French Polynesia (Society Islands)

Comprised of the Society Islands, including Tahiti and Bora Bora. Also, the Marquesas Islands, Austral Archipelago and Gambier Archipelago.

Tahiti
Largest island in the Sociry Island Group.

Tahiti Airport (Faaa)
Located on Tahiti

Bora Bora
Click For EnlargementMapSmall island group to the north-west of Tahiti, part of the Society Islands group. 5,000 US soldiers landed on Bora Bora soon after Pearl Harbor to thwart the Japanese advance in the Pacific. Author James Mitchner was one of them.

Robert Rocker adds:
"About 25 years ago I read a story that the 7th AF had a squadron of P-40's on garrison Duty at Bora Bora along with some Army soldiers to keep the Japs out well one day one of these P-40's was flying a patrol and was given a radar vector of a bogey and he set course to check it out it turned out to be a Emily Flying Boat coming to recon Bora Bora and the P-40 shot it down do you know anything about this story it is the only story in the whole Pacific War where a Army Air Force fighter shot down a Japanese flying boat."

Vairupe
Village located on the western side of the island. A Seaplane ramp and refueling station were located here. A few US miliarty emplacements from WWII remain. Inshore Patrol Squadron VS-2-D14 was based here starting in February 17, 1942.

Fortifications & Guns
The island has some wartime bunkers, and two never 7" costal guns emplaced on the north shore, near Faanui. 

Motu Mute Island
Small island to the north of Bora Bora, with a wartime Airfield.

Bora Bora Airfield (Motu Mute)
Wartime airfield today is the present day airport

 

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