Battle of Milne Bay
Part of World War II, Pacific War
Australian troops at Milne Bay in 1942, shortly after the battle
Date August 25, 1942 – September 5, 1942 Location Milne Bay, New Guinea Result Allied victory
Combatants
Australia United States	Empire of Japan
Commanders
Cyril Clowes	Nishizo Tsukahara Shojiro Hayashi Minoru Yano
Strength
9,000 (half non-combat personnel)	3,200
Casualties
about 550 dead	1,000 dead

The Battle of Milne Bay was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II. Japanese marines attacked the Australian base at Milne Bay on the eastern tip of New Guinea on August 25, 1942, and fighting continued until the Japanese retreated on September 5, 1942. The battle was the first in the Pacific campaign in which Allied troops defeated Japanese land forces and, significantly, forced them to withdraw. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Combatants China Allies (entered 1941):  United States  Philippines  United Kingdom  Australia Free France  Netherlands  New Zealand  Canada  Soviet Union (1945) Japan  Germany (from 1941)  Manchukuo Thailand (from 1942) Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Franklin D. Roosevelt Manuel L. Quezon Jose P. Laurel from 1943 Sergio Osmeña Winston Churchill John Curtin... Australian troops at Milne Bay, New Guinea, 1942. ... is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Battle of Milne Bay Conflict World War II, Pacific War Date August 25, 1942 – September 5, 1942 Place Milne Bay, New Guinea Result Allied victory The Battle of Milne Bay was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II. Japanese marines attacked the Australian base at Milne... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links US_flag_48_stars. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan. ... Anthem Kimi ga Yo Imperial Reign Slogan: Fukoku Kyohei Enrich the Country, Strengthen the Military (a. ... Nishizo Tsukahara, April 3, 1887 – January 10, 1966, was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II. Fighting in the Australian mandated Territory of New Guinea (the north-eastern part of the island of New Guinea and surrounding islands) and Dutch New Guinea, between Allied and Japanese forces, commenced with the Japanese... The Battle of Rabaul, around the main town of Rabaul on the island of New Britain, in early February 1942, represented a strategically-significant defeat of Allied forces by Japan, in the Pacific campaign of World War II. Following the capture of Rabaul, Japanese forces turned it into a major... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Combatants United States Navy Royal Australian Navy Imperial Japanese Navy Commanders Frank J. Fletcher John G. Crace Shigeyoshi Inoue Takeo Takagi Strength 2 large carriers, 3 cruisers 2 large carriers, 1 light carrier, 4 cruisers Casualties 1 fleet carrier, 1 destroyer, 1 oil tanker sunk 543 killed 1 light carrier... Combatants Australia Japan Commanders Douglas MacArthur Thomas Blamey Sydney Rowell Edmund Herring Arthur Tubby Allen George Vasey Selwyn Porter Arnold Potts Hisaichi Terauchi Yosuke Yokoyama Tomitaro Horii Strength 2,000 plus reinforcements 10,000 plus reinforcements Casualties 725 killed 1,055 wounded Hundreds sick with disease 6,500 killed including... Combatants Australia, United States Japan Commanders George Vasey (Australia); Edwin F. Harding/ Robert L. Eichelberger (United States) Ken Yamagata Strength 20,000+ 7,400+ Casualties 3,500 (not counting tropical diseases); 1,300 Australian and 1,000 US personnel killed in action. ... Australian soldiers unloading transport planes at an airfield near Wau, in mid-1943. ... Combatants United States, Australia Empire of Japan Commanders George C. Kenney Masatomi Kimura Strength 39 heavy bombers; 41 medium bombers; 34 light bombers; 54 fighters 8 destroyers, 8 troop transports, 100 aircraft Casualties 2 bombers, 3 fighters destroyed 8 transports, 4 destroyers sunk 20 fighters destroyed, 5,000 troops killed... Combatants Australia United States Empire of Japan Commanders Douglas MacArthur Hatazô Adachi Strength ~30,000 ~10,000 Casualties  ?  ? The Salamaua-Lae campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Australian and United States forces sought to capture two major Japanese bases, one in... The eastern part of the Territory of New Guinea, and the northern Solomon Islands; the area in which Operation Cartwheel took place, from June 1943. ... Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders George Kenney Kumaichi Teramoto Strength 47 heavy bombers; 30 medium bombers; 80 fighters 130 aircraft Casualties 3 destroyed 100 destroyed The Bombing of Wewak was an air raid by the United States Army Air Forces, on August 17, 1943 against the major air... The Finisterre Range campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Australian and United States forces assaulted Japanese positions in the Finisterre Range of New Guinea. ... The Huon Peninsula campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Australian forces assaulted a Japanese bases on the Huon Peninsula. ... Combatants United States Australia New Zealand Fiji Empire of Japan Commanders Roy Geiger Theodore S. Wilkinson Oscar Griswold Stanley Savige Harukichi Hyakutake Masatane Kanda Strength 126,000 troops,[1] 728 aircraft[2] 65,000 troops,[3] 154 aircraft[4] Casualties 1,243 dead[5] 44,000 dead[6] The Bougainville... Combatants United States, Australia, New Zealand Empire of Japan Commanders George Kenney (land air forces), William Halsey, Jr. ... Australian soldiers in New Britain in 1945 (AWM 092342) The New Britain Campaign was a World War II campaign fought by the Allies between December 1943 and the end of the war to secure and protect air bases on the island of New Britain. ... The Admiralty Islands campaign, also known as Operation Brewer, was a series of battles in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. The United States 1st Cavalry Division assaulted Japanese bases on the Admiralty Islands. ... The Western New Guinea campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. United States and Australian forces assaulted Japanese bases and positions in the north-west coastal areas of Netherlands New Guinea and adjoining parts of the Australian Territory of New Guinea. ... The Battle for Australia was a series of battles fought in 1942 and early 1943 to defend Australia against Japanese attack. ... An Australian gun camera photograph of a Japanese Betty bomber during a raid on Darwin in June 1943 Fighter Guide Map No. ... Combatants Australia United States Empire of Japan Commanders David V. J. Blake Chuichi Nagumo Strength 30 planes 242 planes Casualties 251 killed 23 planes destroyed 10 ships sunk one aircrew confirmed killed, several missing in action, six taken prisoner; six Japanese aircraft confirmed destroyed, four probably destroyed. ... The town of Broome, Western Australia was attacked by Japanese fighter planes on March 3, 1942, during World War II. At least 88 people were killed. ... Combatants United States Navy Royal Australian Navy Imperial Japanese Navy Commanders Frank J. Fletcher John G. Crace Shigeyoshi Inoue Takeo Takagi Strength 2 large carriers, 3 cruisers 2 large carriers, 1 light carrier, 4 cruisers Casualties 1 fleet carrier, 1 destroyer, 1 oil tanker sunk 543 killed 1 light carrier... A propaganda poster calling on Australians to avenge the sinking of the Australian Hospital Ship Centaur by the Japanese submarine I-177 in May 1943. ... Combatants Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands. ... Combatants Australia Japan Commanders Douglas MacArthur Thomas Blamey Sydney Rowell Edmund Herring Arthur Tubby Allen George Vasey Selwyn Porter Arnold Potts Hisaichi Terauchi Yosuke Yokoyama Tomitaro Horii Strength 2,000 plus reinforcements 10,000 plus reinforcements Casualties 725 killed 1,055 wounded Hundreds sick with disease 6,500 killed including... Combatants China Allies (entered 1941):  United States  Philippines  United Kingdom  Australia Free France  Netherlands  New Zealand  Canada  Soviet Union (1945) Japan  Germany (from 1941)  Manchukuo Thailand (from 1942) Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Franklin D. Roosevelt Manuel L. Quezon Jose P. Laurel from 1943 Sergio Osmeña Winston Churchill John Curtin... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Battle of Milne Bay Conflict World War II, Pacific War Date August 25, 1942 – September 5, 1942 Place Milne Bay, New Guinea Result Allied victory The Battle of Milne Bay was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II. Japanese marines attacked the Australian base at Milne... is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... A representation of the changes in territory controlled by Allies and Axis powers over the course of the war. ...

Forces

The British Field Marshal Sir William Slim, who had no part in the battle, said: Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... Field Marshal Sir William Slim (pictured here as a Major General) Field Marshal William Joseph Slim, 1st Viscount Slim (6 August 1897 - 14 December 1970), British military commander and 13th Governor-General of Australia, was born near Bristol, Gloucestershire. ...

Australian troops had, at Milne Bay, inflicted on the Japanese their first undoubted defeat on land. Some of us may forget that, of all the allies, it was the Australians who first broke the invincibility of the Japanese army.

In fact, it was Japanese marines, known as Special Naval Landing Forces, who attacked the Allied forces at Milne Bay. The Japanese high command committed approximately 2,400 marines, from the 5th Kure Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) and the 5th Sasebo SNLF and (non-combat) personnel from the 16th Naval Construction Unit. The Japanese force was led initially by Commander Shojiro Hayashi. France Marines is the name of a commune in the département of Val dOise, France. ... The Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF), (海軍陸戦隊 Tokubetsu Rikusentai) were the marine troops of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and was only part of the IJN Land Forces. ... Commander is a military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. ...

The Allies, commanded by the Australian Major General Cyril Clowes, were defending 3 strategically-important airstrips. These were to be used by Allied forces in a proposed attack on Rabaul. The soldiers were mainly made up of two Australian Army brigades: the 18th Infantry Brigade from the Australian 7th Division and the 7th Australian Infantry Brigade Group, a Militia formation. In addition, a portion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 46th (General Service) Engineers Regiment was deployed for the purpose of airfield construction. Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... The Australian Army is Australias military land force. ... In military science a brigade is a military unit that is part of a division and includes regiments (where that level exists), or (in modern armies) is composed of several battalions (typically two to four) and directly attached supporting units. ... The 7th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... Following the federation of Australia in 1901, the six colonial militias were merged to form a national reserve army. ... United States Army Corps of Engineers logo The United States Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, is made up of some 34,600 civilian and 650 military men and women. ...

Although the Allied forces numbered 8,824, only about 4,500 were infantry. The Japanese enjoyed a significant advantage in the form of light tanks, which the Allies had not deployed. The Japanese also had complete control of the sea during the night, allowing reinforcement and evacuation. However, the RAAF's No. 75 and 76 Squadrons, flying P-40 Kittyhawk aircraft, which played a critical role in the fierce fighting, were largely uncontested during the day. The US M1A1 Abrams tank is a typical modern main battle tank. ... Two F/A-18 Hornets and ground crew from No. ... A No. ... The Curtiss P-40 was an American fighter aircraft which first flew in 1938 and played a vital role in the crucial middle stages of World War II. Developed from the pre-war radial-engined P-36 Hawk, the P-40 became known as the Tomahawk, the Kittyhawk, and finally...

Battle

Map showing Japanese and Australian movements at Milne Bay

The Japanese initially landed 1,150 troops with tanks.^[1] The tanks at first inflicted severe casualties on the Australian 2/10th Infantry Battalion, which was deployed six kilometres (4 mi) forward of the main base, and forced it to retreat. However, the Japanese infantry and landing craft were hit hard by the Kittyhawks and were forced to land further from their main objective, the Milne Bay airbase. On August 29, Japanese reinforcements were landed: 768 men from the 3rd Kure SNLF and 5th Yokosuka SNLF, with Commander Minoru Yano, who took over from Hayashi. Image File history File linksMetadata Milne_Bay_map. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Milne_Bay_map. ... is the 241st day of the year (242nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The RAAF Kittyhawks were very close to the action, with aircraft strafing Japanese positions very shortly after taking off. RAAF ground staff, including some from other squadrons, became actively involved in the fighting, as did the 46th Engineer Regiment.

On September 4, the advance of a section from the Australian 2/9th Battalion was held up by fire from three Japanese machine gun positions. Corporal John French ordered the other members of the section to take cover, before he attacked and destroyed two of the machine guns with grenades. French then attacked the third position with his submachinegun. The Japanese ceased fire, and the Australian section advanced to find that the machine gunners had been killed and that French had died in front of the third position. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at Milne Bay. is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... John Alexander French was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ... Grenade may refer to: The well-known hand grenade commonly used by soldiers. ... A posthumous recognition is a ceremonial award given after the recipient has passed away. ... The Victoria Cross (VC) is a military decoration awarded for valour in the face of the enemy to members of armed forces of some Commonwealth countries and previous British Empire territories. ...

The S.S.Japara, was the first ship into Milne Bay after the Japanese attacked. It was commanded by Captain W.G. van Zeggeren. Because of heavy losses of shipping in convoys due to Japanese bombing and submarines, Van Zeggeren decided to travel to Milne Bay from Sydney alone in the hope the Japs would not detect his ship. The lookouts spotted a Japanese submarine which followed the Japara without firing a torpedo. They waited all night but nothing. So, they presumed the sub was out of torpedoes and so would wait until daylight, surface and use its deck gun to sink the Japara. But The Japara was fitted with a much bigger gun than most armed merchant ships and as soon as the sub showed itself above the waves, they fired and reportedly sank it.

Aftermath

On September 5, the Japanese high command ordered a withdrawal. is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

According to official figures, 311 Japanese personnel were killed, with about 700 missing in action. The Japanese navy evacuated 1,318 personnel. Of the 534 Australian casualties, 161 were killed or missing in action. The US forces had several personnel killed or wounded.

The Japanese committed war crimes at Milne Bay, namely the killing of surrendered prisoners of war and civilians. None of the 39 Australian troops captured by the Japanese survived; all were killed and some were mutilated. In addition, at least 59 civilians were murdered. These events were documented in the Webb Royal Commission in Australia after the war. In the context of war, a war crime is a punishable offense under International Law, for violations of the laws of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ...

Sqn Ldr Keith "Bluey" Truscott, CO of 76 Squadron, taxiing along Marston Matting at Milne Bay in September 1942

The effect on the morale of all Allied servicemen in Asia and the Pacific was profound, but especially other Australians fighting a rearguard action on the Kokoda Track, U.S. Marines simultaneously fighting the Battle of Guadalcanal, and Slim's troops in the 14th Army who had been retreating in Burma. Image File history File linksMetadata Awm_026647. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Awm_026647. ... Keith William Bluey Truscott DFC 17 May 1916 - 28 March 1943 was a World War II ace fighter pilot and Australian rules footballer with the Melbourne Football Club. ... A No. ... Marsden Matting used for airfield construction during WWII at Alexai Point, Attu Island, Alaska Marsden Matting (also known as Marston mats after the US airfield in Marston Georgia where they were first used) is a military engineering material that was originally developed by the US slightly before World War II... The Kokoda Track Campaign was part of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought from July 1942 to January 1943 between Japanese and Australian forces in the Owen Stanley Ranges of Papua New Guinea. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... Operation Watchtower On August 7, 1942, the 1st Marine Division performed an amphibious landing east of the Tenaru River. ... The British Fourteenth Army was a multinational force comprising units from Commonwealth countries during World War II. Many of its units were from the Indian Army as well as British units and there were also significant contributions from East African divisions within the British Army. ...

Notes

References

• Lundstrom, John B. (2005 (New edition)). First Team And the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-472-8. 

External links

• A presentation at the Australian War Memorial
• diggerhistory.info website