Location
Located off Guvutu. Also known as Gavutu Seaplane Base or Gabutsu. Many references to this base call it the seaplane base at "Tulagi", but in fact it was located at Guvutu, to the east of Tulagi. Also, the base was sometimes called Tanambogo for the nearby island connected by causeway.

Construction
Prior to the war, used by the RAAF and British. Flying boat landings were made by 11 Squadron. The earliest landing was November 20, 1939 when PBY Catalina A18-10 flown by Captain Gurney landed. Another flight by PBY A18-12 on 10 July 1940, flown by Captain Purton.

RAAF Units Based at Gavutu
11 Squadron (PBY-4) May 2 - 12, 1942
20 Squadron (PBY-4) May 1941 - May 2, 1942

Japanese Usage
Captured by the Japanese on May 5, 1942. Japanese referred to the base as 'Gabutsu'. Used until August 7, 1942 as a mooring area for H6K5 Mavis flying boats, that were moored off the north of the island in two lines. A6M2-N Rufes were moored off nearby Tanambogo.

Japanese Units Based
(IJN 25th Flotilla)
Yokusuka Kokutai (Detachment Mavis, A6M2-N Rufes)
Yokohama Kokutai (Mavis) arrived from Rabaul April 1942

American Missions Against Gavutu
July 23 - August 7, 1942

Marines Recapture
Liberated by US Marines on August 7, 1942. All Japanese personnel were annihilated in the defense. Several wrecked seaplanes were captured in the area including: A6M2-N Rufe (Type 2 seaplane fighters) at the island: A6M2-N Rufe 821, 822, 826, 913, 914, 915 and 916.

American Usage
Used by the US Navy as a seaplane anchorage for the rest of the war.

Today
Underneath the wharf, the seabed is covered with discarded war relics. Aircraft wings, engines, landing gear and sections of fuselage all stripped of useable parts.  A pontoon, what looks like a gun carriage and other larger objects can be found as well as gas masks and smaller pieces. Further away from the wharf, there is a small landing craft and H6K5 Mavis sunk offshore.

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009

Intel Map July 1942

Captured Japanese Map

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