The base opened in March 1942 and operated Consolidated PBY Catalina seaplanes during World War II.
Following the loss of Naval Base Manila in the Philippines, the US seaplanes fled to the Dutch East Indies and then to Balikpapan, Indonesia until these ports were taken over by the Empire of Japan in March 1942.
Parts of Patrol Squadrons VP-22, VP-101 and VP-102 of the U.S. Navy's Pat Wing 10 were operating from Roebuck Bay Seaplane Base.
By the time the PBYs of Pat Wing 10 arrived at Roebuck Bay Seaplane Base about half of the planes had been lost.
USS Childs, a destroyer converted into a seaplane tender, was serving the planes at Roebuck Bay, but departed before the raid.
The aircraft lost in the raid were:[9] On March 20, 1942 Mitsubishi G4M2 "Betty" medium bombers bombed the Broome Airfield.