bigpigeon.us webpage WWII-Japan > South & SW Pacific > SE New Guinea, Papua © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 6 Jan 2022.
WWII combat in Papua began with the Japanese landing on the north coast in the Buna area on 21 July 1942 and ended with a hard-fought Allied victory, also in the Buna area, in late January 1943.
WWII combat in Papua began with the Japanese landing on the north coast in the Buna area on 21 July 1942 and ended with a hard-fought Allied victory, also in the Buna area, in late January 1943.
Historical Note: In WWII, Papua was the name of Southeast New Guinea. Today's nation of Papua also includes Northeast New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and the island of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands.
Japanese Attacks in Papua, May-September 1942
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In the late spring and summer of 1942, Japan made three attempts at establishing a military presence on the Coral Sea in Papua. Such a presence would have threatened Australia to the level that Australian troops would have been withdrawn from the War with Germany. Thus, Allied goals early in the War with Japan included expelling Japanese forces from Papua.
Attempt 1 - An Amphibious Attack, May 1942 In May, the Japanese attempted a seaborne invasion of Port Moresby, which held the primary sea and air infrastructure in Papua. The Japanese fleet turned back after its inconclusive confrontation with the US fleet in the Battle of the Coral Sea. |
Japanese Threats to Australia - 1942
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Attempt 2 - Over the Kokoda Track, July-September 1942
On 21 July, Japanese forces from the Buna-Gona area on the north coast of Papua began to advance along the Kokoda Trail, shown on the accompanying map. On 29 July they captured the airfield at Kokoda, and in mid-September captured Ioribaiwa 25 miles from Port Moresby. Increasing Australian resistance, lengthening supply lines, and especially the ongoing Battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands caused the Japanese to abandon Ioribaiwa and begin retreating on September 26. Australian forces harassed the Japanese by land and air as they retreated north on the Kokoda Track back to the Buna area. |
The Kokoda Track
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Attempt 3 - a Foothold at Milne Bay, August-September 1942
A small Japanese force landed at the Australian base in Milne Bay on the extreme eastern tip of New Guinea and was repelled by Australian forces after two weeks. |
Battle of Milne Bay
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The Allied Counterattack - The Buna-Gona Campaign, 16 Nov 1942 - 22 Jan 1943
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This first Allied offensive in New Guinea was a joint Australian-US operation, with Australia proving most of the troops. The intent was to clear the north coast of Papua of the Japanese forces who had established enclaves earlier in 1942 at Gona, Sanananda and Buna.
The Buna-Gona Campaign was poorly planned and poorly resourced and fought over difficult, swampy terrain. The American participants were untrained in jungle warfare. I believe it was pushed forward faster than it should have been for political reasons. After a promising start, the campaign floundered in late November, with progress resuming in January. Especially troublesome were the strongpoints marked with circles on the track from Soputa to Sanananda Point. |
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At one of these strongpoints, two Pottawattamie Area men, members of the same company, died on 15 January.
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Sources for the South & SW Pacific > SE New Guinea, Papua webpage:
Pottawattamie Area WW II Dead - South & SW Pacific > SE New Guinea, Papua:
† Anderson, Roy Hayward, SN 37-111-081, US Army, Cass County.
- The webpage header photo, Buna Beach, is courtesy of time.com and first appeared in the 20 Sep 1943 issue of LIFE magazine.
- The Japanese Threats to Australia - 1942 map is courtesy of https://www.3squadron.org.au.
- The Kokoda Track map is courtesy of pinterest.com.
- The Battle of Milne Bay map was found at commons.wikipedia.org.
- The Map depicting the approach of the Allied forces overland ... is courtesy of https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/.
- The Road Block Positions, Sanananda map was found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/41st_Infantry_Division_(United_States)#/media/File:Sanananda_Roadblocks.jpg
- The 1944 New Guinea US Offensives map was found at https://history.army.mil/books/wwii/MacArthur%20Reports/MacArthur%20V1/Images/p_039.jpg
- http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/campaign_new_guinea.html is a well-written report of WW II in New Guinea.
Pottawattamie Area WW II Dead - South & SW Pacific > SE New Guinea, Papua:
- Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Roster module.
† Anderson, Roy Hayward, SN 37-111-081, US Army, Cass County.
- Co. I, 126nd Inf. Regt., 32nd Inf. Div.; KIA 27 Dec 1942 shrapnel from mortar on Saputa-Sanananda Track, Papua, New Guinea; Buna Campaign - S & SW Pacific > SE New Guinea, Papua.
- 126th Inf. Regt., 32nd Inf. Div.; KIA 5 Dec 1942, probably at Higgins Road Block, Saputa-Sanandanda Track, Papua, New Guinea; Buna Campaign - South & SW Pacific > SE New Guinea, Papua.
- Co. M, 128th Inf. Regt., 32nd Inf. Div.; KIA 22 Nov 1942 near Buna, Papau, New Guinea; Buna Campaign - South & SW Pacific > SE New Guinea, Papua.
- Co. C, 163rd Inf. Regt., 41st Inf. Div.; KIA 15 Jan 1943 at Perimeter R, Soputa-Sanananda Track, W of Buna, New Guinea; died w/ Francis Tague; Buna Campaign - South & SW Pacific > SE New Guinea, Papua.
- Co. C, 163rd Inf. Regt., 41st Inf. Div.; KIA 15 Jan 1943 at Perimeter R, Soputa-Sanananda Track, W of Buna, New Guinea; died with Herman Staub; Buna Campaign - South & SW Pacific > SE New Guinea, Papua.