American missions against Tonolei Harbor (Tonolai)
September 29, 1942–October 15, 1944

September 29, 1942
(13th AF) Eleven B-17s from the 11th BG 26th BS, 98th BS and 431st BS plus B-17s from the 5th BG, 72nd BS took off on a bombing mission against Tonolei Harbor on Bougainville. Over the target was thick fog and the formation dove down to make their bombing run and were attacked by fifteen A6M Zeros. The formation was unable to locate the target due to bad weather and instead patrolled the western coast of Bougainville.

October 13, 1942
(13th AF) 6 B-17s bomb Tonolai.

October 16, 1942
(USN) Aircraft from USS Hornet, Task Group 17 (TG-17) hit targets in the Tonolei area.

October 31, 1942
(5th AF) B-17s bomb shipping in the Tonolai area.

November 1, 1942
(5th AF) During the night, five 19th BG B-17s strike shipping at Tonolei.

November 11, 1942
(13th AF) Search aircraft from Guadalcanal report at least 61 Japanese ships in the Buin-Tonolai area.

November 12, 1942
(5th AF) B-17s bomb shipping at Tonolai Harbor.

November 13, 1942
(5th AF) B-17s bomb shipping off Tonolai-Komaleai Point.

March 20, 1943
(USN, USMC) Forty-two Navy and Marine Corps TBF Avengers, on a night flight from Henderson Field mine Tonolei Harbor.

May 23, 1943
(13th AF) 9 B-17's and B-24's, in a diversionary raid, bomb the Buin-Kahili-Tonolai shoreline area.

October 16, 1943
(USMC) Twenty F4U Corsairs from VMF-214 "Black Sheep" from five divisions took off in the morning, three to escort some SBD's on a strike against Kara Airfield, the other two on a fighter sweep. Bolt flew with the fighter sweep, which Boyington was leading. As they flew over Kahili's Tonolei Harbor, they saw that it was filled with Japanese barges. "Nobody shoot" ordered the normally aggressive Boyington, who led the eight Corsairs on a long, erratic route. While Boyington proceeded back to Munda, Bolt and the rest could only make Vella Lavella. At Vella, Bolt decided to fly back to Tonolei Harbor himself, to shoot up those barges. "The skipper will be pissed," a pilot warned. Bolt went anyway, and at Tonolei, he blasted one barge full of troops, an empty barge, a tug, and another small cargo vessel. Most of the vessels, he left burning and sinking. Back at Munda, Boyington was indeed "pissed", and the incident became know as 'Bolts War'. But Admiral Halsey was more supportive writing a cable:  "That one man war... conducted by Lieut. Bolt against Jap stuff in Tonolei Harbor, Warm Heart (Stop) Halsey".

October 30, 1943
(13th AF & USN) Tonolai Harbor area is hit by 8 P-40's and 17 USN planes.

November 15, 1943
(13th AF) B-24's destroy 2 fuel dumps at Tonolai.

November 16, 1943
(13th AF) 30+ P-40's and P-39's also carry out sweeps over the area, including Tonolai Harbor.

November 28, 1943
(13th AF) Fighters strafe barges at Tonolai.

November 30, 1943
(13th AF, USN) Fighter aircraft attack barges and AA guns at Tonolai Harbor.

December 1, 1943
(13th AF) P-39's strafe Tonolai Harbor.

December 10, 1943
(13th AF) P-39's bomb the supply area and AA positions at Tonolai and strafe 4 barges in Tonolai Harbor.

December 11, 1943
(13th AF) 8 P-39's bomb Tonolai.

December 12, 1943
(13th AF) Fighter aircraft strafe Tonolai Harbor.

January 4, 1944
(13th AF) B-25's pound gun positions at Tonolai.

January 5, 1944
(13th AF) B-24's attack Tonolai.

May 28, 1944
(13th AF) Fighter-bombers hit a suspected barge hideout near Tonolai.

June 1, 1944
(13th AF) 30+ P-39s attack Tonolai.

June 4, 1944
(13th AF) 9 P-38s weathered out of the Rabaul strike the Tonolai supply area.

October 15, 1944
(USMC) FG Corsair pilot Conroy from VMO-251 made a solo attack against Tonolei Harbor aloe and strafed and sank a canoe with three Japanese aboard, then finished them off with three more strafing runs. Also made six strafing runs against boxes and stores under camouflage netting on the west side of Tonolei Harbor and strafed a small boat further to the north along shore under camouflage netting. No AA fire was encountered.