Leyte–Samar Naval Base

Leyte–Samar Naval Base was a large United States Navy base in the Philippines on the Islands of Leyte, Samar and the San Pedro Bay. The base was built during World War II to support the many naval ships fighting and patrolling in the South West Pacific theatre of war as part of the Pacific War. A number of naval facilities were built on the east coast of Leyte island starting October 20, 1944. The first base was built at between the city of Tacloban and Anibong Point, a mile north of the city. Headquarters for the Seventh Fleet was built at Tolosa, 10 miles south of Tacloban on Leyte. The bases were on the large San Pedro Bay in Leyte Gulf which provided safe anchorage for many ships. Due to the lack of dry ground in Tacloban a second base was built on the east side of Leyte Gulf, on the south tip of Samar, on Calicoan Island and Tubabao Island. At Samar, a large Naval Depot was built to support the Pacific War. Samar was about 50 miles across Leyte Gulf from Tacloban. All construction was done by the Navy's Seabees. Leyte–Samar Naval Base was not one single base, but a number of facilities on the west, north, east shores of San Pedro Bay, and in the bay. Tacloban Naval station, on Casiguran Bay, was the Leyte–Samar headquarters, Fleet communication center, the fleet post office, Quonset hut barracks, a base dispensary with beds. After the first landing, existing buildings and warehouses were used for the headquarters and barracks. Fleet Post office FPO# 3964 SF Tacloban. The Tacloban base and Port of Tacloban were at . Tolosa base at Tolosa had a communication center for the Seventh Fleet and the Philippine Sea Frontier headquarters. Seabees built quonset hut barracks. The 6th, and 13th Air Force were also stationed at Tolosa. Fleet Post Office FPO# 3201 SF Leyte Island. The Tolosa base was at . San Jose Airstrip later renamed Tacloban Airfield, was built by the Seabees at . Jinamoc Seaplane Base was built on Jinamoc Island in 1944, five miles east of the Tacloban base.