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![]() USN December 10, 1943 |
Location Lat 8° 34' 0S Long 157° 52' 60E Segi (Seghe) is located on Segi Point (Seghe Point) at an elevation of 3' above sea level on the southeast tip of New Georgia Island in the New Georgia Islands (New Georgia Group) in Western Province in the Solomon Islands. Borders the Wickham Anchorage and Viru Harbor. To the west is Nono and Regi. To the east is the Marovo Lagoon. Wartime History During 1942, a small Japanese force occupied the Segi area. During the Japanese occupation, coastwatcher Donald G. Kennedy operated in the Segi area. During June 1943 the Japanese attempted to locate and eliminate his force, prompting the Americans to make the liberation of Segi one of the first priorities in the Central Solomon campaign. On December 3, 1942 Kennedy was joined by Methodist Nurse Merle Farland. She was evacuated on December 20 aboard a U. S. Navy PBY Catalina from VP-91 piloted by Paschal that landed at Segi and embarked Farland, 13 Solomon Island Police (SIP) and 14 Japanese Prisoners of War (POWs) flying them Florida Island (Ringbolt). On June 21, 1943 at 5:30am two destroyer-transports USS Dent APD-9 and Waters APD-8 landed the U. S. Marine Corps (USMC) 1st Raider Regiment, 4th Marine Raider Battalion under the command of Michael S. Currin as part of the "Eastern Landing Force" at the start of the New Georgia campaign. On June 22, 1943 two more transports landed the U. S. Army 103rd Infantry Regiment. Afterwards, the Marines were transported westward to Regi. Japanese missions against Segi July 7-9, 1943 Segi Airfield (Seghe Point Airfield) American built airfield on the south-eastern tip of New Georgia P-38 Lightning Ditched off Segi into the harbor Donald G. Kennedy Coastwatcher Base During July 1942, Allied coastwatcher Donald G. Kennedy a prewar was an administrator in the British Solomon Islands Protectorate established a coastwatcher base at Seghe (Segi) to report by radio on Japanese ship and aircraft movements around New Georgia and down "The Slot" of the central Solomon Islands. The nearest Japanese forces were roughly 18km to the south at Viru Harbor. His force included Solomon Island Police from the colonial administration including and Lt. Bill Bennett and locals loyal to the Allies. Kennedy had a schooner that was used to attack Japanese barges and rescue downed Allied airmen. During the night of May 19, 1943 Kennedy and his men aboard their schooner engaged a Japanese whaleboat in Marovo Lagoon when Kennedy was wounded by a bullet. On June 21, 1942 two companies of U. S. Marines from the 4th Marine Raider Battalion landed at Seghe to defend the area and were reinforced the next day by U. S. Army soldiers. References History of the U. S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II - Chapter 2 pages 59, 63, 64, 65, 67, 69, 70, 71, 73, 78, 79 Contribute
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![]() Map June 21, 1943 ![]() Map Fallingrain |
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