Buna Mission PTO (id:#67358)

(ASL Action Pack #22 A World at War ID: AP239)   [next]   [previous]

Buna Mission, Buna, Papua New Guinea 1942-12-31 (3 others)

Overview:

After being stopped along the Kokoda Track, Japanese forces retreated to their fortified beachheads around Buna, Gona, and Sanananda. These positions were critical; the Japanese had established strong defenses with bunkers, trenches, and concealed firing positions, and were supplied by sea from Rabaul. The Allies, under General Douglas MacArthur, were determined to eliminate these strongholds. By early December, the American 32nd Infantry Division (mostly green troops) had, been bloodied and stalled in front of Buna Village and Buna Mission. Their attacks were repulsed by bunkers and interlocking fields of fire, often at point-blank range. Morale and health were collapsing-malaria, dysentery, jungle ulcers, and starvation hit nearly every soldier. MacArthur was furious with the slow progress; on 2 December, he sent Lt. General Robert L. Eichelberger to personally take command at the front. Eichelberger replaced ineffective officers and reorganized the exhausted regiments.

Defender: Japanese (41st Infantry Regiment and South Seas Detatchment Headquarters)  

Errata (source)