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![]() IJN February 8, 1943 ![]() USAAF Oct 12, 1943 ![]() Steve Saunders 2001 |
Location Lat 4° 13' 0S Long 152° 9' 0E Malaguna is located three miles south of Rabaul. Borders Simpson Harbor to the east and Vulcan volcano to the south. There are three villages located shoreline known as Malaguna 1, Malaguna 2 and Malaguna 3. The section of road at this location was known as "Malaguna Road", now known as the "Kokopo Road". Today located in East New Britain Province in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Wartime History On January 23, 1942 after midnight, the Japanese Army "South Seas Detachment" built around 144th Infantry Regiment landed and several locations including Malaguna and occupied the area. During the Pacific War, many tunnels were dug in this area by the Japanese and the coastlien bordering Simpson Harbor used by barges and ships and a seaplane operating area known as Malaguna Seaplane Base. A section of parallel to Malaguna Road was developed into Malaguna Airfield and used as an emergency strip. Between 1942-1945 the Malaguna area was attacked by Allied bombers and fighters. Allied missions against Malaguna January 14, 1944–April 13, 1944 Occupied by the Japanese until the end of the Pacific War. On September 10, 1945, after the official surrender the day before, Australian 29/46 Infantry Battalion 4 Infantry Brigade landed at Malaguna, the first troops of the Allied occupational force to land in the area. Japanese Anti-Aircraft Battery Malaguna Airfield (Malaguna Emergency Strip) Malaguna Seaplane Base Malaguna Tunnels Brian
Bennett reports: During July 2001, a rain storm collapsed a Japanese tunnel between Malaguna 1 and Malaguna 2 near a gas station with Japanese hydrovanes stored inside. Contribute
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