Jaluit Seaplane Base

The base was a military installation of the Empire of Japan. It ceased operations following the end of World War II and the surrender of Japanese forces in the Pacific. The US took administrative control of the Marshall Islands, and the seaplane base was no longer required.

The site of the former seaplane base is now an area within the Jaluit Lagoon. The physical, land-based infrastructure such as ramps, hangars, and barracks on the nearby islands (primarily Jabor and Emidj) is now in ruins, overgrown by vegetation. The lagoon itself contains several submerged WWII aircraft and shipwrecks from the period, making it a notable, albeit remote, historical scuba diving site. The area is not used for any active aviation; modern air travel to the atoll is handled by the land-based Jaluit Airport (IATA: UIT, ICAO: N55) located on a different part of the atoll.

Jaluit Seaplane Base was a significant forward operating base for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Established in the late 1930s on an atoll that served as the Japanese administrative capital for the Marshall Islands, it was a key hub for long-range reconnaissance and patrol aircraft. The base primarily operated flying boats such as the Kawanishi H6K 'Mavis' and H8K 'Emily'. These aircraft conducted patrols, anti-submarine warfare, and reconnaissance missions across the central Pacific. The base was a primary target for US forces, beginning with carrier raids in early 1942 and intensifying during the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign (Operation Flintlock) in 1943-1944. Although heavily bombed and neutralized as an offensive threat, the Japanese garrison on Jaluit was bypassed and isolated, holding out until the formal surrender in September 1945.

There are no known plans or prospects to reopen the Jaluit Seaplane Base. The historical site is preserved for its legacy and potential for dive tourism. Modern transportation needs are adequately met by the existing conventional airstrip, and there is no economic or strategic driver to re-establish a seaplane facility.