Introduction

In June 1941, a full six months before Pearl Harbor, the United States had secretly begun work on constructing a naval base on the Foyle. Code-named ‘Base One Europe’, it was officially commissioned as US Naval Operating Base Londonderry on 5 February 1942. It remained the US Navy’s main centre of operations in Europe until after the Normandy landings in June 1944. Base One Europe was spread across seven sites in the Foyle Valley. This website has been created to tell the story of the US Navy Bluejackets, Seabees and Marines who were based in Derry during WWII and physical, cultural and personal imprints they left behind. All images and text in this website are the property of the Base One Europe Association and their donors. All such material is the copyright of the Association and all rights are reserved.