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Location
Lat
9° 5' 60S Long 160° 9' 0E Part of the Florida
Island Group, north of Guadalcanal. Tulagi Harbor is the anchorage.
History
The British colonial government was based
here prior to WWII, fleeing before the Japanese arrived. A small number
of Japanese worked on Tulagi prior to the war, in Marine industries. There was a strong suspicion of
Japanese "yellow peril" leading up to the war and what the Japanese
were doing in the mandated islands so the British watched them fairly
closely. A coast watcher, Gordon Train (married to Vera Atkinson) stayed behind on Tulagi and was lost on a flight to the Shortland Island, to warn of the imminent invasion. Thanks to Ewan Stevenson and John Innes for additional historical details.
Japanese Occupation
The Japanese 3rd
Kure Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) landed on Tulagi to establish
a seaplane base there (on the adjacent islands of Gavutu and Tanambogo) without
resistance on May 3, 1942 and garrisoned it, and
established a seaplane base at nearby Gavutu (also referred
to as Tulagi Seaplane base) in the area.
Tulagi
Seaplane Base (Gavutu, Gabutsu)
Prewar seaplane base used by RAAF and British. Occupied by the Japanese, liberated by Marines.
American Missions Against Tulagi
May 4 - August 7, 1942
American Liberation
Liberated as the first phase
of the Guadalcanal campaign, by
the US
Marine
Corps on August 7, 1942 meeting fierce resistance from the
Japanese defenders. By nightfall of the following
day, Tulagi was declared secure, but for several days,
individual
Japanese
and small groups continued to be flushed from hiding places and hunted
down by patrolling
Marines.
Today
After the war, the of colonial government moved to Honiara to utilize the infrastructure left by American forces. Tulagi became a quite provincial capital. The facilities left in the area by the US Navy are still used to this day, with pontoons and overhaul areas on the island still used for small craft.
Blue Beach
Not a single landing craft of the first
wave was able
to set
its
passengers
directly
ashore.
All
of
them hung up on coral at distances from 30 to well over 100 yards
from the beach line, and the assault personnel waded ashore against
no
opposition,
through water initially from waist to armpit deep, and immediately
occupied the high ground of the ridges. Today, the Anglican (Episcopalian)
church of the Central Province (Tulagi and the Floridas) is located at this location. View of Blue Beach Eastward and Blue Beach Westward.
District Residence House
Located on one of the higher ridges on the island, only the original staircase and stair posts remain. The house was rebuilt post war, and was abandoned in 2003.
Hill 281
This high ground was the main Japanese defensive position and headquarters on Tulagi, with tunnels and fighting positions built in the area. After the battle, Americans also defended this hill with machine guns for anti-aircraft defense.
Roadcut
This prewar roadcut into one of the ridges was heavily defended by the Japanese, who built cover into its side walls, most of these are covered over with sediment.
Japanese Tunnels
One entrance is located on an overgrown hillside. It opens into a deceivingly large tunnel area inside. Another is located on the Catholic church property, this tunnel has two entrances The second entrance is partially filled.
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Last Updated
October 6, 2009
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