by Harry Burlington

Created on: December 16, 2011   Last Updated: December 20, 2011

In May of 1942, the Japanese naval fleet was reassembling after a devastating series of losses in the Coral Sea, as the Japanese naval forces now turned their attention to occupying Port Moresby, New Guinea.  The American military planners in the Pacific Fleet, headed by General Douglas MacArthur, decided to occupy the town before Japanese naval forces could first.  A decision was made by General MacArthur to start construction of a strategic airbase and logistical port in eastern Papa New Guinea at

Milne Bay. 

The Japanese military commanders Vice Admiral Nishizo Tsukahara, Commander Shojiro Hayashi, and Commander Minoru Yano along with an estimated force of 2,300 Japanese land forces decided to occupy the town of Buna, New Guinea in the north coast, in late July 1942.  On August 4, 1942, the Japanese naval, air, and land forces started to move south over the hostile Kokoda Track towards Port Moresby, but was bogged down repeatedly in the jungle and by malaria.  The Japanese met deep hostile resistance in the jungles by Allied forces that kept the Japanese from reaching their goal of occupying Milne Bay.  The Japanese military commanders sought to use Milne Bay as a strategic naval and air base in their advance towards the western pacific allied forces.

The Allied forces viewpoint of Port Moresby and the Milne Bay region was to build a base that could shorten the length of naval ships, especially supply ships, trips from the United States to the region.  Prior to Milne Bay being established, Australian ports were being used for staging operations and air bases.  The time saved by building an allied strategic base and port at Milne Bay was three to four days.  This proved be a very intelligent decision by General Douglas MacArthur and allowed heavy bombers to be within reach of the Japanese Mainland.  The naval port at Milne Bay also enabled the allied naval ships and submarines to be within a day sail of the Japanese Pacific naval fleets.

The attacks by the Japanese land and air forces in early August 1942 was met by a very strong resistance by allied naval, land, and air forces that kept the Japanese from taking over Milan Bay and occupying Port Moresby.  This powerful resistance protected many Western and Eastern Pacific ports, airbases, and naval fleets from increasing Japanese aggressions into the strategic combat theaters.

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