Vila 408540 192374270 2008-02-18T19:50:45Z JAnDbot 1725149 robot Adding: [[cs:Vila]] {{Otheruses}} '''Vila''' is a site at the southern end of [[Kolombangara]] in the [[Solomon Islands]], originally the location of the '''Vila Stanmore''' [[coconut]] plantation. During [[World War II]], [[Japan]]ese forces built an [[airstrip]] in order to stage aircraft from [[Rabaul]] down to [[Guadalcanal]], and on several occasions, beginning on [[24 January]] [[1943]] [[United States|US]] attempted to put the airstrip out of operation by bombing it. However, it remained in use until the Japanese evacuated Kolombangara in September and early October [[1943]]. The airstrip survives today, and is occasionally visited by tourists interested in the history. ==External links== * [http://www.pacificwrecks.com/people/visitors/letourneau/vila.html Picture taken at Vila] [[Category:Geography of the Solomon Islands]] {{Solomons-geo-stub}} [[cs:Vila]]