Location
Lat 9° 28' 60S Long 147° 10' 60E  City on the south coast of New Guinea along Fairfax Harbor. The capital of Papua New Guinea (PNG).

History
Prior to WWII, Port Moresby was a small administrative center for the Australian territories of Papua and New Guinea. During the war it was the strategic objective of the Japanese during the Battle of Coral Sea and the overland during the Kakoda Trail campaign. Japanese invasion attempts were unsuccessful, but area was subjected to many air attacks. The area became a major American and Australian staging area and airfield complex in support of the Allied push to the north of New Guinea.

Today
Capital of Papua New Guinea (PNG). The town has grown and many traces of the war have been removed or dissapeared, but airifelds and dive sites still remain. Also, the city is home to the PNG National Museum with a collection of war relics and artifacts. Everywhere you look, there are pieces of Marston Matting, or PSP (Pierced Steel Planking) used as fences, sidewalks and animal pens!

Japanese Air Raids Against Port Moresby
February 2, 1942 - April 12, 1943 (plus later nightime harrasment raids). 

Port Moresby City Areas
Nearly the entire city has some connections with World War II

Port Moresby Harbors & Ofshore Islands
Harbors and offshore islands

Port Moresby Airfields
By 1944, Port Moresby had six airfields. Jackson was the largest.  Wartime airfields in the area included the following:

Port Moresby Gun Emplacements & Fortifications
There are a number of abandoned gun emplacements, bunkers and fortifications. These were constructed by Australian Engineers in 1944, but never used, then abandoned after the war.

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009