Turnbull Field

Military Decommissioning. The airfield was a temporary military installation built specifically for World War II. Following the end of the war, its strategic purpose ceased to exist. The massive military airbase complex at Milne Bay became redundant, and air operations for the region were consolidated at the nearby Gurney Airport (the former No. 1 Strip), which was subsequently developed into the primary civilian airport for Alotau.

The site of the former Turnbull Field is completely disused as an airfield and has been largely reclaimed by the surrounding environment and local development. The area is now covered by extensive palm oil plantations, local villages, and roads. While the faint outline of the main runway and some taxiways can still be discerned from satellite imagery, no aviation infrastructure remains. The site is now a historical landmark, and its role is commemorated by memorials in the Milne Bay area dedicated to the WWII battle.

Turnbull Field, also known as No. 3 Strip, was a critically important Allied airfield during the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Constructed in mid-1942 by the US Army 43rd Engineer Regiment and Australian troops in difficult, swampy conditions, it played a pivotal role in the Battle of Milne Bay (August-September 1942). This battle marked the first decisive land defeat of Japanese forces in the war, and the air support from Turnbull and the adjacent strips was a key factor in the Allied victory. The airfield was named in honor of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Squadron Leader Peter St. George Bruce Turnbull, who was killed in his P-40 Kittyhawk while leading No. 75 Squadron during the battle. The field hosted RAAF and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) units, operating fighters like the P-40 Kittyhawk and P-39 Airacobra, which were instrumental in repelling the Japanese invasion and supporting subsequent Allied offensives in New Guinea.

None. There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Turnbull Field. The aviation needs of Alotau and the Milne Bay Province are fully and effectively served by the modern Gurney Airport (IATA: GUR, ICAO: AYGN). The land of the former Turnbull Field has been entirely repurposed for agriculture and community settlement, making any potential restoration unfeasible and unnecessary.