Location
Tenaro is located on the north coast of Guadalcanal near Cape Esperence.

Wartime History
During the Guadalcanal campaign, the Japanese occupied this area. On February 9, 1943 U. S. Army forces linked up at Tenaro, an western force that had landed at Verahue and eastern force from the 161st Infantry Regiment advancing from Kokumbona. American forces discovered many tons of Japanese equipment and weapons left behind when the Japanese evacuated the area. In February 1943, Americans spent several weeks cleaning and clearing the area, and the ordnance was taken back to the Henderson Field area.

Ewan Stevenson adds:
"In the 1980's I investigated the area for abandoned Japanese weaponry. What I found was practically nothing."

U. S. Army Memorial
Star shaped memorial at the location where the eastern and western advances of the U. S. Army linked up on February 9, 1943.

Justin Taylan visited the site in 2006:
"I heard about this memorial from John Innes and investigated it. With the help of locals, we found the spot, just on the coast, outside the village. The star was overgrown and portions rusted, and the plaque missing. It appeared no visitors had been there in a long time."

Type 92B Artillery Tractor
Abandoned on a jungle track leading inland

Type 96 150mm Howitzers
Two guns were emplaced by the Japanese in the Tenaro Hills. In the late 1970s, these guns were recovered by Fred Kohna and taken to the Vilu War Museum where they are displayed to this day.

Ewan Stevenson adds:
"Two of the 150mm guns were moved down from Tenaro in 1976-1978. Certainly before 1980. Some people were not very happy with Fred for moving them down. Moving these artifacts from their original location destroys forever SOME of their inherent value. Those Type 96 on the ridge above Tenaro were truly magnificent in the kunai grass. A nice view and intriguing mysterious position never mentioned in the books. I so wish I could have visited them and photographed and videoed them in their original location. Who knows what fortifications/archaeological remains may have been associated with them. Such archaeological earthworks that remain today in the vicinity may now be inexplicable. But that was how Fred was the only person that has been successful in putting anything together on Guadalcanal. He over rode any protests and just used his over bearing, colourful character and status."

Yamaura Maru
Beached and sunk on November 15, 1942

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
October 5, 2019