Up the Slot: Marines in the Central Solomons

40 Pages·19.4 MB·English

by  Marine Corps Historical Center

Up the Slot:
Marines in the Central Solomons
by Major Charles D. Melson, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret)
0 peration Watchtower threat to the Allies still fighting to next and used as supply bases and
was the codename as- wrest Guadalcanal from the enemy. also as artillery positions for deliv-
signed by the Joint It had to be taken, or at the very ering supporting fire for the main
Chiefs of Staff for the least, neutralized. U.S. pilots also attack on Munda. The plan called
reduction of the Japan- reported another field being com- for ground forces then to drive the
ese stronghold at Rabaul, on the pleted on Kolombangara across the Japanese into the Munda Point
easternmost tip of New Britain Is- Kula Gulf from New Georgia. area and once they were there, Al-
land in the Bismarck Archipelago. In response to these potential lied air, artillery, and tanks could
The plan called for the South Pacific threats, Operation Toenails, land- support the main landing. The
Area forces of Vice Admiral Robert ings in the New Georgia Islands in enemy "would be annihilated or
L. Ghormley (relieved in November the Central Solomons with the cap- forced into a costly withdrawal,"
1942 by Vice Admiral William F. ture of Munda as the primary objec- according to the Allied concept of
Halsey) to move up the chain of the tive, were planned, scheduled, and the operation.
Solomon Islands toward Rabaul, mounted. The first step leading to For Toenails, Rear Admiral Rich-
beginning with the Guadalcanal the invasion of New Georgia was mond Kelly Turner, Amphibious
landings on 7 August 1942. In De- the occupation of the Russell Is- Force Commander, divided his as-
cember that year, patrol flights tak- lands, 65 miles northwest of signed forces into two task groups:
ing off from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, which would serve as Western Force, which he would per-
Guadalcanal and from the decks of a forward base on which airfields sonally command, was to seize Ren-
U.S. fleet carriers in the waters would be constructed. Operation dova, Munda, and Bairoko. The
around the Solomon Islands discov- Cleanslate on 21 February 1943 saw Eastern Force, under Rear Admiral
ered the Japanese hard at work on a the Marine 3d Raider Battalion George H. Fort, also an experienced
well-camouflaged airfield at Munda (Lieutenant Colonel Harry B. Liv- amphibious force commander, was
on the northern end of New Geor- ersedge) land on Pavuvu, and the directed to capture Wickham An-
gia. This new field posed a definite 43d Infantry Division (less a regi- chorage, Segi Point, and Viru Har-
mental combat team) invade Banika. bor. Turner's ground commander
Both landings were unopposed. The was Army Major General John H.
On the Cover:
11th Defense Battalion landed on Hester, who headed the New Geor-
The approach to Rendova Harbor as seen
Banika the same day and had its gia Occupation Force (43d Infantry
from the deck of an LST carrying Marines
ashore. It sails through the narrow Renard guns in place by noon. By 15 April, Division; Marine 9th Defense Bat-
Entrance with Rendova Peak in the back- Allied aircraft began operating from talion; the 136th Field Artillery Bat-
ground and the Lever Brothers' landing at the first of two new airstrips the talion from the 37th Infantry Divi-
the right just around the bend. (Marine Seabees constructed on Banika. sion; the 24th Naval Construction
Corps Historical Collection) The primary objective of Opera- Battalion (Seabees); Company 0 of
tion Toenails was the capture of the the 4th Marine Raider Battalion; the
At left: The objective of the Central
airfield on Munda in the New Geor- 1st Commando, Fiji Guerrillas; and
Solomons campaign was the Japanese airfield
gia group. Preliminary landings to assigned service troops). Fort's
on Munda Point, which, in friendly hands,
would be a stepping-stone in the conquest of support the main effort were to be Eastern Force included Army
the Solomon Islands chain. The airfield runs made at Wickham Anchorage on Colonel Daniel H. Hundley's Army
west to east and a taxi-way snakes through Vangunu Island, Viru Harbor, and 103d Regimental Combat Team
both sides of the field. Kokengolo Hill is on the Bairoko Harbor areas of New (RCT), less a battalion with Hester;
ifs north side. This photograph records the Georgia. Rendova Island and Companies N, P. and Q of the 4th
results of a Marine dive-bomber attack,
smaller islands nearby, across Raider Battalion; elements of the
which resulted in a hit on a gas or ammuni-
Blanche Channel to the south of 70th Coast Artillery (Antiaircraft)
tion dump in the center of the picture. (De-
New Georgia, were to be occupied Battalion; parts of the 20th Seabees;
partment of Defense Photo [USMCI 55454)
Col Harry B. Liversedge commanded the and service units. Colonel Harry B. base personnel. Marines from the
1st Marine Raider Regiment and the XIV Liversedge's 1st Marine Raider 10th and 11th Defense battalions
Corps Northern Landing Group. His mixed Regiment (less the 2d, 3d, and 4th were in reserve as reinforcements.
Army and Marine command was used as
Battalions) was designated ready Defending the New Georgia Is-
infantry rather than in the special opera-
reserve for the operation, while the land Group were the Southeast De-
tions role for which the raiders had been
Army's 37th Infantry Division (less tachment of Major General Noboru
trained and equipped. Isolated from the
main attack on Munda, he had to commit the 129th RCT and most of the Sasaki and the 8th Combined Special
his forces to supporting operations. 148th RCT) was held in general re- Naval Landing Force under Rear Ad-
serve on Guadalcanal ready to miral Minoru Ota (later to die as
Marine Corps Historical Collection
move on five days' notice. commander of Japanese naval
Hester's corps headquarters was forces at Okinawa); subordinate
formed by taking half of the 43d Di- units included the 13th Infantry Reg-
vision staff, the rest remaining with iment, 229th Infantry Regiment, Kure
the Assistant Division Commander, 6th Special Naval Landing Force, and
Brigadier General Leonard F. Wing, the Yokosuka 7th Special Naval Land-
USA. Over 30,000 men were in the ing Force. New Georgia and Kolom-
units assigned to the New Georgia bangara, and enemy outposts on
Occupation Force, the majority of Rendova, Santa Isabel, Choiseul,
which were Army troops, Marine and Vella Lavella, were strongly de-
and Seabee units, patrol-torpedo fended. The number of Japanese oc-
(PT) boat squadrons, and naval cupying the outlying islands was
2
Marine Corps Historical Collection
LtCol William J. Scheyer, third from the left, was the 9th De- left, from Admiral Nimitz' CinCPac headquarters at Pearl Har-
fense Battalion commander. He is shown at his New Georgia bor, and Ma] Zedford W Burriss of the 10th Defense Battalion
command post with Col John W. Thomason, Jr., second from the on the left.
comparatively small. The forces on Marine 4th Base Depot, com- they radioed information about
Kolombangara were "estimated" at manded by Colonel George F. Japanese troop, air, and naval sight-
10,000 troops while those on New Stockes, established a supply dump ings and movements to Allied lis-
Georgia were figured to be between for XIV Corps. tening stations. With the exception
4,000 and 5,000. In mid-Spring 1943, reconnais- of two or three members from each
1st and 2d Marine Aircraft Wing sance parties from the units slated patrol party who remained behind
squadrons based in the Russells to take part in the New Georgia to arrange for guides and to give
and Guadalcanal under the control campaign began patrolling in the homing signals to Allied vessels on
of Brigadier General Francis P. areas designated for landings. their approach, all patrols returned
Mulcahy's 2d Marine Aircraft Wing Solomon Islanders acted as guides to their parent units by 25 June
forward echelon staff would pro- and scouts led by British resident 1943. For these individuals, the
vide air support for the operation. administrators and Australian navy campaign was already underway.
The staging areas for the attack on intelligence personnel, who, as The Solomon Islands were some
New Georgia were Guadalcanal Coastwatchers, hid in the hills in of the least known and underde-
and the Russell Islands, where the the enemy rear areas. From here veloped areas in the world. John
The Central Solomons campaign was launched by the raiders at familiar sage-green herringbone twill and camouflage utility uni-
Viru Harbor before the landings at Rendova and the Dragons forms which were worn during the campaign by the raiders. The
Peninsula. A burial detail renders honors to those Marines who firing squad is armed with Garand M-1 rifles.
were killed in action. The Marines here are clothed in both the
Department of Defense Photo (USMC) 57581
3
Under The Southern Cross
Marine Troop List
I Marine Amphibious Corps** Marine Transport Squadron 253 2d Separate Wire Platoon*
Forward Echelon flight Detachment 3d Special Weapons Battalion**
Medical Battalion Marine Fighter Squadron 121* 4th Defense Battalion"
Company A Marine Fighter Squadron 122* Headquarters & Service Battery
Company B Marine Fighter Squadron 123** 155mm Artillery Group
Motor Transport Battalion Marine Fighter Squadron 1 24k" 90mm Antiaircraft Group
Company A Marine Scout-Bomber Squadron 132* Special Weapons Group
Signal Battalion Marine Scout-Bomber Squadron 141 *** 9th Defense Battalion*
1st Medical Battalion** MarineTorpedo-Bomber Squadron 143'" i-leadquarters & Service Battery
Detachment Marine Scout-Bomber Squadron 144* 155mm Artillery Group
1st Marine Raider Regiment* Marine Fighter Squadron 214*** 90mm Antiaircraft Group
Headquarters Company Marine Fighter Squadron 215*** Special Weapons Group
1st Raider Battalion Marine Fighter Squadron 221 *** Tank Platoon
Headquarters Company Marine Fighter Squadron 222" 10th Defense Battalion*
Company A Right Detachment Tank Platoon
Company B Marine Scout-Bomber Squadron 232** 11th Defense Battalion*
Company C Marine Scout-Bomber Squadron 233*** Battery E
Company D Marine Scout-Bomber Squadron 234*** Battery K
4th Raider Battalion Marine Scout-Bomber Squadron 235** Marine Scout Bomber Squadron 236**
Headquarters Company Flight Detachment Marine Night Fighter Squadron 531*
Tank Platoon Company N 2d Platoon, Battery A
Marine Aircraft Group 25*** Company 0 4th Base Depot"
Headquarters Company P
Marine Service Squadron 25 Company Q *Nefl. Georgia only
Marine Transport Squadron 152 2d Marine Aircraft Wing* **Vella Lavella only
Marine Transport Squadron 153 Forward Echelon ***New Georgia and Vella Lavella
Miller, Jr., himself a former Marine, lands had much in common, he wet tropical climate. There were no
veteran of Guadalcanal, and after went on, and "much that is corn- roads, major ports, or developed
the war an Army historian, consid- mon is unpleasant." The islands facilities. New Georgia was all of
ered it "one of the worst possible were mountainous, jungle covered, this, and more.
places" to fight a war. All the is- pest-ridden, and possessed a hot- The New Georgia campaign
began for the 1st Marine Raider
Regiment when Admiral Turner re-
Allied landings were met by ground and air defense, as seen in this photograph taken
ceived a request for support and/or
from the LISS Algorab (AKA 8) on D-Day, 30 June 1943. Japanese were bombing Ren-
rescue from the resident coast-
dova Harbor in the background while the transport group moves to sea under "Condition
Red." During this raid the flagship USS McCawley (AP 10) was hit, but Allied air watcher at Segi Point, Donald G.
cover kept most of the enemy aircraft away. Kennedy. The Japanese were mov-
Marine Corps Historical Collection ing into his base area where the Al-
lies planned to build an auxiliary
fighter strip. Responding to the re-
quest for help, Turner loaded Lieu-
tenant Colonel Michael S. Currin's
4th Raider Battalion on high speed
destroyer transports (APDs) and
sent it north to Segi Point. Captain
Malcolm N. McCarthy met the
raiders in a dugout canoe to guide
the ships in. McCarthy felt certain
that Company P's commander, Cap-
tain Anthony Walker, would have
4
LANDINGS IN NEW GEORGT
£ 21 Jun.— 5 Ju'y 1943
J.rANEnFAAnFsA3..El,
I P •F!ELlS
MORTNE!M
LANOINS SOI5P
3I4I
3!
'AL 0...h,AsnA 'F
•AnQNAA* I .9. 3A0ni. 210219 0,.'0 3' I '¾.
10u02(L
I N
-'N
N "r
nSA 0100* I 2W29 APh- 1!.11 0
—I.
C
9
IIFI.2—79#!'I NN
NEW
L0!,223Thffi;
62336! 10 S__p.
>1 s_p.A
"I
-: - /
S.—' 5(55*3* flAeuuSU I
.3 S*.... *1'
'!,Th 4 — I4WI4 I
£ 655305150540¾5(511 Ac .2.I1I5.In2s55*1s3IS5J
_,
ISILSU ;F'I
5632031
F
his men's weapons at the ready, and linking up with Kennedy, Currin June, and on the night of 27 June, he
"I kept hollering, 'Hold Your Fire!" turned his attention to his initial and his Marines set out by rubber
Currin went ashore with part of goal, the seizure of the protected boats across the mouths of the
his headquarters and Companies 0 anchorage at Viru Harbor. He had Akuru and Choi rivers for Viru.
and P. followed by Army and Navy to accomplish this prior to the ar- After an eight-mile paddle, the
forces to begin the airstrip. After rival of the invasion force on 30 raiders arrived at Regi Village early
on 28 June. Led by native guides,
The approach to Rendova Harbor as seen from the deck of an LSD carrying Marines Currin began the approach march
ashore. It sails through the narrow Renard Entrance with Rendova Peak in the background to Viru Harbor. Fighting a stubborn
and the Lever Brothers' landing at the right just around the bend. combination of terrain, weather,
Marine Corps Historical Collection and Japanese patrols, the raiders
were short of their objective on 30
June. Meanwhile, the landing force
arrived on schedule and stood off
the beach after taking fire from
Japanese coastal defense guns.
The raiders launched their attack
at 0900, 1 July, to seize Tetemara
and Tombe Villages. Captain
Walker attacked Tombe with part of
his company, while the remainder
attacked Tetemara with First Lieu-
tenant Raymond L. Luckel's Com-
pany 0. After six hours of fighting
and a Japanese counterattack, the
objectives were captured. Sergeant
Anthony P. Coulis' Company P ma-
chine gun squad finished mopping
up and searched for food and
5
Individual Combat Clothing and Equipment
1943, the cotton sage-green herringbone twill util-
By
ity uniform was being issued to the troops in the
field (although some camouflage clothing was
available) and to new Marines at the recruit depots.
These jackets and trousers were worn with field shoes,
leggings, and the Ml steel helmet. Individual combat
equipment was the distinctive Marine Corps 1941 pat-
tern that derived from earlier Army M1910 designs.
Basic components included the cartridge belt, belt sus-
penders, haversack, and knapsack; supplemented by
poncho, shelter half, entrenching tool, gas mask, and
canteens. Lieutenant Colonel Samuel B. Griffith II, com-
manding the 1st Raider Battalion, recalled that officers
and men landed with a basic allowance of ammunition, a
canteen of water, a battle dressing, and individual first aid
kit on the belt. In the pack were two days K-Rations, one
D-Bar (a highly enriched and very hard chocolate bar), to-
bacco, a change of underwear, three pairs of socks, a pon-
cho, and a pair of tennis shoes. The pack roll was made
from a shelter half, blanket, and "one utility garment." A
4th Raider Battalion Marine noted that at Vangunu they
"learned that one canteen of water was not enough. We
all had been issued a second canteen."
water. The 4th Raider Battalion lost during a typhoon. In the dark it from being the landing force reserve
13 killed and 15 wounded in this ac- was impossible to see the landing to being an assault force designated
tion. The Japanese defenders with- craft from the deck." Despite a con- the Northern Landing Group di-
drew, with an estimated 61 dead fused landing in poor conditions, rected to attack Japanese positions
and 100 wounded. Currin turned by afternoon the Marines and units on New Georgia's northwest coast
the beachhead over to the Army oc- of the Army 2d Battalion, 103d In- at the Dragon's Peninsula.
cupation force and was taken back fantry reached the Kaeruka River Three of the 1st Raider Regi-
on board ship and returned to and attacked the Japanese located ment's four battalions had been
Guadalcanal. The remainder of the there. This position was taken and sent elsewhere. Liversedge's landing
4th Battalion headquarters and two then defended. A member of Com- group consisted of the Marine raider
companies, led by battalion execu- pany Q, John McCormick, recalled regimental headquarters, the 1st
tive officer Major James Clark, car- that the attack "was not very pro- Raider Battalion; the 3d Battalion,
ried out separate tasks in accord- ductive," but that a battle went on 145th Infantry; and the 3d Battalion,
ance with plans to secure Wickham all day with the Japanese, who had 148th Infantry. Because the operating
Anchorage at Vangunu Island to gotten "quickly organized" and area was too far from the main land-
protect lines of communication fought back with their machine ing force for support, fire support
from the Russells and Guadalcanal guns and mortars. On 2 July, the and supply came from the sea and
for the New Georgia operation. On Japanese tried to land three barges air. Communications were depen-
30 June, Captain Earle 0. Snell, Jr.'s with supplies, but were met on the dent upon radio until a land-line
Company N and Captain William beach and shot up. The raiders lost linkup could be made with the rest
L. Flake's Company Q supported 14 killed and 26 wounded securing of the occupation force to the south.
an Army landing force by going Vangunu.The next raider deploy- Liversedge was assigned several
ashore at Oloana Bay, where it ment was like those at Viru and tasks. First he was to land and
joined a scouting party and Coast- Vangunu, a supporting exercise to move against the Japanese forces at
watchers already there. Raider Irvin back the main XIV Corps effort to Enogai Inlet and Bairoko Harbor.
L. Cross later wrote that he and the take Munda Point. Soon after the
Then he was to block the so-called
other raiders disembarked from his Rendova landings, Colonel Liv- Bairoko Trail and disrupt Japanese
assault transport "in Higgins Boats ersedge's mission was changed troop and supply movements be-
6
ion. Captain Thomas A. Mullahey's
Company A was on the left, Cap-
tain John P. Salmon's Company C in
the center, Captain Edwin B.
Wheeler's Company B on the right,
with Company D under Captain
Clay A. Boyd in reserve. Employing
machine guns and grenades, the
battalion advanced toward the
Japanese position until halted at
nightfall. The Japanese were well
dug-in and well armed with ma-
chine guns and mortars, but their
heavy-caliber coast defense artillery
Department of Defense Photo (USA) 1 11SC324513 could only be used seaward. Sup-
Soldiers and Marines consolidate their positions and construct barbed wire obstacles on ported by 60mm mortars, the
the Dragons Peninsula after the attack on Bairoko. Their apparent condition, mixture of raiders resumed the attack the
clothing, and the ever-present jungle provide eloquent testimony to the physical de-
morning of 10 July, and took Enogai
mands of the campaign.
Village. Richard C. Ackerman, a
tween Bairoko Harbor and Munda. Group's supply transport in a re- Marine with Company C, remem-
The enemy, weather, and terrain to- gion without roads. bered "we soon came to a lagoon
gether conspired against this ven- Undeterred by the situation, Liv- which stopped our forward motion.
ture from the beginning and the ersedge moved out on jungle trails Our right flank, though, did over-
raiders found themselves in a pro- in pouring rain to his first objec- run the enemy's warehouse and
tracted frontline fight rather than a tives, leaving two Army companies food storage area." The Japanese
swift strike in the Japanese rear. to secure the rear. In Griffith's lost 300 men at a cost of 47 Marines
One of Liversedge's battalion com- words, they "alternately stumbled killed, another 74 wounded, and 4
manders, Lieutenant Colonel up one side of a hill and slipped men missing. The battalion had
Samuel B. Griffith II, observed on and slid down the other." The 1st fought for 30 hours without rations
embarking at Guadalcanal that al- Raider Battalion pushed on to reach or water resupply. Army troops car-
though they shot off no fireworks the Giza Giza River by the night of ried up water and K-rations and
on Independence Day, "we con- 5 July with the larger and heavier candy bars received in an air drop.
soled ourselves with the knowl- Army battalions following. Here The elimination of the Japanese
edge that there would be plenty of Liversedge split his force. The 3d coast defense artillery at Enogai al-
those later." Battalion, 148th Infantry was sent lowed American destroyers and
On 5 July, the Northern Landing south to block the Bairoko Trail torpedo boats to operate unham-
Group landed at Rice Anchorage and the remaining units went pered in the Kula Gulf, where they
east of Enogai and Bairoko. A nar- north towards the Japanese on the disrupted Japanese barge traffic.
row beach, difficult landing condi- Dragons Peninsula. On the night of Under Japanese air attacks, the
tions, and concerns for an enemy 6 July, the naval Battle of Kula Gulf 1St Marine Raider Regiment consol-
naval attack caused the destroyer- erupted with the resultant loss of idated its gains and blocking posi-
transport force to depart, taking the the cruiser USS Helena (CL 50). tions, while Colonel Liversedge
raiders' long-range radio with it. This isolated the Northern Landing studied the Bairoko Harbor de-
The landing from eight APDs and Group from even naval support. fenses. Communications, resupply,
destroyers (DDs) was unopposed The villages of Maranusa I and and fire support were problem
and met only by porters and scouts Triri were occupied and patrols areas. The Japanese improved their
(Corry's Boys) under Australian were soon in contact with the own dispositions and continued to
Flight Officer John A. Corrigan. enemy, members of the 6th Special bring in troops and supplies from
Griffith described them as small Naval Landing Force, so-called Kolombangara by sea and then
men, "but their brown bodies were Japanese "marines." moved them overland to Munda
wiry and their arm, leg and back On 9 July, the Enogai defenses Point. The main Japanese line was
muscles were powerful. They wore were reached and, after an air on a ridge in front of the Ameri-
gaudy cheap cotton lap-lap, or strike, Liversedge launched an im- cans. The enemy fighting positions
lavalavas." These 150 New Geor- mediate attack with Lieutenant were log and coral bunkers that
gians were the Northern Landing Colonel Griffith's 1st Raider Battal- made excellent use of terrain and in-
7
terlocking machine-gun fire sup- the shoreline to the north. One of sight of Bairoko Harbor. By now
ported by heavy mortars. On the Snell's men, Frank Korowitz, re- there was a loss of almost 250
night of 12—13 July, the Navy inter- membered feeling that he wanted to Marines, a 30 percent casualty rate.
cepted a Japanese troop landing at get up and run when Japanese at- The 1st Marine Raider Regiment
Kolombangara. Four days later, on tacked by surprise at close range, had 46 killed and another 200 or so
17 July, Liversedge pulled the 3d but "1 also felt that I would rather wounded, and about half the
Battalion, 148th Infantry back to Triri be killed than have anyone know I wounded were litter cases. Liv-
Village for closer mutual support, was scared." Liversedge fed in his ersedge made no further headway
while other Army companies contin- remaining units to cover the gaps and withdrew that night to Enogai.
ued to hold the Rice Anchorage area that developed between the two It required another 150 men to
and communications routes. battalions and no longer had a re- move the casualties back and all
Reinforced on 18 July by the 4th serve. Walker recalled, "without units were in defensive positions by
Raider Battalion, Liversedge planned some kind of fire support (naval 1400, 21 July.
to attack Bairoko on 20 July 1943. gunfire or air) these raiders could By then, the effects of the fighting
The attack was launched on sched- not penetrate the fortified enemy and living conditions had taken a
ule despite the failure of a re- line." McCormick, with Company toll in sickness and exhaustion of
quested airstrike to arrive. Liv- Q, wrote that the Japanese had the Northern Landing Group. Liv-
ersedge sent in Griffith's battalion, plenty of time to prepare and had ersedge was ordered to hold what
followed by Currin's battalion, to "machine gun pits in the natural he had with available forces. Resup-
find an undefended flank or a shelter provided by the roots of ply and casualty evacuation were
breakthrough point. Griffith com- banyan trees and cut fire lanes by air and there was no further re-
mitted Wheeler's Company B and through the underbrush." The com- inforcement, except a 50-man de-
Company C under First Lieutenant bination of machine guns, mortars, tachment under Captain Joseph W.
Frank A. Kemp. His other compa- and snipers guaranteed "almost in- Mehring, Jr., of the 11th Defense
nies had been used to bring these stant death" to any Marine caught Battalion that provided needed
two up to strength. Currin's battal- in these fields of fire. 40mm and .50-caliber antiaircraft
ion fielded four companies, but was At 1445, a Japanese mortar bar- guns at Rice Anchorage.
some 200 men understrength. rage was followed with a counter Bairoko Harbor was attacked by
Companies B and C soon stalled on attack in the 1st Battalion area. destroyers and torpedo boats, and
the Japanese defenses. Captain After this, another assault at- bombed by B-17 Flying Fortresses.
Walker took Company P forward tempted by the Marines of Com- On 2 August, XIV Corps informed
for support, while Snell's Company pany Q lead by Captain Lincoln N. Liversedge that Munda Point was
N tried to find an open flank along Holdzkom bogged down within reached and his force should cut off
retreating Japanese near Zieta. On 9
1st Raider Regiment casualties from the attack on Bairoko had to be treated in August, the Northern Landing
place or evacuated by aircraft. Some 200 casualties were carried from the field,
Group linked up with elements of
then taken by rubber boat to Consolidated PBY Catalinas. After this picture was
the 25th Infantry Division advanc-
taken a Japanese air attack disrupted this effort and damaged one aircraft.
ing from Munda Point and assumed
Department of Defense Photo (USMC) 152113
control of the 1st Marine Raider
Regiment. Scattered fighting contin-
ued around Bairoko until 24 August
when it was occupied by the 3d Bat-
talion, 145th Infantry The Japanese
defenders, the Special Naval Landing
Force men, had pulled out by sea.
Occupying Corrigan's "Christian
Rest and Recreation" camp of
thatched lean-to's, the Marines to-
taled their casualties for this effort;
regimental headquarters had 1
killed and 8 wounded, 1st Raider
Battalion lost 74 killed and 139
wounded, 4th Raider Battalion had
54 dead and 168 wounded; and all
suffered from the unhealthy condi-
8