Location
Located to the east of Tulagi. Small island connected by a causeway to larger Gavutu. Also know as Tanambolo.

Japanese Occupation
Occupied by Japanese forces in April 1942 by the 3rd Kure Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF). This island was also a part of the seaplane base that spanned Gavutu Island, also known as Tulagi Seaplane Base.

American LIberation
Liberated by US Marines on August 7, 1942. After the island was secured, American forces reported the following A6M2-N Rufe (Type 2 seaplane fighters) at the island: A6M2-N Rufe 821, 822, 826, 913, 914, 915 and 916. Thanks to Richard Dunn for this information.

Jim Long adds:
"I'm skeptical about the numbers in the list. I have those same numbers listed in JICPOA Bulletin No. 51-43, 16 November 1943, entitled "Notes on Production Rate of Japanese Float Fighter Rufe Type Zero Mark 1 and Type 2." All but one number are from component nameplates, thus we cannot be sure about how many Rufes were there. The only airplane manufacture number sure of is 821. It comes from a photo of the fuselage stencil. Four of the component nameplates were from Part No. 4341, which weighed 5 kg. That would indicate that at least four Rufes were at the Tanambogo anchorage if only one Part 4341 were on each plane. But we don't even know that for sure. So I say that the complement of Rufes at Tanambogo is unknown, but at least one was there and its manufacture number was 821.

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Last Updated
October 6, 2009