Naval Base Milne Bay

Naval Base Milne Bay
Location of Naval Base Milne Bay
Naval Base Milne Bay
Location	Milne Bay Province
Coordinates	10°20′00″S 150°21′04″E / 10.333306°S 150.351°E / -10.333306; 150.351
Ocean/sea sources	Solomon Sea
Basin countries	Papua New Guinea
Max. length	35 km (22 mi)
Max. width	15 km (9.3 mi)
Surface area	202.7 square miles (525 km2)
Settlements	United States Navy Naval Base Milne Bay 1942-1945

Naval Base Milne Bay, also called Naval Advance Base Milne Bay, was new major United States Navy sea and airbase base built on Milne Bay in Milne Bay Province in south-eastern Papua New Guinea. By spring 1943, the build up of the US Navy to support the Pacific War had caused overcrowding at the ports on the east coast of Australia. To help, Seabees departed Naval Base Brisbane on June 19, 1943 to set up a new base in Milne Bay. Naval Base Milne Bay headquarters was at Ladava Navy Base. The Royal Australian Navy already had a small base in Milne Bay: HMAS Ladava. Australians were able to defend and keep Milne Bay in the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942. Naval Base Milne Bay was built during World War II to support the many ships and aircraft fighting and patrolling in the South West Pacific theatre of war. Ladava Navy Base provided a large protective US Navy fleet anchorage at Gahora Bay next to Ladava. At Naval Base Milne Bay, Seabees built a large Naval facility.^[1][2]