World War II The
7th Naval Construction Battalion arrived on Santo on 11 August 1942 and began construction of more extensive air facilities to support the
Guadalcanal Campaign. After completing a second fighter airfield at
Turtle Bay they began constructing a bomber field at Palikulo Bay. The runway was by built of
PSP over a coral base. The 15th Naval Construction Battalion arrived on Santo on 13 October 1942 and added taxiways, revetments, and a extension to the runway for air transport operation. Units of the
5th Bombardment Group based at Palikulo included the
23d Bombardment Squadron operating
B-17Es and later
B-24s from 1 December 1942 until 3 January 1944, and the
72d Bombardment Squadron and
394th Bombardment Squadron both operating B-17s. On 13 August B-17E #41-2463 of the 394th Bombardment Squadron piloted by
Gene Roddenberry crashed on takeoff due to mechanical failure. Navy and USMC units based at Palikulo included: •
VMD-154 operating
PB4Ys •
VMD-254 operating B-24s •
VMO-250 operating
J2Fs. Following the sinking of the
USS Wasp (CV-7) on 15 September 1942,
VF-71 operating
F4Fs was temporarily based at Palikulo. On the nights of 15 and 23 October 1942 Palikulo was shelled by a Japanese submarine however no serious damage resulted.
Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) units based at Palikulo included: •
No. 1 (Islands) Group Headquarters from 1 March 1943-January 1944 •
No. 3 Squadron operating
Lockheed Hudsons from 9 October-6 December 1942 Part of the airfield forms part of the main road along Palikulo Bay, while the remainder together with all taxiways and base facilities is largely overgrown with vegetation. ==See also==