World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseTo expand air cover in the Solomon Islands region, the Japanese military surveyed the Lunga Point site on the island of Guadalcanal in May 1942, only one month after the Japanese took control of the island. The site was situated between the Lunga River to the west and the Ilu River to the east. Two construction crews, one 1,379 men and the other 1,145 men, began work in early Jul 1942. The work was observed by Coastwatchers, who promptly reported to the US military. In mid-Jul 1942, an additional crew of 250 civilian workers arrived, followed by specialists of 14th Encampment Corps which was in charge of setting up radio communications equipment and a search radar. A small number of local civilians were employed in the construction as well. The Japanese plans called for a single runway, taxiway, a dispersal area, plus several structures. The construction for the to-be-named Lunga Point Airfield was ahead of schedule, and the construction crews were given extra rations of sake in celebration in the evening of 6 Aug 1942.

ww2dbaseIronically, at the very same time that the celebration was held, an American invasion force was sailing for the island; they would land on the following day. US Marines overwhelmed the Japanese defenders on Guadalcanal and captured the airfield with radio equipment, heavy construction equipment, and food stocks in tact by 1600 hours on 8 Aug 1942. The Americans resumed the construction within days of its capture, using Japanese heavy construction equipment. The first landing at Lunga Point Airfield took place on 12 Aug 1942 by a PBY Catalina flying boat piloted by William Sampson, personal aide to Admiral John McCain; he disembarked a survey team and embarked two wounded Americans. On 16 Aug 1942, the airfield was renamed Henderson Field in honor of US Marine Corps Major Lofton Henderson, who was killed during the Battle of Midway. Operations as a tactical airfield began in earnest before the end of the month, although it only served in a supplemental role as stocks of aviation fuel would not be delivered until mid-Oct 1942. Also in Oct 1942, the Americans demolished the tunnel originally used by the Japanese as the radio communications facility. The Japanese continuously attacked Henderson Field by air raids and naval bombardments to disrupt its operations. Meanwhile, several attempts were made between Aug and Nov 1942 to recapture it, including the 23-26 Oct 1942 Battle for Henderson Field / Battle of Lunga Point, which resulted in a Japanese defeat at the cost of about 2,000 to 3,000 killed. In Dec 1942, the efforts to retake Henderson Field were abandoned, and Japanese troops on the island were gradually evacuated over the course of the following three months. Henderson Field was later supported by two additional airfields in the general proximity. While in American possession, Henderson Field hosted US Navy, US Marine Corps, and US Army Air Forces squadrons; aircraft that had called Henderson home were of a wide range of types, including fighters, dive bombers, torpedo bombers, medium bombers, among others. In 1943, the original wooden control tower was replaced by one built with metal beams. American military presence at Henderson Field generally ceased by Aug 1944. Royal New Zealand Air Force squadron ceased operations at Henderson in Nov 1944.

ww2dbaseUntil the 1960s, the airfield was abandoned. After extensive work, it reopened in 1969 as a civilian airport. This airport would serve Honiara, the capital of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate since 1952 and the sovereign country since 1978. In the 1970s, the asphalt runway was expanded to the current length of 2,200 meters (about 7,200 feet). In 2004, it was officially renamed Honiara International Airport.

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2.  David Stubblebine says:
8 Feb 2020 07:36:33 PM

Anonymous (above):
According to Long Island’s war diaries, she was arriving in Fiji on 13 Aug 1942 and launched planes for Guadalcanal on 20 Aug 1942, launching 19 F4F-4 Wildcats and 13 SBD Dauntlesses.