US Naval Bases in North Africa were sea ports and air base used in North Africa during World War II by the United States Navy. The ports and air bases supplied the troops of the Allies armies in the flight against German and Italian forces in the North African campaign and Western Desert campaign. Later the bases supported the invasion of Italy. The ports and airfields were used after their surrender in Operation Torch. Amphibious Training Bases (ATB) were built in Algeria and Tunisia to prepare for the upcoming invasions. Seabees, United States Naval Construction Battalions, did most of the repair work, new construction, and maintaining work at the bases.

Background

Algeria became a French colony in 1830 after France invaded and captured Algiers. After the fall of France to the Nazi Germany and then under Vichy France rule, Algeria and French North Africa came under German control. The Allies freed Algeria of Nazi rule with Operation Torch that started on November 8, 1942. Operation Torch also freed Morocco and French North Africa.Morocco, US Army Campaigns in World War II Operation Torch landings in Algeria were focused on Oran, which had two airfields. Oran surrendered on 9 November 1942, one day after the 8 November landings. The American forces led by Lloyd Fredendall, seized Oran from the Vichy troops in two days. Many of the Vichy troops had Allied sympathies. Algeria was needed to fight the Afrika Korps, and Dakar so planes to fly from South American bases to Africa .UNITED STATES ARMY IN WORLD WAR II, Special Studies, REARMING THE FRENCH, by Marcel Vi gneras

Before the Vichy French surrendered they destroy the Oran harbor facilities and disable the Vichy ships at the docks.

Operation Terminal and Operation Reservist, were part of Operation Torch, the goal was to capture Algeria and French North Africa port facilities before they could be destroyed, both failed at their goal, but the ports were secured and repaired.Roskill p325

After the Vichy French surrendered the Clark-Darlan Negotiations were held in the Hotel St. Georges on 10 November between US General Mark W. Clark and French Admiral François Darlan. In the end, the negotiations gave the outcome they were looking for: ceasefire in Oran and Casablanca, the French African army would help the Allies fight the Nazis, help unload Allied cargo ships, and use of French trains to support the troops. On 24 December 1942, pro-monarchist Fernand Bonnier de La Chapelle assassinated Darlan in his headquarters, but the negotiations agreements continued.Negotiating the 'Deal with Darlan' by Arthur L. Funk, 1973

In the end not only did Algerians help with supplies many Muslim and European Algerians joined the Free France army. Algerian troops served with the French Expeditionary Corps under General Alphonse Juin, during the Italian campaign of 1943 and the Allied invasion of southern France in 1944.Alistair Horne, page 42 "A Savage War of Peace",

After the port city of Dakar surrendered in November 1942, French ships at the port also joined the Allies, including: battleship , the heavy cruiser , light cruisers , , , and a few destroyers, including cruiser-sized s.

Many of the US Army troops arriving at bases in North Africa had trained at the Desert Training Center at the California–Arizona Maneuver Area. From the US Naval Bases in North Africa, the US Army traveled east against the desert fox, Erwin Rommel's army. The British Eighth Army traveled west against the Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps. The two armies met up at Tunis and drove the Afrika Korps and Panzer Army Africa out of North Africa.Playfair, p. 114.Eisenhower, p. 90

Amphibious Training Bases Amphibious Training Bases at and around Oran started in May 1943 under the reverse Lend-Lease with Free France. At the same time, an Amphibious Training Base opened at Ténès and Béni Saf Algeria. After the Tunisian campaign, Oran supported the operation of the Amphibious Training Bases at Bizerte, Tunis, and Ferryville in Tunisia. The towns of Cherchel, Bone, and Mostaganem east of Oran, and Nemours west of Oran became troop staging for upcoming Allied invasions, became the scene of practice invasions. Detachments from the 54th, 70th, and 120th Construction Battalions were responsible for whatever naval establishments were required, but these towns required little in the way of installations.US Navy 70th Construction BattalionUS Navy 120th Construction Battalion A ship's salvage unit, a naval radio station, and a fuel depot were established in Algiers, which was also the site of the headquarters of Vice Admiral H.K. Hewitt, USN, Commander Naval Forces in Northwest African Waters. The two most common amphibious ships used at the base were Landing Ship, Tank (LST), Landing Craft Infantry (LCI), LCP boats, Landing craft tank and Landing Craft Mechanized boats.US Army, HISTORY OF THE AMPHIBIOUS TRAINING CENTEROperation Torch, United States Coast Guard The lessons of North Africa helped in improving the future landing and battles of World War II.Lessons of North Africa, airandspaceforces.com

Algeria Oran Naval Base Oran, Algeria with the city port and Oran's French Naval base Mers El Kebir 5 miles west of Oran, was developed into a major ship-repair base, a large supply depot, a ship's salvage unit operated at the base, naval radio station, fuel depot and a large Naval hospital. The city of Oran had a population of 200,000. Oran became a major operating base for Allies ships in the western Mediterranean Sea. Oran became the staging and supply base for amphibious operations in North African, Sicily, and then in Italy and France. US Navy Seabee Construction Battalions 54th, 70th, and 120th repaired and built new base facilities at Oran and around Algeria. Seabee built a 30-mile road to Arzeu which has a naval port and airport. Seabee took over and improved the city's power, wells and water system. For the depots, the Seabee installed many new quonset huts. Seabee of the 120th Battalion built a 500-bed hospital, US Navy Base Hospital 9, 3 miles south of Oran. At St. Remy, 10 miles southeast of Oran, Seabee of the 120th built an ammunition depot with 29 ammunition magazines. At each location, a Seabee base camp was built, as the Seabee built and maintained each base.History Highlights: Quartermaster at War - McNamara in North Africa, By Harold Raugh, DLA Chief Historian The Free French Army consolidated its troops at Oran. The Free French Army built a large base camp and trained its troops at Oran. The Free French Army joined the Allied Army in the invasion of Southern France and on to the Liberation of Paris.

Béni Saf Naval Base Béni Saf is 49 miles southwest of Oran and was used as a sub-base to Oran. Seabee with the 54th Battalion worked at Béni Saf. Béni Saf had a large mine that produced manganese ore for the Allies. Béni Safwas deployed into a supply depot and an Advanced Amphibious Training Base. The supply depot was built of 40 100-foot quonset huts.Seabee Unit 54, US Navy

Arzeu Naval Base

Arzeu (also spelled Arzew), Algeria was deployed into a Naval advance base, a large Advanced Amphibious Training Base, a hospital, a large supply depot and a staging camp. At Arzeu is the French Fort Supérieur. At Arzeu was a Seabee training base, the Seabee's 1005th and 1006th Detachments trained in building, launching, and installing pontoon causeways that were later used at Sicily, Salerno, and Anzio. With the 500-foot pontoon causeways, LST ships could unload at the shallow beaches of Sicily and Italy. The pontoon causeways were first tried at Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, but at Arzeu a new deployment technique was to have the pontoon carried on the side of the LST ships to the beaches. This saved time, so the other deployment technique of having the pontoons towed to the invasion beachhead was later ended. CBD 1005 and CBD 1006 Seabee were camped and trained at Arzeu starting May 1943. Later, on November 18, 1943, Seabee 70th Construction Battalion took over the operation at Arzeu. USS LST-389 was based at Arzeu Naval Base and became the flagship for Captain Frank Adams, Commander.

Mostaganem Naval Base Mostaganem Base was deployed into a Naval advance base, a large Advanced Amphibious Training Base. Mostaganem is about 30 miles east of Arzeu, then with a population of 50,000. The port was in working order and no work needed to be done. A hospital, troop camp, Seabee camp and supply depot were built. In the town, a French theater was used by the USO and Red Cross for the troops. The town was made up of mostly citizens of French and Spanish descent.

Port aux Poules Naval Base Port aux Poules (port of chickens) now called Mers El Hadjadj was a small resort town. Port aux Poules is 15 miles east of Arzeu. With many sandy beaches, the site was good for the Amphibious Training Base. In addition to the standard camp being built, the Seabee built a large fresh water distillation unit. The 85th Infantry Division, 337th Infantry Regiment, 261st Medical Battalion and 92nd Field Artillery Regiment trained at Port aux Poules amphibious Training Base from 1 February to 23 March 1944.

Nemours Naval Base Nemours, now called Ghazaouet, Algeria was developed into a Naval advance base, a large Advanced Amphibious Training Base. Nemours is a small fishing town in the western part of Algeria. The Seabee built a large freshwater distillation. A hospital was built in a large French house. A large warehouse was built to be a living space for the troops. A hotel was used for the Headquarters. The port was manmade with breakwater. The 1st Ranger Battalion was activated on May 12, 1943, at Nemours, Morocco, and trained at Nemours.

Ténès Naval Base Ténès, Algeria was developed into an Advanced Amphibious Training Base. Ténè was an Arab town with a large French Army base with a manmade port. Ship LCT 33 shot down a Junkers Ju 88 bomber over the port, it crashed 15 miles from the town.

Cherchell Naval Base Cherchell, Algeria, is port city and resort town with a lighthouse, that was converted into an Advanced Amphibious Training Base. The town is west of Tipaza. A French military base was near the town and was used for Advanced Amphibious Training Base. The town had many European tourists and thus become known as the Algerian Riviera.

Bône Naval Base Bone, Algeria, now called Annaba, was an advanced Base, a PT Boat base and Amphibious Training Base taken in the Battle of Algiers. Bône was built into a major supply depot for the North African campaign. The port also support the nearby Bone Airfield. A 750-bed hospital was set at the base.The National Archive reference TNA AIR-678-23US Army, Conquest of North AfricaBone War Cemetery, Annaba

Morocco

Casablanca Naval Base The US Navy Operated a Naval base at Casablanca, Morocco starting November 1942. Casablanca was headquarters for the Morocco Sea Coast Frontier Forces, a defense command of the United States Navy. Naval Base Casablanca was a full base with a fuel tank farm, mess halls, barracks, theatre, hospital, radio station, supply depot, ammunition depot, and Seabee camp. For the repair of ships a small marine railway was used and repair depot was built for the repair of all types of ships. A depot for the Seabee to assemble pontoon barges and pontoon cranes was built. The Casablanca Conference took place January 14, 1943 to– January 24, 1943 at the Anfa Hotel. The base was closed August 1, 1945 with Seabee and some supplies moved to Port Lyautey.

Naval Air Station Port Lyautey