Lombrum Naval Base

{{Infobox military installation

| name = PNG Defence Force Base Lombrum

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| native_name = HMPNGS Tarangau

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| location = Manus Island

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| country = Papua New Guinea

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| type = Naval base

| coordinates = {{coord|2|02|25|S|147|22|19|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

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| pushpin_map = Papua New Guinea

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| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Papua New Guinea

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| operator = {{unbulleted list|{{navy|United States}} {{small|(1944{{spaced endash}} 1946)}}|{{navy|Australia}} {{small|(1950{{spaced endash}} 1974)}}|{{nowrap|Papua New Guinea Defence Force {{small|(1974{{spaced endash}} present)}}}}}}

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| built = {{Start date|1944|01}}

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| battles = Pacific War, World War II

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| garrison = Maritime Operations Element

| occupants = Guardian-class patrol boat

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Lombrum Naval Base, also known as HMPNGS Tarangau and formerly PNG Defence Force Base Lombrum, is a naval military base operated by the Maritime Operations Element of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF).{{cite web|title=HMPNGS Tarangau|url=http://www.pngdefence.gov.pg/index.php/2016-05-11-12-36-38/2016-05-11-12-38-30|website=Papua New Guinea Defence Force|accessdate=12 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013032517/http://www.pngdefence.gov.pg/index.php/2016-05-11-12-36-38/2016-05-11-12-38-30|archive-date=13 October 2016}} It is located on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Lombrum is the home port of the PNGDF's Pacific-class patrol boat force.

After redevelopment in 1950 by the Royal Australian Navy, it was known as HMAS Seeadler, being renamed HMAS Tarangau soon afterwards.

The Manus Regional Processing Centre was established within the base{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/dec/16/-sp-welcome-to-manus-island-changed-forever-australian-asylum-seeker-policy|work=The Guardian|title=Welcome to Manus, the island that has been changed forever by Australian asylum-seeker policy|first=Jo|last=Chandler|date=16 Dec 2014|access-date=22 November 2019}} in 2001.

History

File:Seeadler Harbor with floating drydocks in September 1945.jpg

The naval facility, Manus Naval Base, was first built during World War II as a "Lion" which was code for a major Fleet installation of the United States Navy. It was constructed by the Seabees of CBs 11, 58, and 71 and commissioned in January 1944. The base and Seeadler Harbor became a major US Naval Advance Base during the latter part of the war. The base was a major ship repair depot. At the base was the Large auxiliary floating drydock USS ABSD-4 and ASDB-2, able to repair the largest capital ships. There were camps on Manus Island and Los Negros Island. The facility was abandoned by the Americans in 1946 with the downsizing of their military and their policy of containment shifted strategic focus away from the Southern Pacific.

The Australian government took over the site, redeveloped it, and reopened it as the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base HMAS Seeadler, commissioning on 1 January 1950 to replace the RAN base at Dreger Harbour, near Finschhafen.{{cite web|title=Base At Manus |url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18149776 |publisher=National Library of Australia |work=Sydney Morning Herald |date=21 December 1949 |page=1 }}{{cite interview |first=Stephen |last=Eldridge |last2=(member, RAN, 1947–1950) |title=Verbal History }} The base was renamed HMAS Tarangau, the name of the former Dreger Harbour base, on 1 April 1950.{{cite book |last1=Dennis |first1=Peter |last2=Grey |first2=Jeffrey |last3=Morris |first3=Ewan |last4=Prior |first4=Robin |title=The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=South Melbourne, VIC |date=2008 |edition=2nd |isbn=9780195517842 |oclc=271822831 |page=349}}{{cite journal|title=HMAS Tarangau |volume=14 |number=8 |date=16 April 1971 |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Navy_News-April-16-1971.pdf |journal=Royal Australian Navy News |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |ref=RANNewsApr71}}

The base was used as a refueling and stores point for RAN ships traveling between Australia and South East Asia. The size of the facility gradually shrank through the 1950s and 1960s, and the decision was made to hand the facility over to Papua New Guinea as part of the process leading to the nation's independence from Australia.{{cite book |editor=Moore, John |title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1977–78 |edition=80th |year=1977 |series=Jane's Fighting Ships |publisher=Jane's Yearbooks |location=London |isbn=0531032779 |oclc=18207174 |page=20}} As part of this, Tarangau was paid off on 14 November 1974 and given to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, who reactivated the base as PNG Defence Force Base Lombrum.

In mid-2020, the base commenced a two stage upgrade funded by Australia.{{cite web |title=The Joint Initiative at Lombrum Naval Base (PNG) |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/defence-activities/programs-initiatives/pacific-engagement/lombrum-naval-base |website=Department of Defence |access-date=21 January 2024}}{{sfn|Lockyer|Burke|Lim|Smith|2021|p=13}} The upgrade was announced by Australia and PNG in 2018.{{cite press release |author1=Prime Minister Scott Morrison |title=Joint Statement between Australia and Papua New Guinea |url=https://www.pm.gov.au/media/joint-statement-between-australia-and-papua-new-guinea.html |website=Prime Minister of Australia |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20201006203304/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/170811/20201007-0059/www.pm.gov.au/media/joint-statement-between-australia-and-papua-new-guinea.html |archive-date=6 October 2020 |date=1 November 2018 |url-status=dead}}{{sfn|Lockyer|Burke|Lim|Smith|2021|p=13}} The second stage of the upgrade will cost A$175 million.{{cite news |last1=Faa |first1=Marian |title=Australian Defence Force to fund $175 million major upgrade for Papua New Guinea's naval base on Manus Island |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-15/major-naval-base-on-png-manus-island-lombrum-adf/100216040 |access-date=25 January 2024 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=16 June 2021}}[http://web.archive.org/web/20221209212037/https://cloughgroup.com/projects/lombrum-naval-base Lombrum Naval Base] Clough Group The upgrade will support PNG's new {{sclass|Guardian|patrol boat|1}}s that PNG is receiving from Australia. The upgrade will also enable port visits by RAN boats and provide infrastructure for the RAN's {{sclass|Canberra|landing helicopter dock|4}} ships to deliver troops and equipment.{{cite journal |last1=Lockyer |first1=Adam |last2=Burke |first2=Justin |last3=Lim |first3=Yves-Heng |last4=Smith |first4=Fred |title=Manus Island and the Lombrum Naval Base: Five Options for Australia’s Geostrategic Gateway |journal=Royal Australian Navy Sea Power Soundings |date=2021 |issue=35 |page=14 |url=https://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Soundings%20Paper%2031_2021_Manus%20Island%20and%20the%20Lombrum%20Naval%20Base.pdf |access-date=25 January 2024 |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia}}

Gallery

MapofLosNegrosUSNavy.jpg|US Navy map Manus Naval Base in 1945

ShipRepairFacilities_Lombrum1944.jpg|Ship Repair Facilities Manus Naval Base at Lombrum in 1944. Built by 46th Seabees

USS Iowa Floating Drydock.jpg|USS Iowa battleship being repaired at Manus Naval Base on December 28, 1944

ManusNavalBaseChapelWW2.jpg|Manus Naval Base Chapel. Chapel dedication services on Easter morning, April 1, 1945

WW2 Admiralty Islands ops.jpg|Map Admiralty Islands operations, 29 February to 30 May 1944

Admiralties-day08.JPG|Admiralty Islands map 1944

Map of Manus and Los Negros.jpg|Map of Manus and Los Negros

Kittyhawk on Momote.jpg|RAAF Kittyhawks on Momote Airfield, 8 March 1944

MomoteAirfieldSeabeesworking1944.jpg|Momote Airfield with Seabees working at night in 1944. CB 40 worked day and night on the Los Negros Momote Airfield.

USNavymaintenancecrewsVB-106Momote Airstrip.jpg|US Navy maintenance crews VB-106 clean engine parts under an airplane wing while raining at Momote Airstrip in March 1944

71 Squadron RAAF Los Negros (AWM image P02874-141).JPG|No. 71 Squadron RAAF on Los Negros base

Small floating drydock at Seeadler Harbor in September 1944.jpg|Small Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock, repairing submarine chaser PC-1121 at Seeadler Harbor in September 1944

P02874.256Kittyhawk1944.jpg|No. 76 Squadron RAAF

Seeadler USN drydock 1945.jpg|US Navy floating Dry Dock Number 4 in Seeadler Harbor 1945, surrounded by floating barges with workshops and a tugboat, repairing seaplane tender and Navy Liberty ship

USS Oyster Bay (AGP-6) tending PT boats in Seeadler Harbor on 25 March 1944.jpg|USS Oyster Bay (AGP-6) tending PT boats in Seeadler Harbor on March 25, 1944

USS Claxton (DD-571), USS Canberra (CA-70) and USS Killen (DD-593) in floating dry dock ABSD-2 on 2 December 1944 (80-G-304088).jpg|USS Claxton (DD-571), USS Canberra (CA-70) and USS Killen (DD-593) in floating dry dock ABSD-2 on 2 December 1944

USS Mindanao (ARG-3) damaged by explosion of USS Mount Hood (AE-11) in Seeadler Harbor on 10 November 1944.jpg|USS Mindanao (ARG-3) damaged by the explosion of USS Mount Hood (AE-11) in Seeadler Harbor on November 10, 1944

Lombrum Naval Base

History

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading