Bunani Point - Kyusyu Maru

Peter Flahavin Guadalcanal Revisited

January 1995 / February 1996 Peter Flahavin / Rod Bellars
Bunani Point

USAAF October 16, 1942
October 15, 1942
Three Japanese transports were lost attempting to run supplies to the Japanese garrison. Asumasan Maru, Sasako Maru and Kyusyu Maru.

B-17 Aerial Photo Oct 16, 1942
B-17's flew in to finish off the ships. You can see the oil slick from the already sunk Sasako. Azumasan is getting hit by another B-17's stick of bombs. That night, she slipped off the reef and sunk in 100-200 feet of water. The beached Kyusyu Maru is obscured by the smoke from Asumasan.

Kyusyu Maru

Kyusyu Maru 1944

Same location in 1998

Today, only one is still visible today the pile of plating from Kyusyu Maru on the beach near Bunani Point. Since then, it has been cut up by scrap dealers sometime during the 1960's. The cut up plates of this ship remain piled high on the beach and lying along the waters edge.

This ship was one of three sunk by US aircraft on October 15th 1942, from the Japanese attempt to get supplies to their troops. A dive-bomber hit ammunition in the rear hold and it sunk rapidly by the stern.

Kyusyu Maru - 75 mm gun
From the bow of Jap Transport Kyusyu Maru, note sited on the hill between Henderson Field and the Lunga River, overlooking the bridge west towards Honiara. Still in decent condition. There are two more rotted fixed mount guns are at the Vilu War Museum.

75mm Gun from Kyusyn Maru

Japanese Type 38 (1905) 75mm Naval Gun from the Kyusyu Maru. This was the naval version of the Type 38 (1905) 75mm field gun. The gun appears to have faded to a white color. (Thanks to Richard Vangampler for the identification) The beach behind the club was where three companies of 1st Battalion / 7th Marines landed on 27 September 1942 and later had to be evacuated from under heavy Japanese fire from Point Cruz.

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