After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Americans went to war in the Pacific and looked for a military support base. Bora Bora was selected in January, 1942. Significant years ensued that left their mark on life within the island as well as throughout the country.
Hawaii, December 7, 1941: 424 Japanese planes attack 88 American Pacific warships in Pearl Harbor. The losses were heavy, but the psychological effect on the American people was immediate. The next day, President Roosevelt entered his country into WWII. The number one mission became to protect Australia and New Zealand, stronghold allies in the South Pacific since threats of Japanese attack. Fifteen days after the Japanese raid, the US military studied the issue of a supply base in the Pacific region. Bora Bora was selected at the end of December 1941. It had a strategic position in the Pacific and its large interior lagoon accessible through a unique pass was easily controllable. Especially since September 1940, French Polynesia had joined forces with General de Gaulle’s Free France, positioning itself alongside the allies. By the beginning of January 1942, America’s request to install a base in Bora Bora was accepted. On February 14 1942, the first ship entered the Bora Bora lagoon to unload equipment and the first GIs. Eight other ships followed transporting almost 20,000 tons of material and 5,000 “shaved skulls,” which was the nickname given to the military personnel who thrilled the almost 1,200 inhabitants of the island. The base camp was installed in the locality of Vaitape and took on the code name “Bobcat.” Once it became a military base, Bora Bora was fated to receive hydroplanes as well as a fueling station, provisions and an airstrip. For the soldiers, the building site was an immense task. They not only had to deal with inadequate roads to accommodate heavy US Army vehicles, but also had to build marine docks, a power plant and a landing strip on one of island’s motu (islets). Measuring 2 km long (1.24 mi) and 113 m wide (123 yd), it was the first runway in French Polynesia. Up until 1963 and the opening of the Tahiti-Fa’a airport, it remained the only one able to accommodate large aircraft.
An immense construction site
American forces also installed large pieces of artillery on the high peaks of the island to thwart any possible threats of Japanese attack, which fortunately, never materialized. Another major project was the issue of drinking water. At the time, islanders drew water from small wells and rain catchment. The Americans were therefore obliged to engage in civil engineering in order to address this critical issue. For five years, operation “Bobcat” refueled 181 ships and replenished 193 ships with fresh water. It was also responsible for repairing 45 ships of which a dozen entailed major repairs. 1200 ships were loaded and unloaded for a total of 50,000 tons of cargo. These complex logistics which were not without problems for the Americans, actually served as a good lesson and allowed them to avoid the same kinds of mistakes for installations of other bases. Without having had to engage in any combat, the military base “Bobcat” officially closed on June 2 1946. The “shaved skulls” and the ships gradually left Bora Bora, which returned to its calm, isolated self. However, the island did not remain unmarked. This era opened an unprecedented window onto the world, not only for the inhabitants of the island but also for the entire country. It is hard to imagine the impact of the presence of thousands of foreign military personnel on an island with 1,200 inhabitants and a total population of 51,000 in all of French Polynesia.
One man, Francis Sanford, played a key role during this period and later on in the destiny of the country. Then a young thirty year old schoolteacher, he represented the authorities of Free France for the American forces. He went out of his way so that their “occupation” went as smoothly as possible. This important role led the US military to decorate him with the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom. After being head of school at Faanui (a district on the island) until 1955, Francis Sanford became a huge political figure, a metua, which means guide in Tahitian. He was one of the main leaders for political emancipation of the country through his role in creating a first statute of autonomy in 1977. Another impact no less important, the US military’s stories of their mostly pleasant stay in relaxed conditions far removed from the deadly combats of war throughout the rest of the Pacific largely contributed to Bora Bora’s notoriety among American people. The island became a symbol of the exotic paradises of the South Pacific with its unparalleled laid-back lifestyle. This fascination and reputation is still alive and well 70 years later.
Suliane Favennec
