Battles on Bougainville Island

[50th]

I am looking into information about battles on Bougainville Island. I have found the names of some of the battles:
Battle of Empress Bay Nov 1&2 1943
Battle of Genga River Nov 1944
Battles of Slater's Knoll (dates unknown)

I would like to know something about the battles and the topography of the Island. I know that the U.S. fought there in 1943, then I read that the Australians fought there later. I don't understand, did the Americans pull out?
I'm hoping someone knows some details about these battles and the topography of the place.

[Jim O]

Clearing Bougainville was a slow, arduous process. There was never a pullout.

There are several online histories that you can read. One is at Third Marine Division Association - History Bougainville. There is also some info at Pacific, British, Fleet, Kula, Gulf, Empress, Augusta, Bay, Vella Lavella, Leyte, Sibuyan, Sea, Samar, Engano, Cape, Lingayen, Leyte, Luzon, Iwo Jima, Balikpapan, East, China, Okinawa.

An entire book is devoted to the subject:



Another book to consider is:



I hope that this helps.

[Jim O]

Map of Bougainville Island:

Naval_Operations_off_Bougainville_-_1943.jpg

[Jim O]

Some photos:

U.S._Soldiers_at_Bougainville_%28Solomon_Islands%29_March_1944.jpg
United States Army soldiers hunt Japanese infiltrators on Bougainville in March 1944.


Marine-raiders.jpg
January 1944: U.S. Marine Raiders pose in front of a captured Japanese dugout at Cape Torokina on Bougainville.


Bougainville_-_Hill_260.jpg
Hill 260 being shelled by Americal Division artillery, on March 19, 1944.


93rd_division_bougainville_1944.jpg
May 1, 1944. Members of the US 93rd Division on the Numa-Numa Trail, Bougainville.

[Jim O]

More photos:

AWM_090360_slater%27s.jpg
April 5, 1945: The view forward of Australian positions on Slater's Knoll, Bougainville; the soldier in the foreground is aiming an Owen submachinegun.


NZ_001445.jpg
A Fijian medical orderly administers an emergency plasma transfusion during heavy fighting on Bougainville.

[McCoy]

The picture with the Marine Raiders is probably from 'canal instead of Bouganville. It's usually captioned as taken on 'canal.

I've seen Lucky Legs II captioned as taken in the Phillipines, what's right I don't know.

[Jim O]

The_landing_at_Empress_Augusta_Bay%2C_Bougainville.jpg
U.S. troops go over the side of a Coast Guard manned combat transport to enter the landing barges at Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, as the invasion gets under way. November 1943


LCVP_landing_craft_circle.jpg
LCVP landing craft circle while awaiting landing orders, during the invasion of Cape Torokina, Bougainville, 1 November 1943. Photographed by PFC P. Scheer from a 20mm gun position on board USS American Legion (APA-17). The invasion beaches are in the background, being shelled, and there are planes over the beaches. The smoking volcano in the far center distance is Mount Bagana.


BougKoromokinaMarines.jpg
3rd Battalion, 9th U.S. Marines battle Japanese infantry from the 54th Infantry Division November 7 or 8, 1943 on Bougainville island during the Battle of the Koromokina Lagoon.


US_Marine_%60Raiders%27_and_their_dogs.jpg
U.S. Marine 'Raiders' and their dogs, which are used for scouting and running messages, starting off for the jungle front lines on Bougainville. ca. November/December 1943

[Jim O]

Originally Posted by McCoy

The picture with the Marine Raiders is probably from 'canal instead of Bouganville. It's usually captioned as taken on 'canal.

Not according to the US National Archives at World War II Photos. See photo #147.

Originally Posted by McCoy

I've seen Lucky Legs II captioned as taken in the Phillipines, what's right I don't know.

See photo #141 on the same page.

[McCoy]

Ok, that's a good source!

A funny thing though with the Raider picture is that whenever I see it is the resemblance with David Schwimmer with the foremost sittin' raider.

[Jim O]

ww2-53.jpg
In an underground surgery room, behind the front lines on Bougainville, an American Army doctor operates on a U.S. soldier wounded by a Japanese sniper. December 13, 1943.


M4-sherman-bougainville.gif
African American troops of the 24th Infantry, attached to the Americal Division, wait to advance behind a tank assault on the Japanese, along Empress Augusta Bay on Bougainville. 1944


3d_Division_Marines_fan_out.jpg
3d Division Marines fan out on the double to get across the exposed shoreline and plunge, already deployed for combat, into Bougainville jungle.


Third_Marines_hotly_engaged_on_Blue_Beach_%28Bougainville%29.jpg
Men of the Third Marines hotly engaged on Blue Beach shortly after their landing on Bougainville