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{{Nihongo|'''Nakagusuku Bay'''|中城湾|Nakagusuku-wan}} is a bay on the southern coast of [[Okinawa Island]] on the [[Pacific Ocean]] in [[Japan]]. The bay covers {{convert|220|km2|mi2}} and ranges between {{Convert|10|m|ft}} to {{Convert|15|m|ft}} deep.<ref name="d"/> The bay is surrounded by the municipalities of [[Uruma, Okinawa|Uruma]], [[Kitanakagusuku, Okinawa|Kitanakagusuku]], [[Nakagusuku, Okinawa|Nakagusuku]], [[Nishihara, Okinawa|Nishihara]], [[Yonabaru, Okinawa|Yonabaru]], [[Nanjō, Okinawa|Nanjō]], all in Okinawa Prefecture. During the final months of [[World War II]], the bay became a [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] forward base, and was nicknamed "Buckner Bay".
==Buckner Bay==
In June 1945, American forces [[Battle of Okinawa|secured Okinawa]]. Nakagusuku Bay became an important U.S. anchorage. [[United States Army|U. S. Army]] troops referred to it as "Buckner Bay", in memory of Lieutenant General [[Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr.]], commander of U.S. land forces in the campaign, who was killed on 18 June.
'''Naval Base Buckner Bay''' was set up in the bay. It consisted of the anchorage, repair and depot ships, and various onshore facilities. The Base provided support to USN ships operating off Japan, and was also used to land supplies for forces on Okinawa. It was attacked several times during the remaining weeks of the war; [[USS Pennsylvania (BB-38)|USS ''Pennsylvania'']] was torpedoed there by a Japanese aircraft. The base continued operations into the immediate postwar period.
In October 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 US military vessels, including six [[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|center|thumb|[[USS Ocelot (IX-110)]] aground in Buckner Bay, Okinawa, November 1945. Her stern was cut off when [[USS Nestor (ARB-6)]], visible to the right, crashed into her during the storm.]]
==Present day==
In the present day, the '''
''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.
===USFJ/MSDF Facilities===
There are two piers at White Beach. Navy Pier is under the control of the U.S. Navy Commander Fleet Activities Okinawa (CFAO) and is also used by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as a back-up ordnance-handling pier. The coordinating authority for U. S. Navy vessels for both piers is Buckner Port Control, White Beach.
The Army Pier is controlled by the U.S. Army and used primarily for the loading and discharge of fuel. U.S. Navy vessels using the Army Pier do so with the understanding that the pier might have to be vacated with little notice when fuel handling evolutions are scheduled or at the request of the U.S. Army Harbor Master.
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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, Okinawa|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
==See also==
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*[[List of shipwrecks in October 1945#9 October|List of shipwrecks in October 1945: 9 October]] (Incomplete)
*[[United States Forces Japan]]
*[[Yaeyama-
==References==
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