S & SW Pacific

bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific < Solomon Is., New Georgia, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 6 Jan 2023.
The Central Solomon Islands, New Georgia, 30 Jun 1943 - 27 Oct 1943 
The actions mentioned herein were part of Operation Cartwheel, the encirclement of Rabual.​

Japanese ground forces abandoned Guadalcanal in early February 1943. However, Japanese aircraft were able to continue 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.

Several naval battles accompanied the New Georgia Campaign, and are mentioned in the Solomons Naval War webpage.

The New Georgia Campaign

Sources for Big Pigeon's South & SW Pacific > Solomon Islands, 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 - South & SW Pacific > Solomon Islands, New Georgia:

• Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Dead module.

• See also the Solomons Naval War webpage.​

07-05 - South & SW Pacific > Solomon Islands, New Georgia: (four dead, updated 7 Jan 2023)
† 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.; Operation Cartwheel - South & SW Pacific > Solomon Is., New Georgia.​

† Eggers, Edward, SN 37-195-262, US Army, Crawford Co.

• Co. A, 169th Inf. Regt., 43rd Inf. Div.; KIA 9 Jul 1943 Barike River, NE of Munda, New Georgia, Solomon Is.; Operation Cartwheel - South & SW Pacific > Solomon Is., New Georgia.

† King, Clarence Rudolph, SN 37-112-581, US Army, Pott. Co.

• Co. E, 161st Inf. Regt., 25th Inf. Div., KIA 2 Aug 1943 New Georgia, Solomon Is.; Operation Cartwheel - South & SW Pacific > Solomon Is., New Georgia.

† 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.; Operation Cartwheel, Battle of Bairoko - South & SW Pacific > Solomon Is., New Georgia.