Seeking records of WWII Lake Piso SeaPlane Base

Dear Mr. Phillips,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

We searched the National Archives Catalog and located the series Photographs of Activities, Facilities and Personnel, ca. 1940 - ca. 1983 in the Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations (Record Group 342) that includes 29 images related to Liberia in the 1940s that may be of interest to you. These records have been digitized and may be viewed online using the Catalog. 

We also located the series Photographs of Construction Progress and Completion at U.S. Naval Shore Installations, 1940-1943 in the Records of the Bureau of Yards and Docks (Record Group 71) that contains some images related to Liberia that may be relevant to your research. The series Photographs of the Allies and Axis, 1942-1945 in the Records of the Office of War Information (Record Group 208) includes 3 photographs related to Liberia as well. These records have not been digitized. Please contact the National Archives at College Park - Still Pictures (RDSS) at stillpix@nara.gov for access to these records.

Next, we located the series General Correspondence and Rosters, 1942-1943 in the Records of the Africa-Middle East Theater of Operations (World War II Army) (Record Group 497) that contains some information related to Liberia and Allied use of air, seaplane and naval bases that may be relevant to your research. The series Reports of Airfields, Landing Grounds, and Seaplane Bases, 1942-1945 in the Records of the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey (Record Group 243) includes records related to seaplane bases in Africa as well. In addition, the series Secret and Confidential Reports of Naval Attaches, 1/1940 - ca. 7/1946 in the Records of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (Record Group 38) contains 20 files related to seaplanes and seaplane bases during World War II and 22 files related to Liberia. These records have not been digitized. Please contact the National Archives at College Park - Textual Reference (RDT2) at archives2reference@nara.gov for assistance with these and similar records.

Plus, we located the series Naval Attache Reports, 1882-1945 in Record Group 38 that includes 100 files related to seaplanes and seaplane bases and 9 files related to Liberia that may also be of interest to you. These records have not been digitized. Please contact the National Archives at Washington, D.C. (RDT1) at archives1reference@nara.gov for more information about these records.

If you are able to share additional information such as which units (e.g. patrol squadrons, patrol bombing squadrons, or transportation squadrons) may have been stationed at the seaplane base on Lake Piso, then we may be able to direct you to more relevant resources.

Due to the continued impact of COVID-19, you may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgment as well as a substantive response to your reference request from RDSS, RDT2, and RDT1.  We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience as we balance mission-critical work and the safety of our staff during the pandemic. Please check NARA’s web page about COVID-19 updates for the latest information.

In addition, the Naval History and Heritage Command has some information on their website about seaplane bases and about Liberia in World War II. The US Army Center of Military History also has some information online about Liberia  and World War II and about seaplane bases. We suggest that you contact these organizations directly for additional assistance.

Finally, it is possible that the seaplane base on Lake Piso was operated by another Allied nation, most likely Great Britain, during World War II. We suggest that you contact the National Archives (United Kingdom) for more information.

We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your research!

[Some information provided by Nate Patch, Subject Matter Expert]