Names
The Japanese called it 'Shortland Island' or 'Shi-you-to-ran-do Shima'. This base had several names in Allied reports, including Shortlands Sea Plane Base and Faisi Seaplane Base. Known to the Japanese as "Shortland Hakuchi".

Japanese Usage
The Japanese Navy entered Shortland Harbor on March 30, 1942 at 2am. During the early morning, two SNLF platoon strength forces met no resistance, and one platoon remained to establish a seaplane base. An Allied aircraft was observed overhead at 10am. The other platoon returned to the ships around 4pm and departed to occupy Kieta.

A seaplane base was established, using the narrow east-west Tuha Channel as a take off and landing area, varying directions depending on winds. The harbor included moorings and shore facilities.

Units based at Shortland Harbor
R-Area Air Force (Homen Koku Butai) August 28, 1942 - April 1, 1943
851st Kokutai (H6K5 Mavis) September 42 - March 43
802nd Ku (Pete, Rufe) tail N1 January - March 1943 to Marshals
958th Kokutai (Pete, Jake) Rabaul Nov 42 - Aug 43 Rabaul
No.11 SF Kamikawa Maru & Kunikawa Maru (A6M2-N, Pete Jake) Aug - March 1, 1943 to Rabaul/Kavieng became 938th Ku in early 1943 (tail code L1- and L-2)

R-Area Air Force
IJN Eighth Fleet Headquarters at Bougainville established on August 28, 1942 the "R-Area Air Force" (Homen Koku Butai) with seaplanes in the Shortland area, with a forward base at Rekata Seaplane Base. Commanded by RAdm. Jojima Takatsuga, the CO of the Eleventh Seaplane Tender Division, formed the squadrons of four seaplane tenders into two hikokitai (ad hoc air groups). These two hikokitai aircraft, which would eventually be expanded and combined to become the IJN Eleventh Ku, were equipped with three types of aircraft: Aichi E13A1 Type 0 (Jake), Mitsubishi F1M2 Type 0 (Pete) and Nakajima A6M2-N Type 2 (Rufe). Developed because of the lack of suitable land bases after the loss of Munda. From September 4 - November 7, 1942 the unit flew 360 sorties in 211 separate missions claiming 14 victories and one probable for the loss of 9 of its pilots.

Missions Against Shortland
(USN, 5th AF, 13th AF) October 16, 1942 - December 1943 - May 15, 1944

Today
Disused as a seaplane base since the war.

H6K2 Mavis
Sunk off Poporang Island, broken wreckage

H6K2 Mavis
Sunk off Shortland Island, broken wreckage

Aichi E13A Jake
Sunk in shallow water along Shortland Island

Aichi E13A Jake
Sunk in deep water at the center of the channel

References
Japanese army operations in the South Pacific area: New Britain and Papua campaigns, 1942–43 page 42

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Last Updated
March 11, 2009

April 11, 1943

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