Crawley US Navy Seaplane Base, also known as Pelican Point in Western Australia

CRAWLEY US NAVY SEAPLANE BASE
ALSO KNOWN AS PELICAN POINT
IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

visits since 19 November 2000

The US Navy had a Seaplane Base at Crawley (Pelican Point near Perth) in Western Australia during World War 2. QANTAS also used five RAF-supplied PBY-5 Catalinas at the Crawley Sea Base. Four of these Catalinas were sunk in the ocean just off Perth when the war finished.

The Australian American Catalina Memorial Foundation were seeking approval in early 2000 to establish a WA Catalina Memorial display at Crawley. Apparently both the Western Australian and the Australian Federal Governments had promised funds towards this project. A Catalina is being restored in Texas, USA to be flown across to Australia for display in the possible Catalina Memorial display.

Subject:    Pelican Point
Date:             Fri, 17 Nov 2000 22:04:20 +0930
From:            Dennis Whiley <pcdrw@esc.net.au>

Hi Peter

Pelican Point the name should be Crawley as this was the name used by the USN and by QANTAS attached is a plane of the waterdrome the units there were:-

Units

PW 10 CRAWLEY

00.04.42

00.08.44

Squadrons

VS 6 CRAWLEY	01.04.42	00.08.44	Consolidated PBY Catalina
VP 11 CRAWLEY			Consolidated PBY Catalina
VP 21 CRAWLEY	01.04.42	00.08.44	Consolidated PBY Catalina
VP 22 CRAWLEY	00.04.42	00.08.44	Consolidated PBY Catalina
VP 33 CRAWLEY	01.10.43	01.01.44	Consolidated PBY Catalina
VP 34 CRAWLEY	01.09.44	01.01.44	Consolidated PBY Catalina
VP 52 CRAWLEY	01.08.43	01.11.43	Consolidated PBY Catalina
VP 101 CRAWLEY	01.03.42	00.08.44	Consolidated PBY Catalina
VP 102 CRAWLEY	01.03.42	00.08.44	Consolidated PBY Catalina