Landings on Rendova Island

Human conveyor belts unloaded LCIs of the second and third echelons landing at Rendova. Here one group of "zoot-suited" soldiers passes equipment and supplies from ship to beach. Unloading accomplished in this fashion proved efficacious and rapid.

The landings on Rendova was a military amphibious assault on Rendova Island in the Solomon Islands on 30 June 1943 by United States Army and Navy forces during the New Georgia Campaign of the Pacific War. In the assault, U.S. forces overwhelmed a small Japanese military garrison and secured the island. The U.S. occupied the island to use it as a staging and artillery base to support an offensive against Japanese forces guarding an airfield at Munda Point on nearby New Georgia.

Date: 30 June 1943

Location: New Georgia, Solomon Islands

Result: U.S. victory

Belligerents: United States; Japan

Commanders and Leaders:

United States:

Richmond K. Turner

John H. Hester

Theodore S. Wilkinson

Leonard F. Wing

Japan:

Minoru Sasaki

Genjiro Hirata

Strength:

United States: 6,000

43rd Infantry Division

Japan:

120

Casualties and Losses:

United States:

4 killed

Japan:

50–60 killed

Allied organizational chart for forces that invaded Rendova area in the New Georgia island group on June 30, 1943.

 

American invasion of Rendova Island, Solomon Islands, June 30, 1943. Attacking at day break in a heavy rainstorm, the first Americans ashore huddle behind tree trunks. It began the Allied advance north from Guadalcanal toward the site of Japan's major base at Rabaul.

Allied transport ships head towards Rendova, 29 June, 1943.

The approach to Rendova Harbor as seen from the deck of an LSD carrying Marines ashore. It sails through the narrow Renard Entrance with Rendova Peak in the background and the Lever Brothers' landing at the right just around the bend.

Allied landings at Rendova, New Georgia Island group, on June 30, 1943 were met by ground and air defense, as seen in this photograph taken from the USS Algorab (AKA 8) on D-Day, 30 June 1943. Japanese were bombing Rendova Harbor in the background while the transport group moves to sea under "Condition Red." During this raid the flagship USS McCawley (AP 10) was hit, but Allied air cover kept most of the enemy aircraft away.

Men of 43rd Signal Company wading ashore from LCMs with signal equipment. Rendova, Solomons, June 30, 1943.

Truck towing a 155mm howitzer over muddy trail, Rendova, 7 July 1943.

A 155mm Long Tom is dragged through the mud of Rendova en route to a new position from which it could punish Japanese positions and at the same time defend against Japanese counterattacks.

Marines and their equipment come ashore on Rendova in July 1943 during the New Georgia Campaign.

The antiaircraft group of the US Marine 9th Defense Battalion moves ashore at Rendova during the New Georgia Campaign in July 1943. Here a TD9 tractor pulls a 90mm gun from an LST.

The first Japanese aircraft shot down from the beach at Rendova during the New Georgia Campaign was credited to this gun crew on its first day ashore. From the left are 1st Lt William A. Buckingham, Pfc Francis W O'Brien, Cpl Paul V Duhamel, and Pfc Nemo Hancock, Jr., of the US Marine 9th Defense Battalion. July 1943.

A US Marine 40mm gun and crew look skyward for Japanese aircraft as the XIV Corps landing continues on Rendova during the New Georgia Campaign in July 1943. Landing Craft Infantry (LCIs) are run up on the beach in the background, as working parties unload them by hand.

Supplies are landed by US XIV Corps on Rendova during the New Georgia Campaign, July 1943. The terrain behind the beach did not allow for rapid movement and for the dispersal of supplies which soon piled up at an unmanageable rate and became extremely vulnerable to Japanese attack.

US sailors and soldiers make a corduroy road from coconut logs across an exceptionally muddy spot on Rendova during the New Georgia Campaign, July 1943.

The Japanese struck back hard at the New Georgia invasion force with bombers and fighters. Allied combat air patrols shot down many of the enemy, but some got through to damage Marine positions on Rendova. This area became known as "Suicide Point" after fuel and explosives dumps were hit during the 2 July 1943 raid.

Medical personnel tend to US troops injured in the July 2, 1943 Japanese air raid on Rendova in the New Georgia Island group. More than 200 men were injured or killed in the raid.

Capt Henry H. Reichner's Battery A, US Marine 9th Defense Battalion loads its Long Toms on an LCT to move to Piru Plantation from Tambusolo Island, between Rendova and New Georgia, Solomon Islands. These moves were staggered to provide continuous artillery support during this campaign's phase in July 1943.

Behind a revetment of sandbags and coconut logs, this US Marine 9th Defense Battalion crew manning a 90mm antiaircraft gun keeps watch against Japanese air attacks on positions at the beach at Rendova, New Georgia Island group in July 1943.

A fire direction center for the US Marine 9th Defense Battalion on Rendova processed target information from observation posts and air spotters, which group commander LtCol Archie E. O'Neil and executive officer Maj Robert C. Hiatt translated into firing data for artillery supporting the US Army drive on nearby New Georgia, July 1943.

A wounded US Marine is evacuated after a Japanese air raid on Rendova on August 1, 1943.