Location
Lat 10° 18' 0S Long 150° 25' 0E  Twenty mile long bay, located at the south-east tip of New Guinea. Japanese called the location Rabi.

Two Japanese landing parties bound for Milne Bay. One, from Buna was stranded on Goodenough, when their barges were destroyed by RAAF 75 Squadron P-40's. The second group, from New Ireland landed Japanese Naval Special Landing Forces (Marines) at at three points inside Miline Bay on the night of August 25, 1942.  This assault was the southern most point of the Japanese advance on land in World War II. By the end of August. the remaining Japanese widthrdrew, to fight on Guadalcanal.

Japanese Missions Against Milne Bay
August 4, 1942 - August 9, 1943

After the battle, the area was then developed into a large Allied staging base. Several coastal villages were developed into military bases and naval installations after the battle. US Army base at Milne Bay was known as 'Base A'. By the middle of 1944 most naval installations were complete.  Due to the rapid advance of Allied forces.

Coastal villages and locations along Milne Bay:

Alotau
Present day town on the north coast of Milne Bay. War Memorial

Rabi
Village west of KB Mission.

Ladava
Located at the western end of Milne Bay, Gurney Airfield (No. 1 Strip) and later Navy facilities.

Gili Gili (Gill Gill)
Dock area east of Ladava. Turnbull Airfield (No 3 Strip).

Gamadodo
Village on the south-east coast of the bay US Navy supply depot

Waigani
Located inland from Milne Bay, No 2 Strip (Unnamed, Waigani).

Konibirrubirru
Located inland from Milne Bay

A-29 Hudson Mk. IIIA Serial Number A16-245
Ditched ofshore Milne Bay

P-40E Kittyhawk Serial Number A29-110
Ditched on reef August 29, 1942, pontoon attempt failed, sunk

B-17F Serial Number 41-24354
Pilot Webb MIA August 26, 1942

B-17E Serial Number 41-2635
Pilot Hancock MIA November 1, 1942 discovered 1999

A6M2 Zero Manufacture Number 646
Crashed August 1942

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009