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{{Infobox body of water
| name = Nakagusuku Bay<br />中城湾<br />''Nakagusuku-wan''
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{{Nihongo|'''Nakagusuku Bay'''|中城湾|Nakagusuku-wan|[[Okinawan language|Okinawan]]: ''Nakagushiku-widu''}} is a bay on the southern coast of [[Okinawa Island]] on the [[Pacific Ocean]] in [[Japan]]. The bay covers {{convert|220|km2}} and ranges between {{Convert|10|m}} to {{Convert|15|m}} deep.<ref name="d"/> The bay is surrounded by the municipalities of [[Uruma]], [[Kitanakagusuku, Okinawa|Kitanakagusuku]], [[Nakagusuku, Okinawa|Nakagusuku]], [[Nishihara, Okinawa|Nishihara]], [[Yonabaru, Okinawa|Yonabaru]], [[Nanjō]], all in [[Okinawa Prefecture]]. In 1852, while visiting the [[Ryukyu Kingdom]], [[Commodore Matthew Perry]] mapped Okinawa and labeled Nakagusuku Bay as "Perry's Bay". During the final months of [[World War II]], the bay became a [[
==History==
===Buckner Bay===
In June 1945, American forces [[Battle of Okinawa|secured Okinawa]]. Nakagusuku Bay became an important U.S. anchorage. [[
'''Naval Base Buckner Bay''' was
In October 1945, [[Typhoon Louise (1945)|Typhoon Louise]] struck Buckner Bay, inflicting heavy damage. Fifteen merchant ships were driven ashore, some damaged beyond recovery. Three USN destroyers were also wrecked. Over 200 other U.S. military vessels, including six [[Landing craft tank|LCT]]s, various special-purpose boats, patrol boats, and landing craft were grounded, severely damaged, or destroyed altogether. Eighty percent of the buildings in the bay were completely wiped out, while over 60 aircraft then present at local airstrips were damaged.▼
▲Fifteen merchant ships were driven ashore, some damaged beyond recovery. Three USN destroyers were also wrecked. Over 200 other U.S. military vessels, including six [[Landing craft tank|LCT]]s, various special-purpose boats, patrol boats, and landing craft were grounded, severely damaged, or destroyed altogether. Eighty percent of the buildings in the bay were completely wiped out, while over 60 aircraft then present at local airstrips were damaged.
[[File:USS Ocelot Wreck.jpg|right|thumb|[[USS Ocelot (IX-110)|USS ''Ocelot'' (IX-110)]] aground in Buckner Bay, Okinawa, November 1945. Her stern was cut off when [[USS Nestor (ARB-6)|USS ''Nestor'' (ARB-6)]], visible to the right, crashed into her during the storm.]]
===Present day===
In the present day, the '''Buckner Bay
''Tengan Pier'' (26°24.2'N 127°51.1'E) is located at the western end of Kin Wan Bay. Kin Wan Bay is on the east central side of Okinawa between Kin Saki (Kin Point) and the [[Katsuren Peninsula]].
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Navy Pier is used primarily by U.S. Navy vessels and [[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force|Japanese Self-Defense Force]] minesweepers. The pier is approximately 2,400 ft (732 m) long. It consists of a 40 ft (12.2 m) wide by 1,220 ft (372 m) long earth-filled causeway and a 39 ft (11.9 m) wide by 386 ft (117.8 m) long structural causeway that is connected to the main pier. East Navy Pier space for berthing is 790 ft (240.8 m); West Navy Pier space for berthing is 810 ft (246.9 m). The Navy Pier has reinforced concrete pilings with a steel concrete surface. The deck height is 10 ft (3.1 m). Beyond the pier are two 25 ft (7.6 m) by 125 ft (38.1 m) mooring dolphin decks. Ships can moor bow in or bow out at these berths.
The Army Pier is an asphalt-surfaced causeway connecting to a steel pier reinforced with concrete and with a solid facing to the sea floor. The approximate total dimensions of the pier and the causeway are 1,224 ft (373 m) long by 100 ft (30.5 m) wide. The portion of the pier for berthing is approximately 525 ft (160 m) long with a deck height of 10 ft (3.1 m)
The ''Naha Pilot Association''
▲The Army Pier is an asphalt-surfaced causeway connecting to a steel pier reinforced with concrete and with a solid facing to the sea floor. The approximate total dimensions of the pier and the causeway are 1,224 ft (373 m) long by 100 ft (30.5 m) wide. The portion of the pier for berthing is approximately 525 ft (160 m) long with a deck height of 10 ft (3.1 m). Ships are required to be bow in at the Army Pier.
Anchorage and berthing assignments for Navy vessels are made by the Navy Port Control Officer located at White Beach
▲The ''Naha Pilot Association'' provides pilots. The association has four pilots. Six hours' notice must be given for scheduling a pilot and to allow time for the pilot to travel from Naha to Buckner Bay. Three Japanese commercial tugs rated at 3,200 hp are available for White Beach. A pilot is mandatory for U.S. Navy vessels berthing at the White Beach piers but is not required when anchoring. Pilots will not normally board ships with northerly winds greater than 30 kt or southerly winds greater than 26 kt. Wave heights greater than 4.9 ft (1.5 m) make it too difficult to get on or off the ship. All pilots possess adequate English language ability to convey helm and engine orders. Additionally, a qualified Japanese speaking dockmaster will be stationed pierside to assist in docking evolutions. The pilot and working tug primarily use Channel 13 VHF-FM but can be initially contacted via Channel 16 VHF-FM. The pilot pickup point is in the vicinity of 26°14'N 127°55'E. If required, a second tug will normally meet the ship at 26°16.4'N 127°54.3'E.
▲Anchorage and berthing assignments for Navy vessels are made by the Navy Port Control Officer located at White Beach on a 24-hour-a-day basis. However, arrival and departure at both piers is recommended between the hours of 0800 and 1600, except in an emergency. Navy Port Control can be contacted via Channel 16 VHF-FM or on 2716 kHz USB. The local phone numbers for Port Operations are 622-1371/1362. The OIC White Beach Port Operations can also be contacted by cell at 090-9789-9623.
No repair facilities are located at White Beach.
Tengan Pier is the primary U.S. military ammunition cargo operations site in Okinawa. Ammunition and explosive handling operations are conducted on the pier from 0800 until
Tengan Pier is 82 ft (m) wide and 806 ft (m) long with reinforced concrete solid construction. The pier can accommodate two ships with one on each side.
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Approximately 95% of the MSC ships go to White Beach and Tengan Pier because of depth restrictions at the Port of [[Naha]].
No repair facilities are available in the vicinity of Tengan Pier.<ref name=nrl>[http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/port_studies/thh-nc/japan/buckner/text/frame.htm Buckner Bay Handbook (U) UNCLASSIFIED] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006023432/http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/port_studies/thh-nc/japan/buckner/text/frame.htm |date=6 October 2013 }} ''Typhoon Havens Handbook site 2001, Updated 2011.''</ref>
==See also==
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*[[USS Ulysses (ARB-9)]]
*[[USS Pennsylvania (BB-38)]]
*[[Typhoon Louise (1945)]]
*[[List of shipwrecks in October 1945#9 October|List of shipwrecks in October 1945: 9 October]] (Incomplete)
*[[United States Forces Japan]]
*[[Yaeyama-class minesweeper]]
*[[Naval Base Okinawa]]
==References==
{{reflist|2|refs=
<ref name="d">{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Dijitaru Daijisen | title = 中城湾 | url = http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |
}}
==External links==
* [http://www.rememberingokinawa.com/page/1945_Buckner_Bay_Navy_base Naval Base Buckner Bay 1945 (Photo gallery)]
* [http://www.rememberingokinawa.com/page/1945_typhoon_louise_damage Typhoon Louise Hits Okinawa 9 October 1945 (Photo gallery)]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq102-6.htm Typhoons and Hurricanes: Pacific Typhoon at Okinawa, October 1945] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001204035500/http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq102-6.htm |date=4 December 2000 }} – Department of the Navy—Naval History & Heritage Command
{{Okinawa}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Bays of Japan]]
[[Category:Landforms of Okinawa Prefecture]]
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