The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia
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Karachi (66.997E 24.849N) was the great port of northeast British India
(in what is now
Pakistan.) Early in the Pacific War, it was chosen as the principal rear base for American forces in India in preference to Bombay, which was terribly congested, and Calcutta, which was within range of Japanese bombers operating out of Akyab. The first American service troops arrived on 16 May 1942. They had been preceded by Air Force ground personnel diverted from Java on 12 March.
By the end of 1942, the base had accomodations for over 20,000 men, an air base, and sizable depot areas including 100,000 square feet (9300 m2) of covered storage area. However, while the air base continued to be an important staging field for American aircraft, the port became less important after 31 August 1942, when the improved strategic situation for the Allies allowed Calcutta to become the main rear area base.
References
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