Lat
8° 31' 60S Long 157° 19' 60E Located to the
south-west of New Georgia,
off Munda.
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 occured 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 beachead 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 Liberator Serial Number 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.
Rendova Harbor
The harbor contains several islands, and the site of the Allied landing
point.
SBD-4 Dauntless Bureau
Number 10348
Shot down July 23, 1943 by anti-aircraft fire from Munda, ditched crew rescued
Lumbaria
Island (Todd City)
PT-Boat Squadron 9 set up base at this
island, in Rendova harbor. Nicknamed "Todd City" in honor of the first
PT-Boat crewman killed in action from the base, Leon E. Todd. It was from this base that PT-109 departed for its doomed mission on August 2, 1943.
Ewan Stevenson adds:
"I went
there on a picnic in 1994 very pleasant and searched for a PT boat
sunk in the harbour (deep) that is rarely seen/known. Had no success
this time either!"
Bou Island (Rendova PT Boat Base)
Located to the north of Rendova. This small island was developed
in October 1943 into a PT Boat base by the US Navy Seabee 20th Battalion,
who improved docking facilities, camp area and warehouses. In
March 1944, the 73rd Battalion added an engine warehouse, more roads
and fuel lines.