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 USAAF c1942  Frances Lasker 1947  Justin Taylan 2000 |
Location Paga Hill is located at southern edge of Port Moresby on the southern coast of New Guinea. Also known as Paga Point or Monga Point. To the northeast borders Port Moresby (Town) and to the east is Ela Beach. Borders Fairfax Harbor to the north and west and Walter Bay to the east and south. Beyond to the southwest is Basilisk Passage. Wartime History During 1939, the Royal Australian Engineers (RAE) began construction of Paga Hill Battery (Paga Battery, Paga Fortress) atop Paga Hill to defend Port Moresby and Fairfax Harbor. In February 1942, when Japanese air raids against Port Moresby commenced, the concrete gun mounts were still drying, forcing the gunners to wait until the middle of the month before the battery could go into action. Aside from ranging and proving fire, this gun battery never fired at any enemy target. The Australian Army Engineers 19th Fortress Company directed the Paga Hill defenses. Paga Hill was also the headquarters of the 67th Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Battery. During the Pacific War, other defenses and supporting military infrastructure was added including light anti-aircraft gun positions, a radio station an transmitter at hilltop. By 1943, at the summit, the U.S. Army added a RS 412 radar with a range of more than 104 miles, with less range directly north due to the Owen Stanley Range. Paga Hill Gun Battery (Paga Battery) Built in 1939 with two 6" Mark XI naval guns emplaced in concrete mounts P-39 Airacobra Serial Number ? Pilot Gillen crashed July 28, 1942 i the sea off Paga Point. P-38G Lightning 43-2201 Pilot Smith crashed August 20, 1943 remains recovered. Contribute
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