Florida Islands

From Freepedia

The Florida Islands are a small island group in Solomon Islands, a nation in the Pacific Ocean. The Florida Islands group is north of the more famous island of Guadalcanal, the scene of one of the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II. Among the more important islands of the Florida grouping are Nggela Sule, Tulagi, Gavutu and Tanambog. The name Florida Island itself is also used to refer to Nggela Sule, the largest of the group.

Nggela Sule itself was garrisoned by the Japanese as of April, 1942 in connection with their efforts to establish a seaplane base on neighboring Gavutu. On August 7 of the same year, the United States Marines landed on the island to provide cover for the assault on neighboring Tulagi. Following the American liberation of the island from the Japanese, it became the site of a US seaplane base. The island subsequently served as a watering point for the Navy, diverting water from an underground source on the island.

Florida Island would never become as famous as Guadalcanal, although it did serve as an important base of operations for the US war effort in the Pacific for the duration of the war.