The Construction of Airfields During the New Georgia Campaign of 1943-44
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East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 8-2008 The onsC truction of Airfields during the New Georgia Campaign of 1943-44: Lessons Learned by the United States Naval Construction Battalions. Joseph Christopher Zimmerman East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Military History Commons Recommended Citation Zimmerman, Joseph Christopher, "The onC struction of Airfields during the New Georgia Campaign of 1943-44: Lessons Learned by the United States Naval Construction Battalions." (2008). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1987. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/ 1987 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Construction of Airfields during the New Georgia Campaign of 1943-44: Lessons Learned by the United States Naval Construction Battalions _____________________ A thesis presented to the faculty of the Department of History East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in History _____________________ by Joseph C. Zimmerman, PE August 2008 _____________________ Dr. Ronnie Day, Chair Dr. Stephen G. Fritz Dr. Henry J. Antkiewicz Keywords: World War II, Pacific, New Georgia, Seabees, Naval Construction ABSTRACT The Construction of Airfields during the New Georgia Campaign of 1943-44: Lessons Learned by the United States Naval Construction Battalions by Joseph C. Zimmerman, PE Prevalent depictions of United States Naval Construction Battalions (Seabees) were engendered by John Wayne in The Fighting Seabees and the musical, South Pacific. While capturing the ingenious determination that birthed their motto ‘Can Do’, these incomplete pictures don’t portray the complexity of construction under combat conditions in a harshly unforgiving and demanding environment. The Seabee’s first combat landing was New Georgia. In six months, these battalions built five airfields, granting Allied forces air superiority over the Solomon Islands and Rabaul. Battalion records stored at the Naval Facilities Command Archives, Port Heuneme, California, combined with documents from the National Archives, provided source materials. This thesis examines the construction operations undertaken at New Georgia that were the proving grounds from which future construction methodology stemmed. This campaign tempered the men, techniques, and equipment necessary for Pacific construction. The true heart of the Seabee’s was forged by the lessons learned at New Georgia. 2 Copyright 2008 by Joseph C. Zimmerman All Rights Reserved 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Ronnie Day for all the help and encouragement he has provided me during this long process. I would also like to thank Carol A. Marsh, Staff Historian, at the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Archive and Seabee Museum at Port Hueneme, California for all the assistance she provided during my archival research in September of 2002. Last, but certainly not least, I thank my wife, Katherine D. Zimmerman, for all the love and assistance she has provided me while working on this endeavor. She has been the best research assistant anyone could ask for. 4 CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................... 2 COPYRIGHT ........................................................................................................................ 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................ 8 Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................... 9 The New Georgia Campaign in the Solomon Islands................................................ 9 The Solomon Islands............................................................................................ 9 The New Georgia Group...................................................................................... 10 The ELKTON Plan .................................................................................................... 11 Operation CARTWHEEL.................................................................................... 11 TOENAILS.......................................................................................................... 13 Seabees, Acorns, and Cubs ........................................................................................ 15 2. SEGI .............................................................................................................................. 18 Segi Plantation Airfield.............................................................................................. 18 Segi Landings ...................................................................................................... 18 The Organization of the 47th NCB ...................................................................... 19 The Reconnaissance of Segi Point ...................................................................... 20 Construction - Segi Point - June and July 1943......................................................... 23 Construction - Segi Point - August 1943 ................................................................... 27 Construction - Segi Point - September 1943.............................................................. 30 Construction - Segi Point - October 1943.................................................................. 32 Construction - Segi Point – November 1943 through January 1943 ......................... 35 Segi Point Airfield - Conclusion .................................................................................... 36 5 Chapter Page 3. MUNDA ........................................................................................................................ 39 The Munda Point Airfield and Naval Base ............................................................... 39 Rendova Landings 30 June – July 1943 ............................................................. 39 Munda Field - Japanese ....................................................................................... 42 The Plan for Munda ............................................................................................. 45 Construction at Munda – August 1943 ...................................................................... 47 Construction at Munda – September 1943................................................................. 50 Construction at Munda – October 1943..................................................................... 52 Construction at Munda – November 1943................................................................. 55 Construction at Munda – December 1943 ................................................................. 59 Construction at Munda – January 1944 ..................................................................... 60 Construction at Munda – February 1944 ................................................................... 61 Construction at Munda – March 1944 ....................................................................... 62 Opening of the Munda Bar – August 1943 - May 1944 ............................................ 64 Munda – Conclusion.................................................................................................. 67 4. AUXILIARY FIGHTER FIELDS ................................................................................ 69 Ondonga .................................................................................................................... 69 Plan for Ondonga ................................................................................................ 69 Ondonga – September 1943 ................................................................................ 69 Ondonga – October 1943..................................................................................... 71 Ondonga – November 1943 ................................................................................ 72 Ondonga – December 1943 Onward.................................................................... 73 Vella Lavella ............................................................................................................. 74 Vella Lavella – August 1943 ............................................................................... 75 Vella Lavella – September 1943.......................................................................... 76 Vella Lavella – October 1943.............................................................................. 77 6 Chapter Page Vella Lavella – November 1943.......................................................................... 78 Vella Lavella – December 1943 .......................................................................... 79 5. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. 82 The Lessons Learn by the Seabees in the Solomon Islands .....................................