Lat
6° 13' 60S Long 155° 3' 0E Torokina is a village on the western coast of Bougainville on the shores of
Empress Augusta Bay. Located 200 miles from Rabaul.
American Landing
The Americans landed at Empress Augusta Bay. The invasion, which began on November 1 1943, was delivered by LCVPs and LCIs, launched from motherships offshore. The surf proved very rough and 84 landing craft (62 LCVPs and 22 LCIs) were broached in the landing, and four sunk by a single Japanese 75mm regimental gun
Japanese Counter Attack
The Americal
Division moved to Bougainville 17 Dec 43 - 12 Jan 44, the 182nd Inf
Reg entering the front line 2 Jan 44 and the 132nd Inf Reg entering
9 Jan 43 at Torokina. The two American divisions were gradually withdrawn
for operations in the Philippines; An intensive tank-inf attack cleared
the area. A Japanese counterattack 10 Mar 44 took the south knob of
key Hill 260 from the l82nd Inf Reg. The 132nd Inf Reg retook Hill
260 and later drove the Japanese from Hill 260 on Mar 44. In Apr 44
the division pushed east of the Mavavia river and secured Hill Masses
165, 155, 5500, and 501 and extended the outpost line past the Torokina
River. The division continued patrolling the Torokina River, Numa Numa
Trail, and across the Mountain Divide. They were relieved by the Australian
3rd Div on 10 Dec 44. After the crushing repulses of two large-scale counterattacks the
Japanese commander withdrew his forces and concentrated them in three
main areas: Buka Passage in the
north, Numa Numa and Kieta in
the east, and the Buin-Mosigetta plains in the south.
Australian Mopping Up
Australians, under Lt General S G Savige, Commander of
the II Corps, assumed responsibility in November / December 1944, the
main Japanese force was known to be concentrated in the south.
Cape Torokina
The initial Japanese defense against the Allied landing included a 75mm regimental gun enplaced in a conceled bunker on Torokina Point. This single gun sank four land craft before it was destroyed by the actions of Sgt Robert Allen Owen that later earned the Medal of Honor. Cape to the south-west of Torokina village. Airfield was built to the east along the road.
The remains of a pier extend near the point, also the rusting remains of a large pontoon. Ashore is the remains of another large pontoon.
Torokina
Airfield (Cape Torokina Airfeld)
Built by US Navy Seabees in forty days, based USN, USMC, USAAF and RNZAF aircraft. Diused today.
