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    Fishermans Island (Daugo) National Capital District Papua New Guinea (PNG)
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Justin Taylan 2003
Location
Lat 9° 28' 60S Long 147° 10' 60E  Fishermans Island is a flat rectangular island surrounded by a fringing coral reef off the southern coast of New Guinea. Borders Fairfax Harbor to the north and beyond to the east is Basilisk Passage. To the northeast is Gemo Island and beyond Port Moresby. Known in the Mouto language as "Daugo". The name is derived from the names of the island's two villages: Dag village on the western tip and Ugo village on the eastern tip. Also known as "Fisherman's Island" (with apostrophe) or "Firshermans Island" (plural). Prewar and during the Pacific War part of the Central District in the Territory of Papua. Today located in National Capital District (NCD) in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Fishermans Airfield (Daugo Airfield)
Built by the RAAF circa 1944 as an emergency airfield. Disused since the war.

Paul Carpenter (Curtiss-Wright Technical Rep) visited in September 1942:
"Report No. 16, September 23, 1942 page 5: Althou[ght] this trip to the [Fishermans] island turned out uneventful we found out on our return that it might have been exciting. We were about a couple miles off shore on our return when we saw a fast speed boat leave shore and come in our direction. We steered to give it a wide berth but it came directly for us all this time and we could see the occupants waving us back in the direction from which we had just come. We thought perhaps an air raid was on or something, so we followed them and when we reached water calm enough one came alongside and we got the story: It seems that this little island was used as a bombing target which the B-17s etc. used for checking their bomb sights before going on their first mission and that four B-17 had actually warmed up and were ready to take off before the control tower remembered we had gone to this island and stopped them from taking off. They consequently had to wait our return so when they saw us coming they headed us off and changed boats with us as we had the shallow draught boat which was necessary to approach the island on account of the coral reefs which are very near the surface at low tide. This other crowd was going to make sure the target area was clear before dropping anything after our narrow experience and put out appropriate signal."

B-25C Mitchell Serial Number 41-12486
Pilot Walker crashed May 8, 1942.

P-39D Airacobra Serial Number 41-6800
Pilot McGee force landed May 9, 1942.

P-39F Airacobra Serial Number 41-7165
Pilot Berry MIA August 4, 1942 crashed approximately a half mile off Fishermans Island.

B-24D Liberator Serial Number 42-41099
Pilot Martin MIA September 2, 1943 on an engineering flight toward Fishermans Island.

F-4A Lightning Serial Number 41-2140
Pilot Morton crashed March 16, 1943 crash site found northwest of Fishermans Island in the 1990s.

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Last Updated
June 18, 2023

 

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