Poloa Defensive Fortifications

The Poloa Defensive Fortifications are a set of historic military structures on the island of Tutuila in American Samoa. Consisting of three pillboxes along the beach, these fortifications were built by American Marines as part of a system of defenses against a feared Japanese amphibious invasion of Samoa during the early part of World War II. The Poloa pillboxes stand out from other emplacements on Tutuila for their relatively less robust construction, possibly reflecting American tactical planning for greater defense in depth at this location. The threat of invasion eased by late 1942, and the fortifications never saw combat.

The Poloa fortifications were added to the United States National Register of Historic Places in 2012.