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bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Japan > Solomons > New Georgia, © 2026 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 29 Dec 2025

The US June 1943 Bougainville invasion in the central Solomon Islands was  part of Operation Cartwheel, the encirclement of Rabaul.
​
Japanese ground forces abandoned Guadalcanal in early February 1943. However, Japanese aircraft continued air attacks on Guadancalal by using a forward air base completed in December 1942 at Munda on New Georgia Island. ​

I don't summarize herein the long and complex New Georgia Campaign, which also included the capture of both Rendova Island and Vella Lavella, an island just west of Kolombangara on the accompanying map.

​By the time combat on New Georgia ended, the Japanese had evacuated their large garrison on Kolombangara.

The naval battles accompanying the New Georgia Campaign are covered in the New Georgia Naval War webpage.
The New Georgia Campaign
The New Georgia Campaign
Sources for Big Pigeon's WWII Japan > Solomons > New Georgia webpage:​
  • The New Georgia Campaign map is courtesy of en.wikipedia.com
  • The 20 July battle in northern New Georgia during which fifty Americans, including Dale Maassen, were killed is described in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bairoko.

​Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - WWII Japan > Solomons > New Georgia:
  • The New Georgia campaign was part of Operation Cartwheel.
07-05 - WWII Japan > Solomons > New Georgia: (five dead, updated 10 Nov 2025)
† Babcock, Victor Ross, SN 37-428-855, US Army, Harrison & Pott. Cos.
  • 145th Inf. Regt., 37th Inf. Div.; XIV Corps, KIA 25 Jul 1943, near Munda, New Georgia, Solomon Is.
  • WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific > Solomons > New Georgia @ Battle of Munda Point​
† Eggers, Edward, SN 37-195-262, US Army, Crawford Co.
  • Co. A, 169th Inf. Regt., 43rd Inf. Div., XIV Corps; KIA 9 Jul 1943 Barike River, NE of Munda, New Georgia, Solomon Is.
  • WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific > Solomons > New Georgia @ Battle of Munda Point
† King, Clarence Rudolph, SN 37-112-581, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • Co. E, 161st Inf. Regt., 25th Inf. Div., XIV Corps; KIA 2 Aug 1943 New Georgia, Solomon Is.
  • WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific > Solomons > New Georgia @ Battle of Munda Point
† Lutz, Clarence Conrad Henry, served as Lutz, Clarence C H, SN 37-195-312, US Army, Crawford Co. ​
  • 169th Inf. Regt., 43rd Inf. Div, XIV Corps; KIA 18 Jul 1943 New Georgia, Solomon Is. during Japanese counterattack.
  • WWII Japan > Solomons > New Georgia @ Battle of Munda Point
† Maassen, Dale George, SN 457309, US Marine Corps, Pott. Co.
  • 4th Marine Raider Bn.; KIA 20 Jul 1943 Bairoko, Kula Gulf area of New Georgia, Solomon Is.;
  • WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific > Solomons > New Georgia @ Battle of Bairoko