Ondonga Airfield

Ondonga Airfield
Ondonga Island, New Georgia
Coordinates 08°15′54″S 157°12′00″E / 8.26500°S 157.20000°E / -8.26500; 157.20000
Type Military Airfield
Site information
Controlled by Royal New Zealand Air Force
United States Navy
Condition abandoned
Site history
Built 1943
Built by Seebees
In use 1943-4
Materials Coral
Battles/wars Bougainville Campaign
Operation Cartwheel

Ondonga Airfield is a former World War II airfield on New Georgia in the Solomon Islands archipelago.

History

World War II

Map of Allied operations on New Georgia 5–27 August 1943

The Munda Point area was secured on 5 August 1943. While the rehabilitation and expansion of Munda Point Airfield was the first priority for the Seebees, the 37th and 82nd Naval Construction Battalions soon began building another fighter airfield on Ondonga Island across from Munda Point. Construction proceeded with difficulty as the island was covered with dense jungle over bog and the site was periodically shelled by Japanese artillery on Kolombangara Island and bombed by Japanese aircraft flying from Bougainville. After 25 days the Seebees had completed a coral-surfaced 4,500 feet (1,400 m) by 200 feet (61 m) fighter runway.[1] By February 1944 the Seebees had completed a second parallel runway, roads, taxiways, hardstands, a control tower and a 12,000 barrel tank farm.[2]

Royal New Zealand Air Force units based at Ondonga included:

US Navy units based at Ondonga included:

USMC units based at Ondonga included:

Postwar

The airfield is abandoned and overgrown with vegetation.

See also

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. 265.
  2. Bases, p.266
  3. Ross, 1955, p. 325
  4. 1 2 Ross, 1955, p. 326
  5. 1 2 Ross, 1955, p. 327
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