"While the Bobcats were in transit to Bora Bora the 2nd and 3rd CB Detachments were formed. The 2nd went to Tongatapu in the Tonga Islands while the 3rd went to Efate in the New Hebrides. Both lay on down under routes too. Bases built on them would support actions in the Coral Sea and the Solomon Islands. Espiritu Santo's Espiritu Santo Naval Base in the New Hebrides became strategic when the Japanese took Guadalcanal and started airfields there. The 3rd CB Det was rushed from Efate to Espiritu Santo to build a countermanding field asap. Within 20 days a 6000ft airstrip was operational.