Location
Lat 5° 26' 33S Long 154° 39' 46E  Sohano Island is located at the western end of the Buka Passage. Also known as "Schane". To the north is the Buka Passage and beyond Buka Island. To the south is the Sohana Channel and beyond Bonis on the northwest end of Bougainville. Today located in Kunua Rural LLG of Northern Bougainville District in Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Prewar
An Australian government station was established on Sohano Island manned by Ken Bridges the Assistant District Officer (ADO) in charge until November 1941 then was replaced by Jack Read.

Wartime History
During early 1942 Sohano Island was occupied by the Japanese and developed as a base area. The coastline of Sohano Island was used as a seaplane anchorage area for Buka Seaplane Base and barges occasionally anchored in the nearby Sohano Channel and Buka Passage.

Allied missions against Sohano
November 16, 1943 - June 10, 1944

Buka Seaplane Base
Channel and island used by the Japanese during the war

Sohano Island Japanese Memorial
Erected in 1984 for the 65,000 Japanese that died in the Bougainville campaign. Nearby, is a F1M2 Pete fuselage, recovered from the Sohano Channel, and fire extinguisher ground unit.

F1M2 Pete Tail 52
Crashed in nearby mangrove swamp, salvaged and displayed on the island

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Last Updated
October 23, 2019