Torokina Airfield

Torokina Airfield Cape Torokina Airfield
Bougainville
Aerial view of Torokina Airfield in December 1943
Coordinates	06°14.8302′S 155°02.9256′E
Type	Military airfield
Site information
Controlled by	United States Marine Corps
Condition	Abandoned
Site history
Built	1943
In use	1943-5
Materials	Marsden Matting over sand
Battles/wars	Bougainville Campaign

Torokina Airfield, also known as Cape Torokina Airfield, is a former World War II airfield located at Cape Torokina, Bougainville.

History

World War II

The 3rd Marine Division landed on Bougainville on 1 November 1943 at the start of the Bougainville Campaign, establishing a beachhead around Cape Torokina. Small detachments of the 25th, 53rd, 71st and 75th Naval Construction Battalions landed with the Marines and the 71st Battalion was tasked with establishing a 5,150 feet (1,570 m) by 200 feet (61 m) fighter airfield that would become Torokina Airfield.[1] The airfield became operational on December 10, 1943 when VMF-216 landed with 18 F4U Corsairs.

On 9 March 1944, the Japanese shelled the airfield and forced the squadrons that were based there to take off to avoid damage to their aircraft. Royal New Zealand Air Force squadrons also began operating from the airfield from January 1, 1944. Units assigned to the airfield included:

SBDs and F4Us at Torokina, December 1943

• United States Navy

VC-40 operating Grumman TBF Avengers

ACORN 13

VF(N)-75 operating Vought F4U Corsairs

• VF-17 with Corsair
• United States Marine Corps

VMTB-233 operating TBF Avengers

VMF-211 operating F4U Corsairs

VMF-212 operating F4U Corsairs

VMF-215 operating F4U Corsairs

VMF-216 operating F4U Corsairs

VMF(N)-531 operating Lockheed PV-1 Ventura night-fighters

• Royal New Zealand Air Force

No. 19 Squadron operating F4U Corsairs

Postwar

Today the airfield is no longer used and most of the runway is overgrown with vegetation.

See also

• Piva Airfield
• United States Army Air Forces in the South Pacific Area

References

1. Building the Navy's Bases in World War II History of the Bureau of Yards and Docks and the Civil Engineer Corps 1940-1946. US Government Printing Office. 1947. p. 268. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

External links

• Torokina Airfield