Bougainville/Solomons close to Australia

[dfkrug]

My FIL was a Marine aviator in the S Pacific in WW2, starting as
a navigator for the South Pacific Combat Air Transport (SCAT) group and
eventually as a Corsair pilot. He is 84 now, but you can still
drag stories out of him.

I have always wanted to do some SCUBA diving in Iron Bottom Sound....

 

[dmccarty]

These are poor because they are old. from some of my fathers stuff from the 25 inf Div Guadalcanal and new Georgia.

Better not show that picture of the bulldozer over in the Safety Forum. It does not have a ROPS! That could kill someone on those hills.

Nice pictures.

Later,
dan

 

[dmccarty]

... He is 84 now, but you can still
drag stories out of him...

I ran into the end of a program last night that was about the restoration of a Hellcat tank destroyer from WWII. They where able to find some serial numbers on the TD and research the unit it had served with and where. The TD had served in Europe during the war and they found one of its old tank commanders living near by. What are the odds?

The guy was in his 80s, his age was showing and he had to use a cane to walk. They opened the doors to show him the restored TD and he just lit UP. The age melted away and he was back in Germany. He walked up and was touching the TD like a long lost friend. He said this is how you get on a Hellcat, he put a foot on the running gear and hopped up on the TD! He took his old position at the .50 and they drove him around for awhile while he shouted Faster! Faster! Faster!

His wife said she had never seen him smile like that. He had a grin from ear to ear.

The decades left that man for a few short minutes. It was a joy to see. I bet it took weeks for him to come down from that high. He had last seen the TD in May 1945 and certainly never expected to see it again.

Later,
Dan

 

[Wazrus]

G'day from Australia
I read with interest the threads about Bougainville and the Solomons. Bougainville, the Northernmost island of the Solomon group is three hours by prop-jet from Port Moresby; less these days by Fokker F28 jet. I'd say about 1-1/2 hours. Port Moresby is, in turn, five hours by jet from Sydney.
I lived on Bougainville for some years in the 1970's. Its capital (or the biggest town) was/is Arawa, next is Kieta. Bougainville sits about 6 degrees off the equator.
I see some discussion about Buna: Buna isn't on Bougainville, it's on 'mainland' New Guinea. Buna and Gona were the scenes of some of the most bitter fighting of World War 2 and were also the scene(s) of some of the first defeats of the Japanese, after they were driven from Papua across the Kokoda track.
Iron Bottom Sound is mentioned: it's the 'harbour' - or part of the 'harbour' - which serves Honiara. Honiara is the capital of Guadalcanal, the Southernmost island if the Solomon group. Apparently, during the war, the Japanese regularly ran what became known as the 'Tokyo Express', an escorted supply convoy, down 'The Slot', causing untold grief for the Allies, with consistent loss of shipping. Iron Bottom Sound gets its name from all the hardware on the sea floor. It's a marine park, these days, as all the wrecks provide hangouts for marine life.
Somebody else has suggested that Bougainville is hot and he's right. Six degrees off the Equator IS hot! Bougainville has also been the scene of a bitter secessionist civil war, pretty much since the large copper mine closed there around 1990. The differences have quietened down, now, but the move for Bougainville to secede from Papua-New Guinea is still active.
Hope this all doesn't sound too 'schoolmasterish'!!! It's well-intended...
Wazrus

 

[zonta223]

As Wazrus pointed out the Kakoda Trail battle happened before Buna and for I believe the first time in the war the Japanese were defeated in a land battle.
Had that battle been lost Port Moresby would have fallen and it would have a pretty short journey to Australia.

 

[FunnelWeb]

Today, 31st May 2012, is the 70th anniversary of an attack in Sydney Harbour by 3 Japanese mini subs. The USS Chicago was anchored in Sydney harbour at the time and the Japs had hoped to sink it. Only 1 of the subs managed to fire it's torpedo's but it missed the Chicago. The HMAS Kutabul was sunk with the loss of 21 lives, 19 Australians and 2 Brits.

Two of the subs were captured/ destroyed in Sydney harbour on the night of the attack. The third made it out of the harbour and wasn't seen again until 2006 when it's wreck was discovered off Sydney's Northern Beaches at a depth of about 60 metres. The bodies of the two Japanese sailors piloting this third sub are still in the wreck.

On the night of 31st May 1942, the ships from which the Japanese mini subs had been launched also lobbed a few shells into Sydney's eastern suburbs.

The Japanese did get pretty close to Australia during WWII.

My dad's uncle was killed fighting the Japanese on Bouganville. He was an Australian Commando.

 

[RoyJackson]

Did the old WWII fighters use the Cats to launch or was there enough deck space?

Later,
Dan

The steam cats were developed for jet aircraft...although probably in development during WW II, it was after WW II when they really came into use.
I know they were used during the Korean conflict.

Even when I was in the Navy (1969-1978), some propeller driven aircraft (S-2F or "Stoof") were frequently deck launched (cat not used).

 

[Wazrus]

Interesting to read all the Bougainville stuff on a tractor forum!
I have a correction, though: I said that Guadalcanal was the Southermost island of the Solomon Group. That's not right. The last (big) one is San Cristobal, according to my atlas.

 

[dmccarty]

Wow. This was an old thread. Still interesting reading from five years ago. :laughing: Can't believe it was five years ago.

Later,
Dan

 

[RobertN]

Time flies, huh

Interesting to see more international folks chime in, and hear more about the history.

Wow. This was an old thread. Still interesting reading from five years ago. :laughing: Can't believe it was five years ago.

Later,
Dan