Torokina Airfield

Torokina Airfield, also known as Cape Torokina Airfield, is a former World War II airfield located at Cape Torokina, Bougainville.

World War II
The 3rd Marine Division landed on Bougainville on 1 November 1943 at the start of the Bougainville Campaign, establishing a beachhead around Cape Torokina. Small detachments of the 25th, 53rd, 71st and 75th Naval Construction Battalions landed with the Marines and the 71st Battalion was tasked with establishing a 5150 ft by 200 ft fighter airfield that would become Torokina Airfield. The airfield became operational on December 10, 1943 when VMF-216 landed with 17 F4U Corsairs.

On 9 March 1944, the Japanese shelled the airfield and forced the squadrons that were based their to take off to avoid damage to their aircraft. Royal New Zealand Air Force squadrons also began operating from the airfield from January 1, 1944. Units assigned to the airfield included:
 * United States Navy
 * VC-40 operating TBFs
 * ACORN 13
 * VF(N)-75 operating F4Us


 * United States Marine Corps
 * VMTB-233 operating TBFs
 * VMF-211 operating F4Us
 * VMF-212 operating F4Us
 * VMF-215 operating F4Us
 * VMF-216 operating F4Us
 * VMF(N)-531 operating PV-1 night-fighters


 * Royal New Zealand Air Force
 * No. 19 Squadron operating F4Us

Postwar
Today the airfield is no longer used and most of the runway is overgrown with vegetation.