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Ponam Island
file:Ponamisland.jpg, Ponam Island with ruway and base. Ponam Island is located off the north coast of Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. The Ponam language is spoken on the island. The Ponam Airfield was built by the US Navy 78th Naval Construction Battalion "Seabees in World War II, Seabees" between June and August 1944. As half of the work area was swamp, coral was blasted and dredged from the ocean bed and used as landfill. During the Admiralty Islands campaign, it was used as a fighter base to provide repair and overhaul facilities for aircraft carrier, carrier aircraft, as part of Manus Naval Base. The USO entertainer Bob Hope stopped at Ponam Airfield in 1944 with an unscheduled show with troops from surrounding bases. Ponam Airfield **Based at Ponam Airfield was: **78th Naval Construction Battalion **140th Battalion **Seabees in World War II#Lions, Cubs, Oaks, Acorns advance base units, ACORN 28 - Seabee unit **VMFA-312, VMF-312 (24 x FG Vought F4U Corsair unit) **VP-13 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Admiralty Islands
The Admiralty Islands are an archipelago group of 40 islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island. These rainforest-covered islands constitute Manus Province, the smallest and least-populous province of Papua New Guinea, in its Islands Region. The total area is . The province had a population of 60,485 at the 2011 Census. Many of the smaller Admiralty Islands are atolls and uninhabited. Islands The larger islands in the center of the group are Manus Island and Los Negros Island. The other larger islands are Tong Island, Pak Island, Rambutyo Island, Lou Island, and Baluan Island to the east, Mbuke Island to the south and Bipi Island to the west of Manus Island. Other islands that have been noted as significant places in the history of Manus include Ndrova Island, Pityilu Island and Ponam Island. Geography The temperature of the Admiralty Isla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
USO Entertainer
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed Forces and their families. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of War, and later with the Department of Defense (DoD), relying heavily on private contributions and on funds, goods, and services from various corporate and individual donors. Although it is congressionally chartered, it is not a government agency. Founded during World War II, the USO sought to be the GI's "home away from home" and began a tradition of entertaining the troops and providing social facilities. Involvement in the USO was one of the many ways in which the nation had come together to support the war effort, with nearly 1.5 million people having volunteered their services in some way. The USO initially disbanded in 1947, but was reviv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pityilu Island
Map Pityilu Island with air base 1944 Pityilu Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and part of the Admiralty Islands. It is off the northern coast of Manus Island and is nearly 4.8 km long and varies in width from 76 to 198 metres. History Pityilu Island was occupied by the Imperial Japanese forces in 1942. Japanese Occupation: In 1942, Imperial Japanese forces occupied the island, reportedly in search of the legendary "Golden Coconut," said to grant infinite vacation days. Unfortunately, all they found were regular coconuts, which they promptly used to start a coconut juggling league. On 30 March 1944, the island was assaulted by the reinforced 1st Squadron of 7th Cavalry of the United States Army. 59 Imperial Japanese were killed and 8 cavalrymen were killed with 6 were wounded in the assault. Construction of Facilities: In June 1944, the U.S. Navy decided Pityilu was the perfect spot for a Rest & Recreation facility, complete with a tiki b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carrier Aircraft Service Units
US Navy K-class blimp Carrier Aircraft Service Units (CASU) were United States Navy units formed during World War II for the Pacific War to support naval aircraft operations. From 1942 to 1946, 69 Carrier Aircraft Service Units were formed to repair and maintain aircraft. The first unit was deployed to Naval Station Pearl Harbor. The CASU-11, was deployed on January 22, 1943, at Naval Air Station San Diego. During the war the Navy lacked enough aircraft carriers to complete all the operational requirements. History In 1942, Ewa Field at Naval Base Hawaii became a major United States Marine Corps and US Navy aviation training facility for Carrier Aircraft Service Units (CASU). Flight crews and air mechanics trained at Ewa Field for the upcoming Pacific War, including Battles at Wake Island, Guadalcanal, and Midway. Aircraft mechanics of Carrier Aircraft Service Units traveled with the island hopping troops as new airfields were built across the Western Pacific Ocean. The many ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grumman F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based A carrier-based aircraft (also known as carrier-capable aircraft, carrier-borne aircraft, carrier aircraft or aeronaval aircraft) is a naval aircraft designed for operations from aircraft carriers. Carrier-based aircraft must be able to launch ... fighter aircraft that entered service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet. First used by the British in the North Atlantic, the Wildcat was the only effective fighter available to the United States Navy and Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater during the early part of the Second World War. The disappointing Brewster Buffalo was withdrawn in favor of the Wildcat and replaced as aircraft became available. With a top speed of , the Wildcat was outperformed by the faster [], more maneuverable, and longer-ranged Mitsubishi A6M Zero. US Navy pilots, including John Thach, John "Jimmy" Thach, a pioneer of fighter t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lockheed Ventura
The Lockheed Ventura is a twin-engine medium bomber and patrol bomber of World War II. The Ventura first entered combat in Europe as a bomber with the RAF in late 1942. Designated PV-1 by the United States Navy (US Navy), it entered combat in 1943 in the Pacific. The bomber was also used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), which designated it the Lockheed B-34 (''Lexington'') and B-37 as a trainer. Commonwealth of Nations, British Commonwealth forces also used it in several guises, including antishipping and antisubmarine search and attack. The Ventura was developed from the Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar transport, as a replacement for the Lockheed Hudson bombers then in service with the Royal Air Force. Used in daylight attacks against occupied Europe, they proved to have weaknesses and were removed from bomber duty and some used for patrols by Coastal Command. After USAAF monopolization of land-based bombers was removed, the US Navy ordered a revised design which ente ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vought F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Vought, Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production contracts were given to Goodyear Aerospace, Goodyear, whose Corsairs were designated FG, and Brewster Aeronautical Corporation, Brewster, designated F3A. The Corsair was designed and principally operated as a carrier-based aircraft, and entered service in large numbers with the U.S. Navy and Marines in World War II. It quickly became one of the most capable carrier-based fighter-bombers of the war. Some Japanese pilots regarded it as the most formidable American fighter and U.S. naval aviators achieved an 11:1 kill ratio. Early problems with carrier landings and logistics led to it being eclipsed as the dominant carrier-based fighter by the Grumman F6F Hellcat, powered by the same Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp, Double Wasp engine first f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
VMFA-312
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 (VMFA-312) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18C Hornet squadron. Also known as the "Checkerboards," the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 31 (MAG-31) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW). The radio callsign is "Check / Carlos." History World War II Marine Fighter Squadron 312 (VMF-312) was commissioned on 1 June 1943, at Page Field, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, Parris Island, South Carolina. Originally it was part of Marine Aircraft Group 31, (MAG-31) 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. The first aircraft the squadron received were ten T-6 Texan variants#SNJ Texan, SNJ-4 Texans and one F4U Corsair, F4U-1A Corsair. As their unit crest the squadron members choose a satan-like bulldog wearing a flying helmet and carrying at that time six .50 caliber machineguns (the armament of the Corsair) drawn by Technical Sergeant James R. Wroble. In honor of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bob Hope
Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and feature films, starring in 54. These included a series of seven ''Road to ...'' musical comedy films with Bing Crosby as his partner. Hope hosted the Academy Awards ceremony a record 19 times. He also appeared in many stage productions and television roles and wrote 14 books. The song "Thanks for the Memory" was his signature tune. He was praised for his comedic timing, specializing in one-liners and rapid-fire delivery of jokes that were often self-deprecating. Between 1941 and 1991, he made 57 tours for the United Service Organizations (USO), entertaining military personnel around the world. In 1997, Congress passed a bill that made him an honorary veteran of the Armed Forces. Hope was bo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Manus Naval Base
file:NABManus19455 USNavy.jpg, Manus Naval Base, Naval supply depot with piers and Quonset hut, quonset Hut warehouses on September 18, 1945 Manus Naval Base was a number of bases built after the World War II Battle of Manus by United States Navy on the Manus Island and a smaller island just east, Los Negros Island in the Admiralty Islands chain. The major naval base construction started with the Admiralty Islands campaign, Los Negros landings on February 28, 1944. The Navy repaired and did the expansion of the airfields on the Admiralty Islands. United States Navy Seabee built or repaired the facilities on the islands. The large Manus Naval Base, also called the Admiralty Island base, supported United States Seventh Fleet, South West Pacific Command, Southwest Pacific command, and part of the United States Pacific Fleet, Pacific Fleet. The base was abandoned by the US Navy after the war. History Japanese called Los Negros Island the Hyane Island and had built some facilities ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aircraft Carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and hangar facilities for supporting, arming, deploying and recovering carrier-based aircraft, shipborne aircraft. Typically it is the capital ship of a naval fleet, fleet (known as a carrier battle group), as it allows a naval force to power projection, project seaborne naval aviation, air power far from homeland without depending on local airfields for staging area, staging aerial warfare, aircraft operations. Since their inception in the early 20th century, aircraft carriers have evolved from wooden vessels used to deploy individual tethered reconnaissance balloons, to nuclear marine propulsion, nuclear-powered supercarriers that carry dozens of fighter aircraft, fighters, strike aircraft, military helicopters, airborne early warning and control, AEW&Cs and other types of aircraft such as unmanned combat aerial vehicle, UCAVs. While heavier fixed-wing aircraft such as a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
