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 38th BG c1942-1943  USAAF 1943  USAAF 1944   D Letourneau 1999 |
Location Lat 8° 20' 14S Long 157° 17' 11E Laiana is located at sea level on the southern coast of New Georgia in the New Georgia Island Group (New Georgia Islands) in the central Solomon Islands. At this location were two villages: Laiana on the eastern tip and Ilangana on the southern tip. Prewar, this area was known as Olsen's Landing. Borders Roviana Lagoon to the east and Munda Harbor (Munda Bay) to the south and west and beyond is Munda (Munda Point). Prewar and during the Pacific War part of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate (BSIP). Today located in Western Province in the Solomon Islands. Wartime History During June 1943 during Allied planning for the invasion of New Georgia, Laiana Beach was excluded as a potential landing site because the area was within range of Japanese artillery at Munda and was deemed too risky. Instead, the U.S. landing was further to the west at Zanana Beach. On July 14, 1943 U.S. Marine Corps M3 Stuart tank and a special weapons detail from the 9th Defense Battalion plus the U.S. Army 103rd Infantry Battalion, land on Laiana Beach to support the New Georgia Occupation Force . Today The beach area is still littered with debris from the war including the rusted metal rims of 55 gallon drums. References The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II Northern Solomons pages 15, 16, 19 U.S. Army in WWII The Reduction of Rabaul Chapter VI Toenails: The Landings in New Georgia footnote 27 U.S. Army in WWII The Reduction of Rabaul Chapter VII The Offensive Stalls pages 113-118, 120, 124, 126 U.S. Army in WWII The Reduction of Rabaul Chapter VIII Griswold Takes Over pages 132, 135-137, 139-140 U.S. Army in WWII The Reduction of Rabaul Chapter IX XIV Corps Offensive pages 144, 147, 150, 158 Condition Red: Marine Defense Battalions in World War II - Into the Central and Northern Solomons Contribute
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