Guasopa Airport , is an airport at
Guasopa
Guasopa is a village on Woodlark Island, Milne Bay Province Papua New Guinea. It is served by Guasopa Airport. Its population during the 1990 census was 170, though it has since grown extensively. Guasopa is the location of the Guasopa Health Cente ...
on
Woodlark Island, in the
Milne Bay Province
Milne Bay is a province of Papua New Guinea. Its capital is Alotau. The province covers 14,345 km² of land and 252,990 km² of sea, within the province there are more than 600 islands, about 160 of which are inhabited. The province has a ...
,
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
.
History
World War II
U.S. forces captured
Woodlark Island on 30 June 1943 as part of
Operation Chronicle
Operation Chronicle was the Allied invasion of Woodlark and Kiriwina Islands, in the South West Pacific, during World War II. The operation was a subordinate action that formed part of the wider Operation Cartwheel, the advance towards Rabau ...
. The
60th US Naval Construction Battalion began construction on 2 July of a coralsurfaced runway which was ready for use by 14 July. The runway was later expanded and by September measured and by October 12 a parallel runway was also built, together with 110 hardstands. The airfield was also known as Woodlark Airfield.
The airfield was used as a stopover point and refuelling point.
RAAF:
*
No. 78 Squadron RAAF
No. 78 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fighter squadron of World War II. It was formed in July 1943 as part of expansion of the RAAF's fighter force, and was assigned to mobile striking forces for the duration of the war.
Afte ...
P-40s
USAAF:
*
39th Fighter Squadron operating
P-39s
*
67th Fighter Squadron operating P-39s
See also
*
Naval Base Woodlark Island
Naval Base Woodlark Island was a United States Navy base built during World War II on Woodlark Island on Papua New Guinea. The US Navy built a PT boat base, boat repair depot, and harbor facilities at the city of Guasopa to support the Pacific ...
References
Guasopa Airfield
Airports in Papua New Guinea
Woodlark Islands
Milne Bay Province
Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea in World War II
Airports established in 1943
1940s establishments in Papua New Guinea
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