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9 Mar 1942

British Western Pacific Territories
15 Mar 1942

British Western Pacific Territories
17 Mar 1942

British Western Pacific Territories
31 Mar 1942

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Tenryu provided cover for the landings at Kieta, Bougainville, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Tenryu | Kieta, Bougainville | CPC]
13 Oct 1942

Photo(s) dated 13 Oct 1942
Nisshin (center) and an unidentified Japanese ship (bottom) at Tonolei Harbor, Bougainville, 13 Oct 1942Damaged cruiser Aoba off Buin, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 13 Oct 1942; photo taken from cruiser Chokai
11 Nov 1942

Photo(s) dated 11 Nov 1942
B-17F Fortress flying past Mt. Bagana on Bougainville, Solomon Islands, Nov 11, 1942. This aircraft is returning from bombing Buka Island and is on its way to bomb Shortland Harbor at opposite the end of Bougainville
18 Apr 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • The two aircraft carrying Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto and Vice Admiral Matome Ugaki took off from Rabaul, New Britain at 0600 hours. Over the island of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands, they were shot down by American fighters over Bougainville in the Solomon Islands, killing Yamamoto. ww2dbase [Isoroku Yamamoto | Operation Vengeance | Bougainville | TH, CPC]
19 Apr 1943

British Western Pacific Territories Photo(s) dated 19 Apr 1943
Wreck of G4M bomber whose crash killed Admiral Yamamoto, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, Apr 1943
20 Apr 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
21 Apr 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
16 Jun 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • B-17 bomber "Old 666", piloted by Captain Jay Zeamer, conducted a camera mapping mission over Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. It was attacked and heavily damaged by fighters of the squadron led by Warrant Officer Yoshio Oki. Zeamer, wounded, would be able to fly the bomber back home; this later won him a Medal of Honor. ww2dbase [Bougainville | CPC]
16 Jul 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
18 Jul 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
19 Jul 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
20 Jul 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
12 Aug 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • 24 B-24 bombers attacked Buin, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, destroying 13 A6M fighters, 10 D3A dive bombers, and 1 reconnaissance aircraft on the ground. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | Buin, Bougainville | CPC]
15 Aug 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • 8 Corsair fighters of US Marine Corps squadron VMF-214 strafed Kahili Airfield on Bougainville island in the Solomon Islands just before sunset. The Americans claimed 3 Japanese aircraft shot down and several more damaged on the ground. ww2dbase [Kahili Airfield | Buin, Bougainville | CPC]
28 Aug 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Two US Corsair fighter squadrons attacked Kahili Airfield in Buin, Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. Lieutenant Al Jensen of US Marine Corps squadron VMF-214, flying a Corsair fighter, was credited with destroying 24 Japanese planes on the ground during this mission. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | Kahili Airfield | Buin, Bougainville | CPC]
14 Sep 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Corsair fighters of US Marine Corps squadron VMF-214 attacked Kahili Airfield on Bougainville, meeting no opposition. ww2dbase [Kahili Airfield | Buin, Bougainville | CPC]
4 Oct 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Gregory Boyington led 8 US Marine Corps squadron VMF-214 F4U fighters to escort USAAF bombers over Kahili Airfield on Bougainville island; US Army Air Forces also launched P-38 fighters for escort duty. Boyington claimed 3 Japanese shot down while the USAAF claimed 4 more. Japanese records would later reveal that only 1 fighter was shot down and 2 were written off from heavy damage. ww2dbase [New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 3 | Kahili Airfield | Buin, Bougainville | CPC]
15 Oct 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Originally given the task of escorting US Army Air Force bombers to attack Kahili Airfield on Bougainville island, the US Marine Corps F4U fighters arrived earlier than the bombers, thus the mission became a fighter sweep of the Japanese airfield. 22 Japanese A6M fighters rose to defend. USMC pilot Bill Case claimed 2 victories, Tom Emrich 2, Burney Tucker 1, and Gregory Boyington 1. Japanese records would later reveal that only 1 fighter was destroyed on this day. ww2dbase [New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 3 | Kahili Airfield | Buin, Bougainville | CPC]
17 Oct 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • US Marine Corps squadrons VMF-214 and VMF-221 conducted a fighter sweep over Kahili Airfield on Bougainville island in the morning. More than 30 A6M fighters of Japanese Navy Air Group 201 rose to defend. VMF-214 pilots would claim 9 Japanese aircraft shot down, while VMF-221 claimed 2; Japanese records would later reveal that only 2 aircraft were lost on this day. The Japanese pilots claimed 3 US aircraft shot down, but the Americans only suffered 2 aircraft lightly damaged and 1 aircraft heavily damaged and written off after its return. ww2dbase [New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 3 | Kahili Airfield | Buin, Bougainville | CPC]
18 Oct 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • 3 divisions of US Marine Corps squadron VMF-214, led by Gregory Boyington, attacked Ballale Airfield in the Shortland Islands. Later in the day, the same 3 divisions joined VMF-221 in the attack of Kahili Airfield on Bougainville island. 22 Japanese fighters rose to defend Kahili. US airmen claimed 14 Japanese aircraft shot down with 6 probables. Japanese records later revealed the loss of 4 aircraft in combat, 1 heavily damaged and written off, and 3 lightly damaged. ww2dbase [New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 3 | Kahili Airfield | Buin, Bougainville | CPC]
1 Nov 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Men of the US 3rd Marine Division landed at Torokina Point on the northern coast of Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, Solomon Islands; the beach was defended only by a small 300-strong garrison, but the effective Japanese defense surprised the attackers. In response of the invasion, Japanese aircraft from Rabaul, New Britain, attacked the US fleet, damaging destroyer USS Wadsworth (killing 2), but at the heavy cost of 16 A6M fighters lost. The Japanese dispatched a counter-invasion force consisted of Cruiser Division 4 (Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita) and transports carrying thousands of troops; the fleet was en route to Rabaul when it was detected by a B-24 Liberator bomber (Lieutenant Robert Sylvernale) while heading toward the western approach of Saint George's Channel between New Britain and New Ireland. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville | TH, CPC]
Photo(s) dated 1 Nov 1943
Men of US 3rd Marine Division disembarking onto the invasion beach at Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 1 Nov 1943SBD Dauntless dive bomber of US Marine Corps VMSB-144 squadron flying near Cape Torokina and Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 1 Nov 1943Men of the US 3rd Marine Regiment fighting just inland of Blue 3 Beach, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 1 Nov 1943LCVP landing craft circling off Cape Torokina, Bougainville, Solomon Islands while awaiting orders, 1 Nov 1943; note 20mm Oerlikon AA gun; photographed from aboard APA-13 USS American Legion
2 Nov 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Four Japanese cruisers and six destroyers sortied out of Rabaul, New Britain to attack the US Marine invasion of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. 75 B-25 bombers escorted by 80 P-38 fighters attacked this fleet just out of Rabaul, damaging cruiser Hajuro, damaging cruiser Myoko, sinking one submarine chaser, destroying 18 aircraft, damaging destroyer Shirasuyu, and damaging a number of smaller vessels; the Americans lost 8 B-25 and 9 P-38 aircraft in combat, plus more to be written off due to battle damage. The Japanese fleet, sailing at a reduced speed, engaged American warships at 0230 hours in Empress Augusta Bay. The Americans struck first, scattering the Japanese formation, but the Japanese were able to regroup and forced the American ships to withdraw. Though the action was inconclusive, the Japanese failed to disrupt American operations on Bougainville. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville | TH, CPC]
24 Nov 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • The still under construction Torokina Airfield at Bougainville, Solomon Islands saw its first unscheduled landing, an emergency landing by a US Navy SBD aircraft. ww2dbase [Cape Torokina, Bougainville | CPC]
8 Dec 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • The still under construction Torokina Airfield at Bougainville, Solomon Islands saw its second unscheduled landing, three F4U aircraft of US Marine Corps squadron VMF-214 which were running low on fuel. ww2dbase [Cape Torokina, Bougainville | CPC]
9 Dec 1943

Photo(s) dated 9 Dec 1943
Marine Pfc C.H. McClure servicing the three Browning M2 .50 caliber machine guns in the right wing of an F4U-1 Corsair fighter on Bougainville, Dec 9, 1943
10 Dec 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Torokina Airfield at Bougainville, Solomon Islands was declared fully operational after a short 40-day construction. 17 F4U aircraft of US Marine Corps squadron VMF-216 became the first to officially arrive at the airfield, although the airfield had already received two unscheduled emergency landings on 24 Nov 1943 and 8 Dec 1943. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | Cape Torokina, Bougainville | CPC]
Photo(s) dated 10 Dec 1943
F4U-1A Corsair of Marine Squadron VMF-216 at Torokina, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 10 Dec 1943.F4U-1A Corsairs of Marine Squadron VMF-216 at Torokina, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 10 Dec 1943.
18 Dec 1943

British Western Pacific Territories
19 Dec 1943

Photo(s) dated 19 Dec 1943
A badly damaged F4U-1A Corsair of Marine Squadron 216 flown by a wounded Lt Robert Marshall managed to return safely to Torokina, Bougainville, Solomons after an encounter with a swarm of A6M Zeros over Rabaul, New Britain, Dec 19 1943. Photo 1 of 5.A badly damaged F4U-1A Corsair of Marine Squadron 216 flown by a wounded Lt Robert Marshall managed to return safely to Torokina, Bougainville, Solomons after an encounter with a swarm of A6M Zeros over Rabaul, New Britain, Dec 19 1943. Photo 2 of 5.A badly damaged F4U-1A Corsair of Marine Squadron 216 flown by a wounded Lt Robert Marshall managed to return safely to Torokina, Bougainville, Solomons after an encounter with a swarm of A6M Zeros over Rabaul, New Britain, Dec 19 1943. Photo 3 of 5.A badly damaged F4U-1A Corsair of Marine Squadron 216 flown by a wounded Lt Robert Marshall managed to return safely to Torokina, Bougainville, Solomons after an encounter with a swarm of A6M Zeros over Rabaul, New Britain, Dec 19 1943. Photo 4 of 5.
See all photos dated 19 Dec 1943
8 Mar 1944

British Western Pacific Territories
27 Sep 1944

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Four TDR-1 drones, controlled from TBM-1c aircraft, were launched against beached Japanese freighter used as antiaircraft emplacement off Kahili airstrip, Bougainville. Two drones hit the ship, one crashed just short (bomb did not explode) and one was lost enroute. ww2dbase [Kahili Airfield | TDR | Buin, Bougainville | CPC, DS]
1 Oct 1944

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Eight TDR drones were launched against positions on Ballale and Poporang Islands south of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands with mixed results. ww2dbase [TDR | Bougainville | DS]
19 Oct 1944

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Two TDR drones were launched against Japanese gun positions west of Ballale Island south of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. One missed its target, the other dropped two of its four 100-pound bombs on the target before it crashed. ww2dbase [TDR | Bougainville | DS]
20 Oct 1944

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Three TDR drones were launched against Japanese gun positions west of Ballale Island south of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. One was lost, one made a hit with its bomb but crashed before it can be directed into a beached Japanese freighter serving as an antiaircraft gun platform, and the third scored a bomb hit and crashes into the beached freighter as planned. ww2dbase [TDR | Bougainville | DS]
23 Oct 1944

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Six TDR drones were flown against beached Japanese ships in Moisuru Bay, Bougainville and off the south end of the Kahili airstrip. Two TDRs scored a direct hits on a beached Japanese freighter serving as an antiaircraft gun platform at Kahili, and one hit another beached merchantman in Moisuru Bay. ww2dbase [TDR | Kahili Airfield | Buin, Bougainville | DS]
10 Jun 1945

British Western Pacific Territories
  • Australian troops landed at Bougainville, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Bougainville | AC]

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis




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"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. You win the war by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country!"

George Patton, 31 May 1944


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