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IJN Phil Bradley 1998  Justin Taylan 2006 |
Wartime History Delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) as 76.2mm Anti-Aircraft Gun / Type 3 (1914) 8cm High Angle Gun serial number unknown. Shipped overseas and landed at either Buna, Gona or Sanananda on the north coast of New Guinea. During the middle of 1942, this gun and 76.2mm Anti-Aircraft Gun Type 3 (Buna No. 1) were emplaced in gun positions in light vegetation on the southern side of Buna Airfield (Old Strip). This gun provided anti-aircraft fire to defend the airspace over the area. During late December 1942, as the Allied soldiers approached Buna, the Japanese deliberately withheld their fire to avoid being detected and allowed Australian Army infantry and tanks to come into range before. Although the Allies knew the Japanese had guns emplaced in the area, they incorrectly believed they had been silenced by air attacks or abandoned. On December 24, 1942 the pair of guns fired on the four Australian Army M3 Stuart tanks and in two hours disabled all four tanks. M3 Stuart commander McCrohon was hit low in the hull knocking out the radio and slid into a bomb crater filled with water and became bogged. M3 Stuart commander Barnet was hit in the turret killing the gunner. At 11:27am a direct hit was scored on M3 Stuart Tank 2017 on the driver's flap. Moments later, M3 Stuart commanded by Church was hit in the turret. On December 25, 1942 Australian Army 2/10th Infantry Battalion soldiers led by Major James H. Trevivian advanced toward the guns but got stuck in kunai grass and had to lay low until after midnight. On December 26, 1942 under the cover of artillery fire and 2" mortar barrage, Australians led by Trevivian continued to advance and managed to get two Bren guns atop an aircraft revetment and fire on the gun positions as they fired on the advancing infantry in the kunai grass. One f the two guns was firing blank rounds of powder only to set the kunai grass on fire around the Australians. Cpl Timothy "Tim" Hughes ran forward and threw a grenade that killed two of the defenders and allowed the rest of his platoon inside the gun position while he fired his Thompson gun at the Japanese defenders were eliminated. Wreckage Until 1973, this gun remained in situ at Buna Airfield (Old Strip). Recovery During the middle of 1973, this gun and M3 Stuart 2017 were removed then transported by barge to Port Moresby. Afterwards, shipped across the Pacific to the United States. Display Since the middle 1970s, this gun is displayed outdoors at the Nimitz Museum (National Museum of the Pacific War). References WW2 Nomianl Roll - James H. Trevivian, SX1444 WW2 Nominal Roll - Timothy Hughes, SX1570 Hell's Battlefield (2012) by Phil Bradley pages 145 (hit M3 Stuart 2017), 146 (map 3-inch guns), 147 (December 24, 1942), 148-149 (December 25, 1942–December 26, 1942), 503 (index Trevivian) Contribute
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