BATTLE FOR BOUGAINVILLE
<October 27, 1943 - March 1944>
After the advance on New Georgia, the next major operation was
the invasion of Bougainville, the largest island in the Solomons.
It was considered to be Japan’s greatest overseas bastion.
Victory at Bougainville would be key for the Allied
Forces in their overall objective of isolating Rabaul on New Britain
Island.
The MIS linguists
and U.S. Marine Corps arrived in Bougainville on October 27, 1943.
Throughout the month of November, the Marines fought hard to secure
a beachhead at Empress Augustus Bay, located on the southwest
coast of Bougainville. While interrogating POWs, the MIS was able
to secure important information that turned out to be a key asset
in defeating the Japanese in Bougainville. Language specialist
Roy Uyehata learned of a Japanese attack planned for March 1944
while interrogating a POW. This knowledge aided the U.S. to victory
in the second battle of Bougainville. Japan’s scheduled
counterattack was unsuccessful with more than 5,000 casualties
while the U.S. suffered very little in comparison. Uyehata and
Hiroshi Matsuda were awarded Bronze
Stars for providing the warning.
Success at Bougainville isolated all Japanese forces left in
the Solomon Islands, and heavy air and naval losses further crippled
the Japanese Combined Fleet. The skirmishes at Bougainville ended
all combat in the South Pacific.
