Location
Saweni Bay Seaplane Base was located at Saweni on the northwest corner of Viti Levu Island in Fiji roughly ten miles north of Nadi Airfield. Also known as "Saweni Beach Seaplane Base". The shore facilities were located on Saweni Beach with seaplanes operating in Saweni Bay.

Wartime History
During the summer of 1942, the U.S. Navy 3rd Construction Battalion (Seabees) established a camp and built a seaplane ramp and other maintenance facilities for a seaplane base at this location.

On August 4, 1942 VP-11 moved from Suva to Saweni with six PBY Catalina flyingboats, the remainder remained at Nouméa Harbor Seaplane Base.

By August 1944, when CBMU 503 departed Fiji, most activities ceased and the facilities at Saweni Beach were discontinued and removed.

Today
Trevor Schoenfisch adds:
"The shore ramps with the names of the engineers, carved in the wet concrete, who built it, is still there. To see the names and rank, sprinkle beach sand on the ramp and then rub the top sand off with your foot."

References
Building the Navy's Bases in World War II

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Last Updated
July 19, 2024