Fred Serves In Bougainville Campaign 1943-1945

Fred admits, “We needed to control Bougainville to be within striking range of Rabual.” Allied land operations to retake the island from the Japanese 17th Army began with the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, on November 1, 1943, when the U.S. 3rd Marine Division made an amphibious landing. They were supported by the U.S. Navy. The intention was to establish a beachhead on Bougainville, within which an airfield would be built.

Bougainville at the time was part of the Australian territory of New Guinea, and is geographically part of the Solomon Islands chain. The Bougainville campaign was therefore part of both the New Guinea campaign and the Solomon Islands campaign. It was occupied by Japanese forces in 1942.

The Bougainville campaign of 1943-45, was a campaign of World War II. The island of Bougainville was of strategic importance to the Allies and Japanese, in both the Pacific Ocean and South West Pacific theatres.”