Location
Lat 7° 4' 60S Long 157° 0' 0E Island located to the SE of Bougainville.

History
Japanese used the island to a limited extent. It was the scene of only limited diversionary strike by the USMC and some coastwatching and intelligence mission. In late August through September, Tokyo Express runs between and Choiseul Islands rescued more than 3,800 Japanese troops from Kolombangara to Choiseul. US Navy PT-Boats operated with success in the area, as did larger ships, including USS Nicholas (DD 449) which patrolled island between August 18 - 26, 1943.

American Missions Against Choiseul
January 28, 1943 - March 4, 1944

TAIU Japanese Aircraft Mission
From January 21 - February 19, 1944 Technical Air Intelligence did a probe of Japanese aircraft wrecks on Choiseul. They were inserted at Ruravu Mission in the south of the island, and covering hundreds of miles by foot and in canoes with the help of locals and coastwatchers.   They reported many wrecks including a Sonia, Oscar, Zero and Judy that was later recovered.

Coastwatchers
Lt. Carden W. Seton operated from Choiseul from 1942 - October 1943.

PBY Catalina Bureau Number 48259
Pilot Burkhardt March 8, 1944

Voza
Lat 6° 52' 60S Long 156° 39' 0E  Located on the southern coast of Choiseul, undefended by the Japanese. As a feign for the upcoming Marine landing at Bougainville.

Marine Landing
Four APDs and USS Conway DD-507 transported the Marines from Villa Lavella to Voza, landing at 1:00am on October 28, 1943 by the 2d Parachute Battalion an undefended area near Voza, conduct raids along the northwestern coast, select a site for a possible PT Boat base, and withdraw after 12 days if the Navy decided it did not want to establish a facility. The parachutists were to give the enemy the impression that they were a large force trying to seize Choiseul. To beef up the battalion's firepower, I MAC attached a platoon of machine guns from the regimental weapons company and an experimental rocket platoon. A Navy PBY also landed at Choiseul and brought out an Australian coastwatcher, Carden W. Seton, who would accompany the raid force and ensure it received the full support of local natives. Altogether the reinforced battalion numbered about 700 men.

Marine Withdrawal
The force was withdrawn on November 3rd, the battalion moved to the beach at Voza and established a perimeter pending the nighttime arrival of four LCIs (one of them a gunboat version to provide covering fire). The demolition platoon placed out hundreds of booby traps on avenues of approach. Japanese forces were moving closer and enemy patrols began to reach the Voza area near midnight, as evidenced by exploding booby traps. The three transport LCIs arrived just prior to that and beached by 0130. The parachutists were completely loaded in less than 20 minutes and were back at Villa Lavella by 0800. As the battalion marched to its camp, coastwatchers were reporting the occupation of Voza by the enemy. At a cost of 11 dead and 14 wounded, the 2d Battalion had killed a minimum of 143 Japanese and seriously disrupted the movement of enemy forces from Choiseul to points northward.

Zinoa Island
Island offshore of Voza, where Marine APDs were hidden after the landing.

Sangigai (Sanggighae, Sagigai, Sanggigae)
Lat 6° 57' 0S Long 156° 41' 60E  Village to the south-east of Voza.

Japanese force of approximately 200 maintained a barge station here. Lieutenant Colonel Krulak, the 2d Battalion commander attacked Sangigai capturing it unopposed. Defenders fled inland, then launched a banzai attack that was repulsed. There, the installation and a barge were destroyed. Captured documents included a chart pin pointing minefields off Bougainville. The company then linked up with landing craft and made it back to base that evening. The cost of the victory was 6 dead, 1 missing, and 12 wounded, including Krulak, who suffered wounds in his face and arm from fragments. A flying boat evacuated the severest casualties and picked up the invaluable mine charts. 72 Japanese were killed.

Coastwatcher Station Del
Located on Mount Alikona, near the southern coast of the island, inland from Sangigai.

Nokiki
Lat 6° 46' 0S Long 156° 28' 0E  Located to the south-east of Choiseul Bay.

Major Warner T. Bigger, battalion executive officer, launched an operation to the north-east to Nokiki and the Warrior River with the goal of destroying barges in Choiseul Bay.

Choiseul Bay
Located at the NW tip of the island. Prewar, there was a copra plantation on the offshore islands of Redman and Guppy. The Emerald Entrance provided a passage to the mainland. Occupied by the Japanese in early 1942 and used as a seaplane landing area, between the Choiseul mainland and offshore islands. It is unknown if any base facilities were established, or only used as a landing area.

B-17E Serial Number 41-9151
Pilot Hall shot down February 1, 1943

Choiseul Bay Airstrip
This airfield is not a wartime airstrip. Built by British Engineers in 1973

Visi Point
Located to the south of Choiseul Bay

Warrior River
Located to the east of Choiseul Bay. Bigger's force was withdrawn from its patrol at this location One craft hit a reef after retracting from the beach and began to take on water. Then its engine died and it drifted toward the enemy-held beach. Two PT boats, one commanded by Lieutenant (jg) John F. Kennedy, came on the scene and took aboard the men on that boat. Three aircraft appeared at the same time and covered the operation by strafing the shore.

Moli (Moli Point)
On the coast near Choiseul Bay. TAIU team force examined a force landed Japanese fighter here.  An aerial camera was mounted on the side of the fuselage.

B-25D Mitchell Serial Number 41-30567
Pilot Spies crashed October 6, 1943

Coastwatcher Station Ana
Coatwatchers operated a station behind the bay, known as "Ana" overlooking the base from 1,500 feet on Mount Grili.

Coastwatcher Station Don
Located on the north coast of Choiseul, near Wanago

Cape Kamboro
Located on the north-east side of the island.

Kolokapisi
Lat 7° 13' 0S Long 156° 58' 0E  Village near coast of Luti bay

A6M3 Zero
West coast along coastline.

Boe (Mboe)
Lat 7° 4' 60S Long 156° 49' 0E Located on the south coast of the center of the island.

Ki-46 Dinah 2417
Judged down a long time, partially covered by sand and partially covered by water at high tide, Boe Village (some details on this one). Thanks to Richard Dunn for this information.

Batua Point

D4Y1 Judy Manufacture Number 330
Crashed around August 15, 1943

Varunga Point
Latitude 7° 10' 60 S  Long 157° 16' 60 E  Located on the north coast of the island.

A6M3 Zero Tail Code TB 2332
Ditched off Varunga Point, Surveyed by ATIU between January 21 - February 19, 1944. No Manufacture number was noted. Thanks to Richard Dunn for this information.

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
October 7, 2009