Samarai Advanced Seaplane Base

Samarai Advanced Seaplane Base was a US Navy seaplane base at Samarai Island, Papua New Guinea during World War II.

The advanced seaplane base was built by a detachment of the 84th Naval Construction Battalion (Seabees) with help from members of USS San Pablo (AVP-30), a seaplane tender. The base was built within 42 days and included a convert|50|ft|m ramp, small hanger, ft2 to m2|40000 apron, barrack accommodation for 270 men and four 1,000 barrel aviation fuel tanks.

The seaplane tenders sailors worked around the clock to fuel, repair, arm, control the seaplanes, feed and care for the PBY Catalina crews.

Operations from the base included attacking enemy shipping along the coasts of New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland, and the Bismarck Sea. Heavy losses were inflicted upon Imperial Japanese inter-island barge traffic and shipping. The aircraft harassed enemy troops with night bombing and strafing missions, conducted photo intelligence operations, provided air-sea search and rescue support for downed allied pilots and sailors of sunken vessels. They also transported high ranking officers, friendly coast watchers, and native guerrilla units.

The seaplane base appears to have been abandoned in May 1944.

Units Based at Samari Advanced Seaplane Base

*Patrol Squadron Thirty Three (VP-33), Fleet Air Wing 17 (PBY Catalina)
*Patrol Squadron Thirty Four (VP-34), Fleet Air Wing 17 (PBY Catalina)
*Patrol Squadron One Hundred One (VP-101), Fleet Air Wing 17 (PBY Catalina)
*USS San Pablo (AVP-30) (Seaplane tender)
*USS Half Moon (AVP-26) (Seaplane tender)