Location
Lat 8° 31' 60S Long 157° 19' 60E  Located to the south-west of New Georgia, off Munda. Offshore is Rendova Harbor (Lagoon) and Lumbaria Island and Bou Island.

Wartime History
Lightly occupied by detachments of the 229th Infantry and Kure 6th Special Naval Landing Force (Marines). American forces landed at the island's northern tip on June 30, 1943 at 0700 hours, as part of the "Western Landing Force" of the New Georgia campaign, landing two companies of the 172nd Infantry, who landed in the wrong place due to bad weather.

Over the next four days, additional landings occurred over the next four days, bringing ashore the remainder of the 172nd Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division, 9th Marine Defense Battalion, 24th Naval Construction Battalion, 103rd Field Artillery Battalion and other units. The landings utilized first time in the Pacific war, the LST (Landing Ship Tank). The American beachhead supported next phase of the operation, to capture Munda Airfield. On July 2, 1943 155mm artillery began shelling the airfield, and continued for the rest of the campaign.

SB-24D "Sergeant Stripes... Forever!" 42-63805
Crashed April 1, 1944 on a ridge line, located the day after the crash, remains recovered

Bonieto Point
Located at the western tip of the island.

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Last Updated
June 22, 2011