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    Lunga Point Guadalcanal | Guadalcanal Province Solomon Islands
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USN July 31, 1942

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USMC August 7, 1942

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USN 1945

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Justin Taylan 2005
Location
Lunga Point is located on the north coast of Guadalcanal. Also known as simply Lunga. The Lunga Point area is defined Lunga Point Airfield (Henderson Field) to the south, Lunga River to the west, Red Beach, Lunga Point Anchorage and beyond Iron Bottom Sound to the north, and Hell's Point and Tenaru to the east. At this location, the mouth of the Lunga River mouth empties into the sea. Borders the Lunga Point Anchorage and Iron Bottom Sound to the north. Today, Honiara is located to the west.

Prewar
The Lunga Point area was owned by Leaver Brothers and developed as a coconut palm plantation harvesting copra.

Wartime History
During early July 1942 occupied by the Japanese and developed into a camp area to support the construction of Lunga Point Airfield. Used by the Japanese until August 6, 1942.

On August 7, 1942 U.S. Marines landed at Red Beach and occupied the Lunga Point area meeting little resistance. The Japanese defenders, mostly construction personnel fled the area, abandoning their camp.

On August 9, 1942 the Americans established Naval Operating Base (NOB) Cactus at Lunga Point under the command of Commander Dwight Dexter with landing craft and supported ship to shore communications.

During the Battle of Guadalcanal, Lunga Point and the Lunga River formed the western edge of the Marine perimeter protecting Henderson Field. The Lunga Point Anchorage was used as an anchorage for Navy vessels, small ships, landing craft and as a seaplane operating area.

Until the end of the Pacific War, Lunga Point was developed into a base area due to its proximity to the Lunga Point Anchorage and Henderson Field. Among the units based there was the U.S. Army 24th Infantry, 2nd Battalion (Negro) between March 1, 1943–August 6, 1943. At the end of the Pacific War, the Americans demolished the base and used bulldozers to bury most of the remaining equipment in pits.

Hell's Point
Located on the coast of Guadalcanal near Lunga Point. Used as an ammunition dump for American forces.

American Cemetery on Guadalcanal (Guadalcanal Cemetery)
After the war, all bodies where exhumed for burial elsewhere

Henderson Field (Lunga Point, Honiara)
Japanese built, expanded by Americans primary airfield on Guadalcanal

Fighter 1 (Lunga Field, The Cow Pasture)
Fighter strip built near Henderson, today abandoned

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Last Updated
May 30, 2023

 

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Map 1944

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Map 1945
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