US Naval Base Carolines
Location of US Naval Base
Establishment
 US Navy Base
1944
Time zoneUTC+10 and +11
Sorlen Island and the north anchorage of Ulithi Atoll in late 1944.
Caroline Islands north of the Melanesia Islands
A map of the Federated States of Micronesia
Micronesia is one of three major areas in the Pacific Ocean, along with Polynesia and Melanesia

US Naval Base Carolines included a number of United States Navy bases on the Caroline Islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea during World War II. The bases were built to support the island hopping Pacific war efforts of the allied nations fighting the Empire of Japan.[1]

History

The Caroline Islands is now the Federated States of Micronesia nation. Micronesia comprises Kosrae State, Pohnpei State, Chuuk State (in past spelled Truk) and Yap State. After the Spanish–American War in 1898, the islands became a German colony and German naval base. At the start of World War I in 1914 British warships destroyed the German colonial plantation owner's radio station. On October 7, 1914, Japan invaded and took over Yap island without a battle. Japan and Britain made a treaty giving Japan the Pacific islands north of the Equator, signed at the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. In the 1930s Japan built naval and airbases on many of the islands. Truk Lagoon was the largest and strongest of these bases. The United States Army Air Forces bombed the Truk base, but it was bypassed in the amphibious landing war. Japan's Truk base had five airfields, fleet anchorage, a few seaplane bases, torpedo boat bases, repair facilities, and later a radar station. Japan also built a large base at Ponape, now Pohnpei. By February 1944, the US bombers destroyed Truk and by sea, the US Navy cut had cut off Truk and the 5,000 Japanese troops. The US also bypassed Ponape in the Senyavin Islands and it 8,000 troops.[2]

The United States Armed Forces built a large base at Ulithi Atoll in the Yap islands, as it had a large fleet anchorage for up to 700 ships. The US Army 81st Division landed unopposed on Ulithi on September 23, 1944. Soon US Navy Seabees started work building the large base at Ulithi. The US Navy survey ship USS Sumner found the lagoon was well protected and usable for fleet anchorage. Japan bombed the US base at Ulithi a few times, with only marginal damage. The Fleet Post Office (FPO) for Caroline Islands was # 3249.[3]

After the war, the Caroline Islands became parts of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands administered by the United States. In 1986, the new nation of the Federated States of Micronesia was formed. Independence was proclaimed on May 10, 1979, and Compact of Free Association was established on November 3, 1986.[4]

Major bases

Minor bases

  • Naval Base at Puluwat Island, Truk Lagoon, FPO#3044
  • Naval Base at Fefan Island, Truk Lagoon, FPO#3045, captured seaport[10]
  • Naval Base at Yap Island, FPO#3014, captured base[11]
  • Naval Base at Param Island, Truk Lagoon, FPO#3050, post war surrendered Airfield[12]
  • Naval Base at Tol Island, Truk, FPO#3105, post war surrendered base[13]
  • Naval Base at Sorol Island, FPO#3012, post war surrendered small base[14]
  • Naval Base at Namonuito Atoll, FPO#3037
  • Naval Base at Minto Reef, FPO#3038
  • Naval Base at Pulap Island, FPO#3039
  • Naval Base at Pakin Island, Senyavin IslandsFPO#3064
  • Naval Base at Ant Island, in Senyavin Islands, FPO#3067
  • Naval Base at Oroluk Atoll, FPO#3075, Oroluk Island had a lookout tower and Oroluk Lagoon for anchorage.[15]
  • Naval Base at Ngulu Atoll, FPO#3079
  • Naval Base at Namolus Island, FPO#3081
  • Naval Base at Tonelik Island, FPO#3082, post war surrendered small base[16]
  • Naval Base at Woleai Island, FPO#3246, post war surrendered Woleai airfield.[17]
  • Naval Base at Hall Islands, FPO#3061, located to the north of Truk Lagoon.
  • Small Naval base to support Fais Airfield
  • Colonia Airfield post war surrendered a small base

American missions against Japan Carolines

From the US Naval Base Carolines the US had many missions against Japan bases in the Carolines. Japan's base at Truk, that the US Navy called The "Gibraltar of the Pacific, was invasion bypassed in the island hopping Pacific war efforts. Truk had over 30,000 troops, seaport, five airstrips, a seaplane bases, a torpedo boat station, a submarine base and coastal artillery. Truk was attacked by air and had its supply lines cut off by sea, called Operation Hailstone.[18][19]

Post war

See also

References

  1. Truk Naval BaseUS Navy
  2. Truk LagoonUS Navy
  3. Antill, Peter (February 28, 2003). "Battle for Anguar and Ulithi (Operation Stalemate II) September 1944". Military History Encyclopedia on the Web.
  4. Caroline Islandspacificwrecks.com
  5. Truk Naval BaseUS Navy
  6. Ulithi – Top Secret: The US Naval Base at Ulithi Atoll Was Once the World’s Largest Naval Facilityusselmore.com
  7. Angaur Island, Palaus GroupUS Navy
  8. Uman Island pacificwrecks.com
  9. Kossol Roads pacificwrecks.com
  10. Fefan Island pacificwrecks.com
  11. Yap Island pacificwrecks.com
  12. Param Island pacificwrecks.com
  13. ol Island pacificwrecks.com
  14. Sorol pacificwrecks.com
  15. Orluk Atollpacificwrecks.com
  16. Tonelik pacificwrecks.com
  17. Woleai pacificwrecks.com
  18. Truk: The “Gibraltar of the Pacific”US Navy
  19. American missions against Truk and Truk Lagoon/pacificwrecks.com
  20. Polle Islandpacificwrecks.com
  21. Eot Islandpacificwrecks.com
  22. Pata Islandpacificwrecks.com
  23. Fala-Beguets Island basepacificwrecks.com
  24. Yawata Islandpacificwrecks.com
  25. Salat Islandpacificwrecks.com
  26. Northeast Islandpacificwrecks.com
  27. Falo Islandpacificwrecks.com
  28. pacificwrecks.com
  29. Moen No. 2 Airfield/pacificwrecks.com
  30. Moen Seaplane Base /pacificwrecks.com
  31. Pohnpei Airportpacificwrecks.com
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