Luganville Seaplane Base is a former

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

seaplane base in the

Segond Channel Canal du Segond, also known as Canal Pekoa and in English Segond Channel, literally "Second Channel," separates the island of Aore from the city of Luganville on main island of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu. The channel was the location of the United ...

between the islands of

Espiritu Santo Espiritu Santo (, ; ) is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of and a population of around 40,000 according to the 2009 census. Geography The island belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region o ...

and

Aore Island Aore Island is an island in Sanma Province, Vanuatu. It is located opposite Luganville on Espiritu Santo and has an area of 58 km2. The estimated terrain elevation above sea level is some 89 meters. Aore's climate is humid tropical. The a ...

in the

New Hebrides Islands New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium (french: link=no, Condominium des Nouvelles-Hébrides, "Condominium of the New Hebrides") and named after the Hebrides Scottish archipelago, was the colonial name for the island group ...

at the

Espiritu Santo Naval Base 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 ...

History

World War II

The first bases on Espiritu Santo were established by the United States as defensive bases to guard the existing facility at

Efate Efate (french: Éfaté) is an island in the Pacific Ocean which is part of the Shefa Province in Vanuatu. It is also known as Île Vate. Geography It is the most populous (approx. 66,000) island in Vanuatu. Efate's land area of makes it Vanua ...

and to support the

Solomon Islands Campaign The Solomon Islands campaign was a major campaign of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign began with Japanese landings and occupation of several areas in the British Solomon Islands and Bougainville, in the Territory of New Guinea, du ...

, however its strategic location led to its expansion into one of the largest advance bases in the South Pacific. The 7th Naval Construction Battalion arrived on Santo on 11 August 1942 and began construction of more extensive air facilities to support the

Guadalcanal Campaign The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by American forces, was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in th ...

. The 7th Battalion constructed a parking area, two pre-fabricated by nose hangars, warehouses, quonset huts and two seaplane ramps at Belchif Point on the Segond Channel between the Renee and Sarakata Rivers. The 57th Naval Construction Battalion later built two seaplane drydocks at the base.

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 ...

units based at the base included: *

VP-11 Patrol Squadron 11 (VP-11), nicknamed ''Proud Pegasus'', was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island on 15 May 1952 and was disestablished on 2 August 1997. It was the fourth squadron to ...

11 August 1942 – 1 February 1943 *

VP-12 Patrol Squadron One (VP-1), established 15 February 1943, is an active aviation squadron of the United States Navy operating the Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft from its home port at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, United States. The ...

14 June-30 July 1944 * VP-14 1 September-10 December 1943 *

VP-23 VP-23, Patrol Squadron 23, known as the ''Seahawks'', was a U.S. Navy fixed-wing, anti-submarine and maritime Patrol Squadron based at Brunswick Naval Air Station, Brunswick, Maine, United States. It was established as Weather Reconnaissance Squa ...

15 July-1 October 1942 and 24 June-20 August 1943 * VP-24 1 February-29 September 1943 * VP-54 1 August-10 November 1944 *

VP-72 VP-7 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Bombing Squadron 119 (VB-119) on 15 August 1944, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 119 (VPB-119) on 1 October 1944, redesignated Patrol Squadron 119 (VP-119) on 15 Ma ...

4 September 1942 - 6 July 1943 *

VP-91 Patrol Squadron 91 (VP-91) was a patrol squadron of the U.S. Naval Reserve. It was the second squadron to bear the VP-91 designation, the first VP-91 was redesignated VPB-91 on 1 October 1944. The squadron was established on 1 November 1970 and ...

4 September 1942 - March 1943 all operating PBYs. US Navy ships supporting seaplane operations included: * 11 August 1942 – 9 July 1943. * August–November 1942 * 28 February-12 August 1943 * October 1945

Royal New Zealand Air Force The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...

units operating from the base included: * No. 5 Squadron operating PBYs from 10 November 1944 * No. 6 Squadron operating PBYs from November 1943

Postwar

NOB Espiritu Santo disestablished on 12 June 1946. The base's onshore facilities are now overgrown and are under private ownership. Erosion caused by

Cyclone Harold Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold was a very powerful tropical cyclone which caused widespread destruction in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Tonga during April 2020. It was the first Category 5 tropical cyclone in 2020. The seventh named ...

in April 2020 revealed details of the layout of the base, including exposing one of the seaplane ramps.

References

{{reflist, 30em World War II airfields in the Pacific Ocean Theater Seaplane bases Espiritu Santo Airfields of the United States Navy Military installations closed in 1945 1942 establishments in the New Hebrides 1945 disestablishments in Oceania Closed installations of the United States Navy

History

World War II

Postwar

See also

References