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 USN December 10, 1943 |
Location Lat 8° 34' 0S Long 157° 52' 60E Segi (Seghe) is located on Segi Point (Seghe Point) at an elevation of 3' above sea level on the southeast tip of New Georgia in the New Georgia Islands (New Georgia Group) in the central Solomon Islands. Borders the Wickham Anchorage and Viru Harbor. To the west is Nono and Regi. To the east is the Marovo Lagoon. 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 the Japanese occupation of New Georgia, prewar District Officer Donald G. Kennedy remained on the island and established a Coastwatcher base at Segi. Also known as Kennedy Coastwatcher Base or Kennedy's Base. Kennedy's force included loyal Solomon Island Police from the prewar colonial administration including Lt. Bill Bennett and Solomon Islanders who remained loyal to the Allies. Using a radio, Kennedy was able to report on Japanese ship and aircraft movements around New Georgia and in "The Slot", rescued downed Allied airmen and used schooner Dadavata to sail around Marovo Lagoon. On December 3, 1942 Kennedy was joined by Methodist Nurse Merle Farland. She was evacuated on December 20 aboard a U.S. Navy PBY Catalina from VP-91 piloted by Paschal that landed at Segi and embarked Farland, 13 Solomon Island Police (SIP) and 14 Japanese Prisoners of War (POWs) flying them Florida Island (Ringbolt). On March 21, 1943 a group of U.S. Marine scouts from the 1st Marine Raider Regiment were flown aboard a PBY Catalina to Segi to meet Kennedy who assigned Solomon scouts and porters to reconnoiter the area then returned on April 9, 1943 and were flown out aboard flying boat. Meanwhile, the Japanese were aware of Kennedy's presence and occasionally sent out patrols to hunt him down that were repelled. On June 20, 1943 Kennedy reported the Japanese were moving against his position from Viru Harbor and he was forced to withdraw into the jungle and requested help. The U.S. planned to occupy Segi and build Segi Airfield as one of the first objectives of the New Georgia campaign. Based on the threat to Kennedy, a force of U.S. Marine were rushed as reinforcements. On June 21, 1943 at 5:30am destroyer-transports USS Dent APD-9 and USS Waters APD-8 land the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) 1st Raider Regiment, 4th Marine Raider Battalion (less N Company and Q Company) under the command of Lt. Col. Michael S. Currin part of the "Eastern Landing Force" at the start of the New Georgia campaign. On June 22, 1943 two more transports USS Schley (APD-14) and USS Crosby (APD-17 ) lands the U.S. Army 103rd Infantry Regiment A Company and D Company. On June 27, 1943 Afterwards, the Marines used rubber boats to to land at Lambeti Plantation near Regi then advanced westward toward Viru Harbor. Japanese missions against Segi July 7, 1943–July 9, 1943 Segi Airfield (Seghe Point Airfield) American built airfield on the south-eastern tip of New Georgia P-38 Lightning Ditched off Segi into the harbor Donald G. Kennedy Coastwatcher Base During July 1942, Allied coastwatcher Donald G. Kennedy a prewar was an administrator in the British Solomon Islands Protectorate (BSIP) established a coastwatcher base at Seghe (Segi) to report by radio on Japanese ship and aircraft movements around New Georgia and down "The Slot" of the central Solomon Islands. The nearest Japanese forces were roughly 18km to the south at Viru Harbor. His force included Solomon Island Police from the colonial administration including and Lt. Bill Bennett and locals loyal to the Allies. Kennedy had a schooner that was used to attack Japanese barges and rescue downed Allied airmen. On May 19, 1943 during the night Kennedy and his men aboard their schooner engaged a Japanese whaleboat in Marovo Lagoon. During the engagement, Kennedy was wounded by a bullet. On June 21, 1943 two companies of U.S. Marines from the 4th Marine Raider Battalion landed at Seghe to defend the area and were reinforced the next day by U.S. Army soldiers. References History of the U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II - Chapter 2 pages 59, 63, 64, 65, 67, 69, 70, 71 (District Officer Donald G. Kennedy), 73, 78, 79 U.S. Army in WWII The Reduction of Rabaul Chapter VI Toenails: The Landings in New Georgia pages 70-73, 76, 77, 78, 81, 82 (photo), 84-85 Contribute
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