The 1250 mile trip from Noumea to Funafuti was uneventful because I just don't remember it. I am fairly certain that we cruised at reduced speed on one engine to conserve fuel
Funafuti was a base for four PT's under the command of Lt. John Stillman and four Marine Wildcats under the command of Major Joe Foss. This operation lasted until the marine conquest of Tarawa, at which time the islands of the Ellice group weren't too important so the forces were re-assigned elsewhere. If I remember correctly, our orders at Funi were to look for and hold off any invasion force for 24 hours, yes we were expendable, but it never came to pass.
Mostly the task of patrolling from Funi entailed the boats at night. At daybreak the Wildcats took off and made a sweep a hundred miles or so to be sure that we hadn't missed any thing and that the Japs were still safely holed up on Tarawa. Occasionaly the routine was broken by a lucky boat getting to visit the other Atolls in the Ellice group, the favorite being Nukifatow, Nukufetau or Nukulae. It was the first part of the name that struck our fancy but that is all that it was wishfull thinking.
Quite often the (Click here) Wildcats would salute the boats on their initial run of a morning by making a pass over the boats, occasionally strafing a short blast in front of the boats, one morning I decided enough was enough and proceeded to crack the smoke screen generator right after a burst in front of our boat. My, My, there was lots of consternation and chatter on the air waves. Needless to say, that particular maneuver and greeting was never repeated. If any of those pilots happen to read this they will throw up there hands and say " Not me, Not me".
The natives of Funafuti could zip up a(Click here) palm tree like you couldn't believe. They would climb up carrying a cocanut shell and hang it on a slashed frond to collect the drippings which would ferment in due time. They would offer us a drink but you had to keep your teeth clinched to strain the bugs out. It tasted pretty good. I decided, beinging an aspiring practicing high climber from Oregon where the trees are trees not little palm shrubs that I could do that. I kicked off my sandals took the natives climbing rope and proceeded up the tree about ten feet and realized that I had made a serious mistake my feet were shredded I thought to hell with saving face and jumped down and limped into the future.
Funafuti's lagoon started to fill up with ships, all kinds of ships, in preparation for the Marine invasion of Tarawa. While they were there I was temporarily assigned to a supply/repair ship to routine our torpedos. It was on that ship that I rediscovered milk (powdered) and regular navy chow. Lots of guys complained about regular navy chow, but not me, I liked it. On Funafuti we drew our supplies from the Marines and they naturally took first choice. It startled me one day to receive a phone call can't remember what it was about but the idea of getting a phone call just startled me. The ships pulled out for the Tarawa invasion and we remained on Funafuti until May 1944 we then went to Espiritu Santos in the New Hebrides Islands and joined the rest of Squadron 11.
Tuvalu, formerly the Ellice Islands, is a group of atolls, lying south of the equator in the western Pacific Ocean, south of Kiribati and north of Fiji. Funafuti, the main island and capital, lies 1,046km (650 miles) north of Suva, Fiji. The other islands are Nanumanga, Nanumea, Niutao, Nui, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae, Niulakita and Vaitupu.
Area: Tuvalu has a small land mass scattered over a wide area, where islands on eight of the nine coral atolls are permanently inhabited. The land area is only 26 sq km (10 sq miles), although the atolls extend in a chain 595km (370 miles) long.
Topography: The islands seldom rise higher than 4.5m above sea level. Five have large lagoons, enclosed within the coral reef; the remaining four are pinnacles of land rising up solid from the sea bed. About 40% of the island of Funafuti is uninhabitable because of pits and an airstrip dug out of the coral by US troops during the 1939-45 war. This remains a source of tension between Tuvalu and Britain, which gave permission for the US action.
Climate: The mean annual temperature is 30°C (86°F), with little seasonal variation, though March to October tends to be cooler. Humidity is high. Trade Winds blow from the cast for much of the year. Although the islands are north of the recognised hurricane belt, severe cyclones struck, in 1894, 1972 and 1990. Rainfall is high, averaging 3,535mm a year. The wet season is November to February.
Vegetation: The heavy rainfall provides a more luxuriant vegetation than that on neighbouring Kiribati. Coconut palms cover most of the land.
Wildlife: Lizards and turtles and several resident species of birds are the most notable forms of indigenous animal life. Birds include the reef heron, white-tailed tropic-bird, terns and noddies.