both the naval and army use: 4,180 feet of

wharves A wharf, quay (, also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more berths (mooring location ...

, 712,000 square feet of storage depot buildings, 193,000 cubic feet of

refrigerated The term refrigeration refers to the process of removing heat from an enclosed space or substance for the purpose of lowering the temperature.International Dictionary of Refrigeration, http://dictionary.iifiir.org/search.phpASHRAE Terminology, ht ...

storage and 11,778,000 square feet of open storage. Seabee had built tank farms holding: 8,820,000 gallons of

aviation gasoline Avgas (aviation gasoline, also known as aviation spirit in the UK) is an aviation fuel used in aircraft with spark-ignited internal combustion engines. ''Avgas'' is distinguished from conventional gasoline (petrol) used in motor vehicles, whi ...

, 30,000 barrels of

Diesel fuel Diesel fuel , also called diesel oil, is any liquid fuel specifically designed for use in a diesel engine, a type of internal combustion engine in which fuel ignition takes place without a spark as a result of compression of the inlet air and t ...

, 50,000 barrels of

fuel oil Fuel oil is any of various fractions obtained from the distillation of petroleum (crude oil). Such oils include distillates (the lighter fractions) and residues (the heavier fractions). Fuel oils include heavy fuel oil, marine fuel oil (MFO), bun ...

. Always built outside of camp and other depots Seabee built 13,000 square feet for ammunition storage. At the airfields, 324,100 square feet of buildings were built for aviation repair shops and 91,000 square feet for general repair shops. The Hospitals took up 338,000 square feet. For the troops, 4,755,000 square feet of

barracks Barracks are usually a group of long buildings built to house military personnel or laborers. The English word originates from the 17th century via French and Italian from an old Spanish word "barraca" ("soldier's tent"), but today barracks are u ...

were built. The US Navy's share of the space was: 16,700 square feet of supply depot and 7,475 cubic feet of refrigerated storage, and 4,500 square feet of open storage, 2,400 square feet of hospital and 67,692 square feet of barracks. The Seabee had a 5,500 square feet repair shops. Japanese prisoner of war camps were built to house the 11,250

Imperial Japanese Army The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...

troops that surrendered between April and July 1945. The 11,250 Troops, which included 3,581 unarmed laborers, made up 12 percent Troops Japan had placed on the island. Some of the Troops that surrendered were home guard personnel called ''

Boeitai The ''Boeitai'' (防衛隊, "Defense Corps") was a Japanese force of World War II. It was established by the War Ministry in June 1944 in response to the worsening war situation facing Japan, and initially comprised all reservists in the 20–40 a ...

''. The camps held the POWs until repatriation to the Japanese homeland on US Navy ships.

United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands The , also referred to as U.S. Ryukyu Islands, was the government in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan (centered on the Okinawa Island) from 1945 to 1950, whereupon it was replaced by the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR) ...

was set up during the battle in 1945 for Administrative control. In 1950,

United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands The was the civil administration government in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan (centered on Okinawa Island), replacing the United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands (itself created at the conclusion of World War II) in 1950, and functio ...

was set up Administrative control. In 1972, Administrative control was returned to Japan.

United States Forces Japan is a subordinate unified command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). It was activated at Fuchū Air Station in Tokyo, Japan, on 1 July 1957 to replace the Far East Command. USFJ is commanded by the Commander, US Forces ...

was founded in 1957 for the defense of Japan.

Naval Forces Japan (United States) U.S. Naval Forces Japan/Navy Region Japan (CNFJ/CNRJ) is a dual-hatted command with command and control authority of all shore installations and assigned forces of the United States Navy in Japan as well as the responsibility to liaise with the Ja ...

was founded in 1962 and has control over all United States Navy shore installations in Japan. Japanese governments has allowed US bases on Okinawa in exchange for a US commitment to defend Japan from external attacks, called The U.S.-Japan Security Alliance. Map Commander, US Fleet Activities Okinawa (CFAO)

Current Navy use

Naval Facility Okinawa *Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Okinawa *United States Naval Hospital Okinawa *Camp Courtney near Kadena Air Base *Tengan Pier *Northern Training Area, part of United States Forces Japan, used by all branches, including the US Navy. *Kin Blue Beach Training Area *Kin Red Beach Training Area *Henoko Navy Ammunition Dump *Camp Shields *Camp Lester (Camp Kuwea) (base hospital) *

Camp Foster Camp Foster, formerly known as Camp Zukeran ( ja, キャンプ・フォスター), is a United States Marine Corps camp located in Ginowan City with portions overlapping into Okinawa City, Chatan town and Kitanakagusuku village in the Japanese ...

Marine Corps and US Navy *Awase Communication Site *White Beach Naval Facility on Katsuren peninsula *

Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is a United States Marine Corps base located in Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan, northeast of Naha, on the island of Okinawa. It is home to approximately 3,000 Marines of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and other units, and has been a U.S. military ai ...

, US Navy operates from Air Station also. *Parts of

Kadena Air Force Base (IATA: DNA, ICAO: RODN) is a highly strategic United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its highl ...

*Some waters off the coast of Okinawa are reserved for use by US Navy and other branches. *Naval Facility Okinawa Units: **76th Task Force **Battalion for Mobile Construction **Communication Detachment **Command for Military Sealift / Air Pacific Repair unit **Temporary units posted at Okinawa

Bases and facilities

Built at Okinawa: * Naha Port Facility US Navy, Naval Headquarters, radar, depot, communication, (1945–present), now US Army *Teguchi Harbor,

PT Boat A PT boat (short for patrol torpedo boat) was a motor torpedo boat used by the United States Navy in World War II. It was small, fast, and inexpensive to build, valued for its maneuverability and speed but hampered at the beginning of the wa ...

base, Squadrons 31, 32, and 37 Beachheads Secured: The history of patrol torpedo (PT Baot), by Harold L. Barbin, page 524, 2010 *Awase port, repair base *Fleet anchorage *Shonawan Harbor PT Boat base, NPTB 25 *Kuba Saki, pier and supply depot *Chimu Wan, section base and suplly depot *Unten Ko, on

Motobu Peninsula The is a peninsula in the Yanbaru region of Okinawa Island. It is surrounded by Nago Bay to the east, the Haneda Inland Sea to the north, and the East China Sea to the west.Okinawa Island Guide " Nago City / Motobu Town / Nakijin VillageOkina ...

, port *Bisha Gawa, pier, supply depot * Tsuken Island, degaussing station. fleet recreation, pontoon pier (later training center) *

Nakagusuku Bay is a bay on the southern coast of Okinawa Island on the Pacific Ocean in Japan. The bay covers and ranges between to deep. The bay is surrounded by the municipalities of Uruma, Kitanakagusuku, Nakagusuku, Nishihara, Yonabaru, Nanjō, all in ...

, naval base, depot *

Yomitan is a List of villages in Japan, village located in Nakagami District, Okinawa, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Geography Yomitan is located on the western coast of the central part of Okinawa Island. The village is bound to th ...

hospital *Katchin Hanto, pier, seaplane base, hospital, supply depot *Chimu and Naval Base, repair (1945-1946) *Ie Shima fleet port off airfield *

USS Comfort (AH-6) The second USS ''Comfort'' (AH-6) was launched 18 March 1943 by Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, Los Angeles, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by First Lieutenant E. Hatchitt, USAMC; transferred to the Navy the same da ...

hospital ship, was off shore to receive wound troops *Fleet Post Office *Rock and

coral Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...

quarry A quarry is a type of open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some jurisdictions to reduce their envi ...

Power station A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electrical grid. Many p ...

s *Tank farms for: Fuel oil, aviation fuel, diesel fuel, gasoline *

AA gun Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...

emplacements *Navy Communication Center *Seabee depots * Aircraft hangers *Mess halls - quonsets *Navy

Carrier Aircraft Service Unit US Navy K-class blimp Carrier Aircraft Service Units (CASU) were United States Navy units formed during World War II for the Pacific War to support naval aircraft operations. From 1942 to 1946, 69 Carrier Aircraft Service Units were formed to ...

(CASU) camp and depot *Water supply system, with tanks *

Ammunition Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...

depots *Quartermaster depots *Medical centers *Engineering camp *Chemical Engineering Camp *

Crash boat Crash Rescue Boat is a name used in the United States to describe military high-speed offshore rescue boats, similar in size and performance to motor torpedo boats, used to rescue pilots and aircrews of crashed aircraft. During World War II th ...

base *

Camp McTureous Camp McTureous (Japanese: キャンプ・マクトリアス ''Kyampu Makutoriasu'') is part of Marine Corps Base Butler in Kawasaki and Nishihara, Uruma City, Okinawa, Japan. Located in the western part of Agena district of Uruma City, Camp McTu ...

, Marine Corps, some Navy use *

Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler (or simply Butler Marine Base) is a United States Marine Corps base located in the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa. It was named after Marine Corps Major General and twice Medal of Honor recipient Smedley D ...

some Navy use *

Camp Gonsalves Camp Gonsalves is a United States Marine Corps, U.S. Marine Corps jungle warfare training area located in northern Okinawa, Japan, across the villages of Kunigami, Okinawa, Kunigami and Higashi, Okinawa, Higashi. Established in 1958, it is the l ...

, Marine Corps, some Navy use *

Camp Schwab Camp Schwab is a United States Marine Corps camp located in northeastern Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, that is currently home to the 4th Marine Regiment and other elements of the 28,000 American servicemen based on the island. The Camp was dedicate ...

, Marine Corps, some Navy use *

Camp Kinser Camp Kinser is a United States Marine Corps logistics base in Okinawa, Japan. Overview Camp Kinser is a major logistics base for Marine Corps Forces on Okinawa. Its flagship command is the 3rd Marine Logistics Group. It sits adjacent to the Eas ...

, Marine Corps, some Navy use *Fleet Post Office FPO# 3256 SF Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Retto, Japan *Fleet Post Office FPO# 1170 SF Katchin Hanto, Okinawa *Fleet Post Office FPO# 1171 SF Motobu Peninsula, Okinawa *Fleet Post Office FPO# 1172 SF Bishi Gawa, Okinawa *Fleet Post Office FPO# 1173 SF Chimu Wan, Okinawa *Fleet Post Office FPO# 1174 SF Awase, Okinawa *Fleet Post Office FPO# 1175 SF Yonabaru, Okinawa

Repair bases

Naval Base Okinawa became a major repair base, ships and other equipment had been fighting in the war for some time, or damaged in kamikaze attacks and were in need of repair. In addition to the land-based repair shops and depots, repair ships worked at Okinawa.

Aircraft repair ship Aircraft repair ship is a naval auxiliary ship designed to provide maintenance support to aircraft. Aircraft repair ships provide similar services to seaplane tenders, that also cared for the crew. Aircraft repair ships had their own stores of s ...

repair ship A repair ship is a naval auxiliary ship designed to provide maintenance support to warships. Repair ships provide similar services to destroyer, submarine and seaplane tenders or depot ships, but may offer a broader range of repair capability incl ...

and floating docks were used to do maintenance, some based at

Kerama Islands The are a subtropical island group southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Geography Four islands are inhabited: Tokashiki Island, Zamami Island, Aka Island, and Geruma Island. The islands are administered as Tokashiki Village and Zamami Villa ...

: *AFD 13, a

Auxiliary floating drydock An auxiliary floating drydock is a type of US Navy floating dry dock. Floating dry docks are able to submerge underwater and to be placed under a ship in need of repair below the water line. Water is then pumped out of the floating dry dock, r ...

, lost in Typhoon, good parts removed for depot stock. *AFD 14, Aux floating drydock, damaged in Typhoon * AFDL 32, Aux floating drydock, lost in Typhoon, good part removed. * ARD 21, Auxiliary Repair Dock, damaged in Typhoon repaired *ARD 22, Auxiliary Repair Dock, damaged in Typhoon repaired * ARD 29, Auxiliary Repair Dock, damaged in Typhoon repaired * USS Nestor (ARB-6), repair ship, damaged in Typhoon not repaired *

USS Sarpedon (ARB-7) USS ''Sarpedon'' (ARB-7) was laid down as a United States Navy but was converted as one of twelve ''Aristaeus''-class battle damage repair ships built for the Navy during World War II. Named for Sarpedon (in Greek mythology, a Lycian King, and ...

, a repair ship, damaged in Typhoon repaired *

USS Mona Island (ARG-9) USS ''Mona Island'' (ARG-9) was laid down on 10 April 1944, as a Maritime Commission type ( EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2634) at Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland. Launched on 11 May 1944. Acqu ...

, a repair ship, damaged in Typhoon repaired * USS Extricate (ARS-16), rescue and salvage ship, damaged in Typhoon repaired * USS Aventinus

aircraft repair ship Aircraft repair ship is a naval auxiliary ship designed to provide maintenance support to aircraft. Aircraft repair ships provide similar services to seaplane tenders, that also cared for the crew. Aircraft repair ships had their own stores of s ...

, damaged in Typhoon * USS Fabius aircraft repair ship, damaged in Typhoon Okinawa airfields 1945

Airfields

Construction crews, both Navy and Army improved the airfields on the island. After Seabee construction, four airstrips were turned over to the US Army. But were used by

Naval Air Transport Service The Naval Air Transport Service or NATS, was a branch of the United States Navy from 1941 to 1948. At its height during World War II, NATS's totaled four wings of 18 squadrons that operated 540 aircraft with 26,000 personnel assigned. Formation, ...

and Navy patrol planes also. *

Naha Air Base , formally known as the , is an air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force formerly under control of the United States Air Force. It is located at Naha Airport on the Oroku Peninsula in Naha, Okinawa, Japan. History Imperial Period Naha Airf ...

Naval Headquarters (Navy 1945–1952) (

USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...

1954–1971) *

Yomitan Auxiliary Airfield Yontan Airfield (also known as Yomitan Auxiliary Airfield) is a former military airfield located near Yomitan Village on the west coast of Okinawa. It was closed in July 1996 and turned over to the Japanese government in December 2006. Today it i ...

, (1945-1996) three runways, joint Airfield Navy, Army, Marine Corps *

Kadena airfield ( IATA: DNA, ICAO: RODN) is a highly strategic United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its hi ...

, (Naval Air Facility Kadena 1975–1992, now Camp Shields) Improved and used for

USAAF The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

bombers A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped from an aircraf ...

(1945 – present as

Kadena Air Base (IATA: DNA, ICAO: RODN) is a highly strategic United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its highl ...

) *

built on a small island, post for training only (1945–present) ***

Iejima Airport is located on the island of Iejima in Ie, Kunigami District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The runways were part of the Ie Shima Airfield complex built during World War II. In 2015, the government was planning for Iejima Airport to have a new t ...

Auxiliary to Ie Shima Airfield, now civil airport. *Tsuken Shima airfield on small Tsuken Island (1945-1946) * Machinato Airfield, became

Marine Corps post war (1945–present) *

US Navy patrol base (active 1945–1947) *

Motobu Airfield Motobu Airfield is a World War II airfield on the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa, near the East China Sea coast. The airfield was deactivated after 1945. History The airfield was built in April 1945 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and ...

(Operated by Navy and Army) (1945) abandoned after war is now a road. *

(1945-1946), then

Camp Hansen Camp Hansen is a United States Marine Corps base located in Okinawa, Japan. The camp is situated in the town of Kin, near the northern shore of Kin Bay, and is the second-northernmost major installation on Okinawa, with Camp Schwab to the north ...

United States Marine Corps camp (1965–present) ***Chimu Seaplane Base (July 1945-1946) *

(1945-1950) For United States Marine Corps fighters, US Air Force (1950-1977), site is now housing *

, 78 and 87 Seabee camp, opened too late for war, used as a storage depot (1945-1972) *Futenma airfield, became

, also used by Navy * Miyako Airfield on

Miyako Island is the largest and the most populous island among the Miyako Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Miyako Island is administered as part of the City of Miyakojima, which includes not only Miyako Island, but also five other populated islands ...

(1945-1946), now

Miyako Airport is an airport on Miyako-jima (Miyako Island) in Miyakojima, Okinawa, Japan. History The airport opened in 1943 as an Imperial Japanese Navy airbase. Civilian operations commenced in 1956. Jet service commenced in 1978 using Boeing 737s. Japan ...

* Itazuke Auxiliary Airfield, (1945-1972) now

Fukuoka Airport , formerly known as Itazuke Air Base, is an international and domestic airport located east of Hakata Station in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. Fukuoka Airport is the principal airport on the island of Kyushu and is the fourth busiest passenger ...

*Kerama Retto Seaplane Base, unit VH-3 with

Martin PBM Mariner The Martin PBM Mariner was an American Maritime patrol aircraft, patrol bomber flying boat of World War II and the early Cold War era. It was designed to complement the Consolidated PBY Catalina and Consolidated PB2Y Coronado, PB2Y Coronado in s ...

air & sea rescue

Okinawa supplies

Both US Navy and

World War II United States Merchant Navy World War II United States Merchant Navy was the largest civilian Navy in the world, which operated during World War II. With the United States fighting a world war in all the world oceans, the demand for cargo and fuel was very high. Cargo and ...

ships unload a massive amounts of cargo and fuel needed to built and operate the Okinawa Bases. , , each an

ammunition ship An ammunition ship is an auxiliary ship specially configured to carry ammunition, usually for naval ships and aircraft. An ammunition ship's cargo handling systems, designed with extreme safety in mind, include ammunition hoists with airlocks bet ...

, were attacked and sank with an explosion after kamikaze attack in 1945 at Okinawa. The loss of the three

Victory ship The Victory ship was a class of cargo ship produced in large numbers by North American shipyards during World War II to replace losses caused by German submarines. They were a more modern design compared to the earlier Liberty ship, were slight ...

s, each sunk by a kamikaze attack severely hurt the combat forces on Okinawa. The ships were carrying a total of 24,000 tons (54 million pounds) of ammunition; including most of the 81 mm mortar shells needed for the troops. The Victory ships were some of 47 ships sunk by ''kamikaze'' attack during World War II. The ammunition ship '' SS Saginaw Victory'' arrived April 12, 1945, at Okinawa to replace the ammunition lost on the ships. More

s were not needed, as the war came to an end without the invasion of Japan. The delivered

C-ration The C-Ration, or Field Ration, Type C, was a prepared and canned wet combat ration intended to be issued to U.S. military land forces when fresh food ( A-ration) or packaged unprepared food ( B-ration) prepared in mess halls or field kitchens w ...

s to the troops on Okinawa, during unloading came under attack. Sharon Victory fought off a Japanese kamikaze plane attacking the ship.

Monuments

*Buckner Monument on Itoman (Ichuman) *

Cornerstone of Peace The Cornerstone of Peace is a monument in Itoman commemorating the Battle of Okinawa and the role of Okinawa during World War II. The names of over two hundred and forty thousand people who lost their lives are inscribed on the memorial. Purpose ...

, Peace of Peace Memorial Park at Itoman at *

Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum is a museum in Itoman, Okinawa. It was established on June 11, 1975. The Cornerstone of Peace, a monument similar to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, is located here. Background During World War II, the United States invaded the Ryukyu Islands to ...

* Okinawa Peace Hall at * Cemetery & National War Dead Peace Mausoleum, Mabuni Hill, (Mabuni no Oka) * Monument of Kai to people from Yamanashi died on Okinawa located in Yaese. * Easley Monument, Memorial monument of Brigadier General Claudius M. Easley of the 96th Infantry Division of the US Army at Okinawa, his KIA place at *May Monument, On June 5, 1945, U.S. Army Col. Edwin T. May was Killed In Action (KIA) at the spot of the marker *Kyan Memorial (Kyan Misaki Enchi), Large black marble monument notes where civilians jumped to their death off cliffs during the battle. *

Himeyuri Peace Museum opened in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan in 1989. Located within Okinawa Senseki Quasi-National Park, it is dedicated to the Himeyuri Student Corps during the Battle of Okinawa and to the ideal of Peace. See also * Okinawa Prefectural Peac ...

and Himeyuri Monument-1.jpg, Himeyuri Monument (Himeyuri No To) *Konpaku Memorial Tower, Konpaku No To (Japanese monument, Mass Grave Site) at *96th Infantry Division Memorials *Marker April 1, 1945 invasion beaches of Minatoga (Minatogawa) located on the southeast of Okinawa.

Gallery

Okinawa Jima.jpg, Map of Okinawa OkinawaUSBasesMap.jpg, Map Okinawa US Bases USS LST 17 Okinawa.jpeg, USS LST-17 unloading at Okinawa SCR-270 (Okinawa, AWS-6 - crop).jpg, Air Warning Squadron 6 on Okinawa Okinawa Central Hospital Nursing School.JPG, Nurses at Okinawa Central Hospital Nursing School in 1946 Futenma Air Base in Okinawa, Japan circa 1945.jpg, Futenma Air Base in Okinawa, Japan 1945 STOCKADE in Okinawa.jpg, Camp for thousands of Japanese troops who surrendered on Okinawa in 1945 Bolo airfield.jpg,

Bolo airfield Bolo Airfield (also known as Bolo Point Airfield) is a former World War II airfield at Naval Base Okinawa in Okinawa, at Bolo Point on the East China Sea coast. The airfield was inactivated after 1946 and returned to Japanese control in 1972. Cu ...

Awase Airfield.jpg,

Awase Airstrip, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands.jpg,

Awase airfield Awase Airfield or NAB Awase is a former World War II airfield on the Pacific coast of Okinawa. History World War II The Awase area was captured during the first week of the Battle of Okinawa and was surveyed for possible airbase construction ...

Yontan-airfield-1945.jpg,

Ieshima-1945.jpg, Ieshima in 1945 Motobu airfield.jpg,

Hagushi_landing.jpg, Map with Yontan Airfield and Kadena Airfield 90mm-aa-gun-okinawa.gif, 90mm

on Okinawa base USS LST-1000.jpg, USS LST-1000 and beach with cargo YF-1079 Buckner Bay, Okinawa November 1945.jpg, Barge YF-1079 in Buckner Bay, damaged in Typhoon USS Cinnabar (IX-163) and USSYP-520, Buckner Bay Okinawa, November 1945.jpg, USS Cinnabar (IX-163) and USSYP-520 damaged in Typhoon, in Buckner Bay OkinawaJapanesePOW.jpg, A group of Japanese captured during the

USS Nestor Wreck.jpg, USS Nestor damaged in Typhoon Ryukyus-surrender.jpg, Okinawa-Ryukyus surrender on September 7, 1945 305_FCS_headquaters_WWII,_Okinawa,_Japan.jpg, Headquarters 305th FCS, Camp Bishigawa, Okinawa 1945 305th_FCS_Radar_and_Comm_vans_ontop_of_Yontan_Mountain.jpg, Radar and Comm Vans line the top of Yontan, looking north, Okinawa 1945 305th_FCS_Yontan_Radar_Site.jpg, Yontan Radar "Walter Control", Camp Bishigawa, Okinawa 1946 305th_FCS,_Radar_Plotting_Room,_Camp_Bishigawa,_1945.jpg, Radar Plotting Room of the 305th FCS, Camp Bishigawa, Okinawa, Japan 1945 Sq_Radars_MPS-5_and_Lil'_Abner,_1940s.jpg, Sq Radars MPS-5 and Lil' Abner, 1940s Kenneth Glueck USMC-110629-M-IV598-032.jpg, The

Memorial with names of all military and civilians from all countries who died in the Battle of Okinawa Okinawa Islands map.png, Okinawa Islands map Former Mace missile sites on Okinawa.png, Former Mace missile sites on Okinawa

External links

youtube U S Naval Hospital, Okinawa touryoutube Board, Search And Seizure Training White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawayoutube White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawayoutube "They Came To An Island" U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps Wwii Seabees Construction Battalions 29564

References

{{Empire of Japan 1945 in Japan History of Okinawa Prefecture Japan campaign Battle of Okinawa World War II operations and battles of the Pacific theatre