History
From Plantation
to Pacific Stronghold
An Island Transformed
Before the Second World War, Espiritu Santo was a quiet colonial outpost in the New Hebrides, its landscape defined by coconut plantations, scattered villages and dense jungle.
Within a matter of months in 1942, that changed dramatically. As the war in the Pacific intensified, the island was selected as a strategic location for a major Allied base—close enough to support operations in the Solomon Islands, yet far enough from the front lines to remain secure.
The Making of Base Button
Construction began in mid-1942, as United States forces moved rapidly to establish a network of bases across the South Pacific. On Espiritu Santo, this effort became known by its codename: Base Button.
What followed was one of the most extraordinary engineering efforts of the war. Thousands of Seabees and military personnel worked around the clock, transforming jungle and plantation land into a vast operational hub. Airfields were carved out of coral and earth in a matter of weeks, roads cut through dense bush, and entire support facilities constructed from scratch.
At its peak, the base stretched for miles across the island and supported not only the U.S. Navy, but also Army, Marine Corps, and Allied forces operating throughout the region.
Gateway to the Pacific War
Espiritu Santo quickly became one of the most important Allied bases in the South Pacific. From here, aircraft, ships and personnel were supplied, repaired and deployed to key battlefronts including Guadalcanal and New Guinea.
Four major airfields were constructed, along with seaplane bases, fuel depots, hospitals, ammunition stores and vast logistics networks.
More than 500,000 service personnel passed through the New Hebrides during the war, and millions of tonnes of equipment flowed through Santo as it became a critical staging point for Allied operations.
What had once been a quiet coastal settlement grew rapidly into the bustling town of Luganville, shaped almost entirely by the demands of war.
A Wartime Community
Beyond the machinery of war, Santo became home to a diverse and temporary population—servicemen from across the United States and Allied nations, alongside the Ni-Vanuatu communities whose lives were profoundly affected by the arrival of the base.
For many, Santo was a place of waiting, preparation and recovery. Troops trained, repaired equipment, and prepared for deployment north. Others passed through only briefly, on their way to the front.
Meanwhile, local communities contributed to the war effort in a variety of ways, and the island itself adapted to accommodate the scale of the military presence. The imprint of this period can still be seen today—in roads, airstrips, and the remnants of wartime infrastructure scattered across the island.
A Sudden Departure
With the end of the war in 1945, the vast base at Espiritu Santo was no longer needed. What followed was as dramatic as its construction.
Rather than transport huge quantities of equipment back to the United States, much of it was sold, abandoned—or famously, pushed into the sea at what is now known as Million Dollar Point.
Within a short period, the enormous military presence disappeared, leaving behind a landscape marked by its brief but intense role in one of history’s largest conflicts.
A Legacy That Remains
Following World War II, Britain and France continued to administer New Hebrides until 1980 when the islands were finally granted independence and formally known as Vanuatu.
Today, the story of Santo’s wartime transformation lives on through its landscapes, its people, and the fragments of history still visible across the island.
The South Pacific World War II Museum exists to preserve and share this remarkable chapter—ensuring that the scale, significance and human stories of Base Button are not forgotten.