is a bay on the southern coast of

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 ...

on the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

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 bay covers and ranges between to deep. The bay is surrounded by the municipalities of

Uruma is a Cities of Japan, city located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The modern city of Uruma was established on April 1, 2005, when the cities of Gushikawa, Okinawa, Gushikawa and Ishikawa, Okinawa, Ishikawa were merged with the towns of Katsuren, ...

, Kitanakagusuku, Nakagusuku, Nishihara,

Yonabaru is a town in Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is located at the southern end of Okinawa Island, on the east coast, overlooking Nakagusuku Bay. As of 2015, the town has a population of 18,410 and a population density of 3,502 pe ...

Nanjō is a city located in the southern part of Okinawa Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Translated literally, the name Nanjō means "southern castle". Many castle ruins, called gusuku in the Okinawan language, can be found throughout the city. T ...

, all in

Okinawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city o ...

. In 1852, while visiting the

Ryukyu Kingdom The Ryukyu Kingdom, Middle Chinese: , , Classical Chinese: (), Historical English names: ''Lew Chew'', ''Lewchew'', ''Luchu'', and ''Loochoo'', Historical French name: ''Liou-tchou'', Historical Dutch name: ''Lioe-kioe'' was a kingdom in the ...

Commodore Matthew Perry Matthew Calbraith Perry (April 10, 1794 – March 4, 1858) was a commodore of the United States Navy who commanded ships in several wars, including the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). He played a leading role in the op ...

mapped Okinawa and labeled Nakagusuku Bay as "Perry's Bay". During the final months of

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 ...

, the bay became a

U.S. 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 o ...

forward base, and was nicknamed "Buckner Bay".

History

Buckner Bay

In June 1945, American forces secured Okinawa. Nakagusuku Bay became an important U.S. anchorage.

U.S. 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, cl ...

troops referred to it as "Buckner Bay", in memory of Lieutenant General

Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. ( ; July 18, 1886 – June 18, 1945) was a lieutenant general in the United States Army during World War II who served in the Pacific Theater. As commanding general of Alaska Defense Command, Buckner commanded America ...

, commander of U.S. land forces in the campaign, who was killed on 18 June. Naval Base Buckner Bay was built by Naval Construction Battalion 4 on the bay. It consisted of the anchorage, repair and depot ships, plus onshore support facilities for the US fleet operating off Japan. It also served as a supply and logistics center for forces on Okinawa. It was attacked several times during the closing weeks of the war. The USS ''Pennsylvania'' was torpedoed there by a Japanese aircraft. The base continued operations into the immediate postwar period. In October 1945, Typhoon ''Louise'' struck Buckner Bay, inflicting heavy damage. Fifteen merchant ships were driven ashore, some damaged beyond recovery. Three USN destroyers were also wrecked. Over 200 other U.S. military vessels, including six LCTs, various special-purpose boats, patrol boats, and landing craft were grounded, severely damaged, or destroyed altogether. Eighty percent of the buildings in the bay were completely wiped out, while over 60 aircraft then present at local airstrips were damaged. USS Ocelot Wreck

Present day

In the present day, the Buckner Bay - White Beach Naval Port Facility is located on the southernmost tip of the Katsuren Peninsula. The bay is also referred to as ''Katchin Wan''. The ''White Beach Navy Ammunition Pier'' and ''White Beach Army Pier'' extend into Nakagusuku Bay. Tatsu Kuchi, the main entrance into the bay, is located 18 nmi north-northeast of the southernmost tip of Okinawa. White Beach is also located about 14 nmi northeast of Naha. Numerous large and small islands, reefs, and shoal waters bracket the entrance. ''Tengan Pier'' (26°24.2'N 127°51.1'E) is located at the western end of Kin Wan Bay. Kin Wan Bay is on the east central side of Okinawa between Kin Saki (Kin Point) and the Katsuren Peninsula.

USFJ/MSDF Facilities

There are two piers at White Beach. Navy Pier is under the control of the U.S. Navy Commander Fleet Activities Okinawa (CFAO) and is also used by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as a back-up ordnance-handling pier. The coordinating authority for U. S. Navy vessels for both piers is Buckner Port Control, White Beach. Navy Pier is used primarily by U.S. Navy vessels and

Japanese Self-Defense Force The Japan Self-Defense Forces ( ja, 自衛隊, Jieitai; abbreviated JSDF), also informally known as the Japanese Armed Forces, are the unified ''de facto''Since Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution outlaws the formation of armed forces, th ...

minesweepers. The pier is approximately 2,400 ft (732 m) long. It consists of a 40 ft (12.2 m) wide by 1,220 ft (372 m) long earth-filled causeway and a 39 ft (11.9 m) wide by 386 ft (117.8 m) long structural causeway that is connected to the main pier. East Navy Pier space for berthing is 790 ft (240.8 m); West Navy Pier space for berthing is 810 ft (246.9 m). The Navy Pier has reinforced concrete pilings with a steel concrete surface. The deck height is 10 ft (3.1 m). Beyond the pier are two 25 ft (7.6 m) by 125 ft (38.1 m) mooring dolphin decks. Ships can moor bow in or bow out at these berths. The Army Pier is controlled by the U.S. Army and used primarily for the loading and discharge of fuel. U.S. Navy vessels using the Army Pier do so with the understanding that the pier might have to be vacated with little notice when fuel handling evolutions are scheduled or at the request of the U.S. Army Harbor Master. The Army Pier is an asphalt-surfaced causeway connecting to a steel pier reinforced with concrete and with a solid facing to the sea floor. The approximate total dimensions of the pier and the causeway are 1,224 ft (373 m) long by 100 ft (30.5 m) wide. The portion of the pier for berthing is approximately 525 ft (160 m) long with a deck height of 10 ft (3.1 m). Ships are required to be bow in at the Army Pier. The ''Naha Pilot Association'' provides pilots. The association has four pilots. Six hours' notice must be given for scheduling a pilot and to allow time for the pilot to travel from Naha to Buckner Bay. Three Japanese commercial tugs rated at 3,200 hp are available for White Beach. A pilot is mandatory for U.S. Navy vessels berthing at the White Beach piers but is not required when anchoring. Pilots will not normally board ships with northerly winds greater than 30 kt or southerly winds greater than 26 kt. Wave heights greater than 4.9 ft (1.5 m) make it too difficult to get on or off the ship. All pilots possess adequate English language ability to convey helm and engine orders. Additionally, a qualified Japanese speaking dockmaster will be stationed pierside to assist in docking evolutions. The pilot and working tug primarily use Channel 13 VHF-FM but can be initially contacted via Channel 16 VHF-FM. The pilot pickup point is in the vicinity of 26°14'N 127°55'E. If required, a second tug will normally meet the ship at 26°16.4'N 127°54.3'E. Anchorage and berthing assignments for Navy vessels are made by the Navy Port Control Officer located at White Beach on a 24-hour-a-day basis. However, arrival and departure at both piers is recommended between the hours of 0800 and 1600, except in an emergency. Navy Port Control can be contacted via Channel 16 VHF-FM or on 2716 kHz USB. The local phone numbers for Port Operations are 622-1371/1362. The OIC White Beach Port Operations can also be contacted by cell at 090-9789-9623. No repair facilities are located at White Beach. Tengan Pier is the primary U.S. military ammunition cargo operations site in Okinawa. Ammunition and explosive handling operations are conducted on the pier from 0800 until 2200. Tengan pier has limited shelter from the weather. Normally, only daylight arrival is permitted. Departure is permitted at any time. Ships normally tie up bow out. Anchorage berths can be coordinated through the ship's agent or the local Military Sealift Command Office. Pilot rendezvous point is 26°25'N 127°58'E. Five tugs rated at 3,200 hp are available in Kin Wan Bay. The phone numbers for the MSC Office are DSN 315-648-7685/6 or commercial 098-859-8204. Tengan Pier is 82 ft (m) wide and 806 ft (m) long with reinforced concrete solid construction. The pier can accommodate two ships with one on each side. Tengan Pier is connected to land by a 35 ft (m) wide by 1,300 ft (m) long causeway. Ship docking should be self-sustaining. There are no electric shore power outlets, CHT lines, or fuel lines for bunkering. Approximately 95% of the MSC ships go to White Beach and Tengan Pier because of depth restrictions at the Port of

Naha is the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture of Japan. As of 1 June 2019, the city has an estimated population of 317,405 and a population density of 7,939 persons per km2 (20,562 persons per sq. mi.). The total area i ...

. No repair facilities are available in the vicinity of Tengan Pier.Buckner Bay Handbook (U) UNCLASSIFIED
''Typhoon Havens Handbook site 2001, Updated 2011.''

References

External links