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 by fighter airfield that would become Torokina Airfield. 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:
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
External links Torokina Airfield