In 1942 the New Zealand colonial administration took land from the village of Satuimalufilufi for defence purposes, forcing it to relocate. United States Navy SeaBees of 1st Construction Battalion subsequently constructed an airfield and Naval Base Upolu. It became an auxiliary field of U.S. Naval Station Tutuila in the Samoa Defense Group Area during the Pacific War. Faleolo Airfield was completed by the Seabees in July 1942 and U.S. Marine Fighting Squadron VMF-111 was moved from Tafuna Airfield to Faleolo Airfield after the aircraft runway was completed to protect the islands of Upolu and Savai'i from an anticipated Japanese invasion. The original runway was 4,000 feet (1,219 m) x 200 feet (61 m) and was extended to 6,000 feet (1,829 m) x 350 feet (107 m) in March 1943 to accommodate a taxiway and space for basing of up to 57 fighter aircraft. Airfield support buildings and two hangars were also constructed and completed in March 1943. After the war the airport was used for flying boats as part of the coral route, but the airstrip itself was little-used. It was upgraded in 1957 to allow the change-over from seaplanes to land-based aircraft. Heavy rain and flooding in 1967 eroded the airstrip and forced it to be closed for three days. The Samoan government subsequently sought a loan from New Zealand and the Asian Development Bank to upgrade it to take heavier aircraft. The upgrade was completed in April 1972, giving a 5,500 feet (1,700 m) sealed runway. The extended airport was capable of handling jets up to the size of a Boeing 737, enabling direct flights to New Zealand. Desire for increased tourism saw it upgraded again over 1984-1985 to enable large jets. It was further upgraded in 2000. While the land was taken for defence purposes during wartime, it was not returned when the war ended, and was later transferred to the Western Samoa Trust Estates Corporation. This has been contested since Samoan independence in 1962, resulting in ongoing protests and legal action. In 1985, villagers occupied some of the land, resulting in prosecution for trespass. In 1998 villagers slaughtered government cattle and fired on police as part of a dispute over ownership. In 2012, the 50th anniversary of independence, they petitioned for its return, stopped survey work, and blocked the road to the airport. In 2018 the Samoan government forcibly relocated families to allow for a further extension to the airport to be constructed.