 The 16th Battalion arrived in August 1943 to build Nanumea Airfield and Nukufetau Airfield.The atolls were described as providing "unsinkable aircraft carriers" during the preparation for the Battle of Tarawa and the Battle of Makin that commenced on 20 November 1943, which was the implementation of "Operation Galvanic".USS "LST-203 was grounded on the reef at Nanumea on 2 October 1943 in order to land equipment.