1947
2000
Justin Taylan 2005
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Port Moresby (Town)
This peninsula
includes Paga Hill, Ela Beach and the main wharf area. During WWII
this was the main town area. Today,
it is also the commercial center known as 'town'.
Base D
(Port Moresby)
US Army letter base designation.
Wharf
Area
Prior
to the war, the wharf area was used by Burns Philips. During the
war, it was expanded. Footage of this same wharph area under aerial
attack by Japanese bombers was recorded by Damien Parer. US Navy
Seabees had a minor role at the wharf when a detachemnt of 70 men
from the 55th Battalion that arrived on June 20, 1943, later augmented
by a detachment from Milne Bay. They
built a radio station for the port direction headquarters, 10 quonset
huts for living quarters, water supply and storage, generator and
transmitter buildings that went into operation July 15, 1943. Later,
8 more quonset huts were built by January 12, 1944. Later in July,
19 more quonset huts were added. CBMUU 546 arrived to relieve the original
detachment on April 3, 1944. In October 1944 the base roll-up was begun,
and completed by November 1, 1944. It is still in use for container
ship and cargo traffic. |
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Justin Taylan 2005
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Burns Philips Building
This building is located overlooking the wharp area. Built prior
to WWII, it survived the war and Japanese aerial bombing untouched. Today,
it remains and is used by small shops. It was located across the
street from the Papuan Hotel, which burned down after the war. |
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1942
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Papuan Hotel
This prewar hotel was taken over by American forces and used as a HQ. It survived the war, but burned down in the 1960s. |
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1942
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Troops
Club
Located in Port Moresby town, operated
by the US Canteen Services. Today is near the present day Crown Plaza
Hotel. |
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Harumi Sakaguchi 2004 |
Ela
Beach Memorial
This memorial was dedicated in 2003. |
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1942
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Paga Hill
Large hill that encompases half of Port Moresby town.
Paga Hill Gun Battery (Paga Battery)
Australian gun battery at the top of the hill, later anti-aircraft, search lights and radar. |
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Justin Taylan 2007
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Tuaguba Hill (Touaguba Hill)
Large hill that encompases the other half of Port Moresby town. Also spelled Touaguba or Tua-guba. Means 'big wind' in Motu language.
3.7" Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery
Australian 3.7" heavy anti-aircraft gun battery |
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Konedobu
Located to the north of town area.
Fairfax
Harbor
Port
Moresby's harbor. Was the site of the Fying
Boat Base used by Qantas before the war (site of the current PNGDF
patrol boat base) and signifigant today for several wartime ship and
aircraft wrecks. Port of call for Allied reinforcements to from Australia
and around the world to New Guinea.
Port
Moresby Yacht Club
A
mast from the MV MacDhui recovered,
and erected opposite the club in 1971. Prior to WWII, this
location was also just west of the Fying
Boat Base. This base was also used during
WWII by flying boats.
Koki (2-Mile Hill)
Temporary hospital in mid-late 1943 The island in the background is Manubada.
Burns Peak
Peak located in this area, a roadcut was made into this feature to
allow for the modern freeway to be built.
Kaevaga
Area located to the north of Konedobu.
Governor
General's Residence (MacArthur's HQ)
This
prewar building is the house of the Commonwealth Governor General. During
WWII, it was used by General MacArthur as his residence in Port Moresby
beginning in November 6, 1942, until he relocated his HQ to Hollandia.
It was here on November 30th he told Eichelberger:
"Bob…I want you to take Buna, or not come back alive." Today,
it is again the Governor General's Residence.
Barune
Dump (Barune Tip)
Dump or tip area begun during
the American occupation, for the garbage that the Americans in
Port Moresby area (over 200,000+ at their height) generated.
Today, it is still used as a dump for the town.
116th
Station Hospital
US
Army hospital, Located
near Barune Village. At its height in 1943 was the largest hospital
in the southern hemisphere. At its height, it was capable of preforming
any medical proceedure possible in the United States and use for
American patients until the 117th Station Hospital was created at Nadzab.
The hospital was dismantled at the end of the war. Today, only
concerete pads where buildings once stood remain. The hospital's
water supply still and are used by locals.
Roads, culvets and other engineering architecture also remain.
Gordons
Area of Port Moresby town, south-east of Waigani
PNG
National Museum, War Museum
Contains
a number of relics, archives and aircraft in storage outside.
Boroko
Area to the east of town, including Murry Barracks, 3-mile, Taurama,
4-mile.
Arcadia
Boroko intersection named 'Arcadia' by an African American
GI who worked directing traffic at this location. Since the location
did not have a name, the Black GI was asked to give it a name, and
dubbed it 'Arcadia'. It was still
known by this name during New Guinea's post war colonial period.
Tarama Barracks
Army Barracks located at the intersection of Taurama and Rigo roads.
Murry Barracks
Located outside Port Moresby. Named in honor of Sir Hubert Murray, Lieutenant
Governor of Papua from the turn of the century until his death a
few years before the WWII. In the 36th Battalion War Diaries,
it mentions they were stationed at Murray Barracks both before and
after heading to the Buna-Gona beachhead.
US Military Cemetery
Located near Murray Barracks and the hill where Garden Hill Estate is now located, noted on 1943 maps. These American graves were exhumed after the war.
Waigani
Area to the north-west of Gordons. Includes
the former 5-Mile Wards Drome airfield and the contemporary PNG goverment.
Port Moresby Golf Club
Golf Course behind the parlament building,
built overtop an American dispersal and camp area between Wards (5-Mile)
and Jacksons (7-Mile). Several of the greens were made inside wartime
ravetments. A larger water hazzard on at the edge of the course
contains the wreckage of a RAAF P-40 that crashed into it during the war.
Gerehu
Area to the north of the present day University of PNG.
Bitsubishi Hill
A G3M2 Nell crashed into this hill during a bombing raid against Port Moresby. It is located
beside the Wiagani Swamp near University of PNG.
Camp Wallaby
Wartime camp area at this location.
Kila Kila
Area to the east of Port Moresby,
Horsecamp, 3-Mile Kila Drome.
Kila
Drome (3 Mile, Kila Kila)
Prewar Port Moresby airfield, used and expanded during the war. Today abandoned.
Horse Camp
Area near 3-Mile Drome where a US Army cavalry unit was based. Known as "Horse
Camp" to this day.
PNG War Contributions Memorial
This memorial is located on the road above town. Four siloettes depict the roles Papua New Guinea people played during the war: Volunteer Rifles, Carriers, Strecher Bearers and scouts. Sadly, the memorial has been grafittied, and covered in betle nut juice as it is near a small market where people congregate. Photo by Justin Taylan, 2003.
Bruce Hoy recalls from the 1970:
"A B-24 was at the intersection of the Taurama and Rigo Roads.
B-24 behind the village on the way to Pari Village.
When I was last there, it still had wire-wrapped 100-lb bombs lying
around.
