Lat
1° 40' 0S Long 150° 0' 0E Pronounced 'E-mir-a'. Located in the St.
Matthias Group. Also know as "Storm Island" first sighted by Dampier in 1699 and named "Squally Island". Eight miles across from east to west.
History
A prewar German plantation existed on the southern portion of the island. World War
II first came to Emirau in the form of a Kregsmarine
raiders Orion and Komet, who left about 500 men, women and
children on Emirau in early December 1940, after the sinking
of their ship, RMS
Rangitane and others.
American Liberation
On March 12, 1944, the Joint Chiefs of Staff decided
to capture Hollandia and Emirau
as part of the campaign to neutralize
Rabaul Occupied by USMC
March 20, 1944 by the 4th Marines (1st and 2nd Battalions, with 3rd
Battalion in reserve), USS Anthony DD-515 covered the
invasion
of Emirau
Island
in March
before serving as an escort on several supply runs between Guadalcanal and
Emirau. There were no Japanese defenders on the island, instead
they were met by 7 Day Adventist missionaries. Destroyer USS Wintle
DE-25 was patrolling off Emirau on April 8 and April 21 1944. Also,
on June 12 and 25 and August 28, 1944. The Marines were relived
by the US Army's 147th Infantry Regiment, on April 11, 1944.
An airfield was developed on the island and storage depot. There was a US Army temporary
cemetery on the island until the end of the war, when remains were disinterred
and brought back to USA.
Emirau Airfield
Built by US Navy Seabees, pair of parallel runways.
Hamburg
Bay
Located on the north-west coast, 9-10 fathoms deep. The US Navy built a base on the bay after occupation in 1944.
PT-63
Destroyed
by accidental fire while refueling in port.
PT-107
Destroyed
by accidental fire while refueling in port.
Kamikawa
Maru
Sunk off Emirau by the USS Scamp (SS-227) on May 29, 1943
Mussau Island
Nearby
larger island in the St. Matthias Island Group. Occupied by the Japanese. This
island housed 'comfort women' from Korea and China who lived. As
the war turned against the Japanese, they were abandoned there. The
woman lived in horrible conditions that resulted in an outbreak
of leprosy. The island was bombarded by USN Destroyers
on March 23, 1944. After the liberation of nearby Emirau, missionaries
brought the women food and medical supplies. Reference via Cameras
Over The Pacific, page 116
