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WWII
James Michener wrote Tales of the South Pacific while stationed on
Espiritu Santo and Pappy Boyington joined up with the Black Sheep Squadron
operating from the island.
Bomber missions operated from one of the three bomber fields through much
of the war but the major fronts moved north, away from Vanuatu and the
focus switched to maintenance and repair as well as a base for strategic
command.
Espiritu Santo was a supply base and this meant that there was always
plenty of good food and warm beer. Bloody Mary was a real person and a
hero of the enlisted men. She supplied local women and cheap booze for
Yankee dollars. She was Tonkinese and lived in Luganville until the
1990's.
The importance of the base during the war can still be seen in the
infrastructure that is left behind. Many buildings and facilities built
during the war are still used today. The aircraft pictured were parked at
Bomber 2 airfield, used today as Espiritu Santo's Pekoa international
airport.
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