- Thread starter
- #21
syscom3
Pacific Historian
This island was important in the allied strategy for the containment of the Japanese bastion at Rabaul. In early 1944, this island was seized by NZ troopers. However, even as the island was being seized, the allies saw the projected invasion of Rabaul as being increasingly unlikely, this island's strategic significance dwindled. Still a highly usefull emergency base, but nothing more.
The location of the island is north of Bougainville and about 100 miles due east of Rabaul on the island of New Britain.
Nissan Island | NZETC
Seabees 93 - Green Island Page
Most of the following info came from the Pacific Wrecks webpage.
Nissian Island
Japanese Occupation
Occupied by a force of Japanese at the start of the war and the harbor was used for seaplanes. Months later, Japanese ground forces occupied the area in March 1942. As the war progressed, it was used as barge station in the supply lines from Rabaul to Bougainville. As Allied air power mounted, barges would hide at Nissan and Green Island area during the daytime, before moving south at night.
New Zeland Liberation
bougainville/nissan/lci-unloading.jpgA 300-strong raiding party, most of whom were from New Zealand's 30 Battalion, made a night landing on Nissan Island on 30 January 1944. After reconnoitering for 24 hours, the group was withdrawn by sea with 5 men killed and about 10 wounded. This was in preparation for a full-scale amphibious landing.
Operation "Square Peg" by the 3rd New Zealand Division (less 8 Brigade) and United States troops on February 15, 1944. At the time of the liberation only about 500 base troops were on Nissan, the rest had withdrwan to Feni Island. All the defenders fought to the death, none surrendered. Organised Japanese resistance ended on 20 February but mopping up operations continued until the end of the month. New Zealand troops remain until early June when they sail back to New Caledonia.
Construction
The wartime airfield known as "Green Island" was actually built on Nissan Island. Built by USN Sea Bees, there were two parallel runways, 1,000 feet apart on the island. The airfield was initally planned to provide land based fighter support for attacks on Rabaul and Kavieng.
US Units based at Green
93rd NCB (Seabees) Feb 15 - Oct 25, 1944
15th NCB (Seabees) Feb 22 - April 3, 1944
33rd NCB (Seabees) March 44 - July Aug 1944
VMSB 341 (SBD) April - May 1944, July 1 - ?
VMB 223 May 7, 1944 - ?
VBM 433 June - August 20, 1944
VMF-218 (Oct - Dec 1944)
VFM-223 (F4U) March 1944
MB 423 (ground echelon) May 1944
VMB 423 (PBJ/B-25) mid 1944 - June 45 to Emirau
VMB 413 (PBJ/B-25) mid 1944
MAG 24/14
VPB 53 (PBY) ? - July 45 Samar
STAG-1 (TDR) Oct 44
NZ Units based at Green
18 Squadron (Nov 44 - Dec 44)
20 Squadroon (Nov 44 - ?)
14 Squadron (Dec 44 - Jan 45)
16 Squadon (Dec 44 - Feb 45)
17 Squadron (Jan 45 - March 45)
15 Squadron (Feb 45 - April 45)
24 Squadron (March 45 - May 45)
21 Squadron (April - May 45)
Ocean Aerodrome
Bomber runway, on the outer side facing the sea. The strip was completed on March 29, 1944. That same day, a B-24 Liberator crash lands at the strip.
Lagoon Aerodrome
Fighter runway, on the outer side of the lagoon. The first plane to land on the fighter strip was a disabled F4U on March 3, 1944. A note to WWII pilots was: ;...not to approach the island less than 1,000 feet when possible, as the atoll is difficult to locate at low altitude."
Drone Operations
US NAVY had a radio controlled aircraft operation on the island, called STAG-1 (Special Task Air Group One) flying TDN's dromes and then upgraded to TDR Dromes. They flew missions on the following days:
October 5 - four drones against targets in Rabaul
October 9 - VK-12 four attack causeway at Matupi (mission failed)
October 15 - VK-11 four attack causeway at Matupi (mission failed)
October 26 - four drones against Rabaul
Famous People On Green
From May 22 - June 10, 1944, Charles Lindbergh flew 13 combat mission, escorting TBFs to Rabaul with a Marine F4U squadron and strafing assigned ground targets while flying from Green and Emirau islands. Bob Hope preformed on the island on August 1-2, and Jack Benny on August 15, 1944 for the troops.
In July 1945, the last troops leave the island for Guiua, and everything left is destroyed, and the island returned to Melanesian islanders.
Post War
After the war a vast quantity of supplies were dumped and thousands of drums of fuel were sold to locals for US $0.13 a liter.
The location of the island is north of Bougainville and about 100 miles due east of Rabaul on the island of New Britain.
Nissan Island | NZETC
Seabees 93 - Green Island Page
Most of the following info came from the Pacific Wrecks webpage.
Nissian Island
Japanese Occupation
Occupied by a force of Japanese at the start of the war and the harbor was used for seaplanes. Months later, Japanese ground forces occupied the area in March 1942. As the war progressed, it was used as barge station in the supply lines from Rabaul to Bougainville. As Allied air power mounted, barges would hide at Nissan and Green Island area during the daytime, before moving south at night.
New Zeland Liberation
bougainville/nissan/lci-unloading.jpgA 300-strong raiding party, most of whom were from New Zealand's 30 Battalion, made a night landing on Nissan Island on 30 January 1944. After reconnoitering for 24 hours, the group was withdrawn by sea with 5 men killed and about 10 wounded. This was in preparation for a full-scale amphibious landing.
Operation "Square Peg" by the 3rd New Zealand Division (less 8 Brigade) and United States troops on February 15, 1944. At the time of the liberation only about 500 base troops were on Nissan, the rest had withdrwan to Feni Island. All the defenders fought to the death, none surrendered. Organised Japanese resistance ended on 20 February but mopping up operations continued until the end of the month. New Zealand troops remain until early June when they sail back to New Caledonia.
Construction
The wartime airfield known as "Green Island" was actually built on Nissan Island. Built by USN Sea Bees, there were two parallel runways, 1,000 feet apart on the island. The airfield was initally planned to provide land based fighter support for attacks on Rabaul and Kavieng.
US Units based at Green
93rd NCB (Seabees) Feb 15 - Oct 25, 1944
15th NCB (Seabees) Feb 22 - April 3, 1944
33rd NCB (Seabees) March 44 - July Aug 1944
VMSB 341 (SBD) April - May 1944, July 1 - ?
VMB 223 May 7, 1944 - ?
VBM 433 June - August 20, 1944
VMF-218 (Oct - Dec 1944)
VFM-223 (F4U) March 1944
MB 423 (ground echelon) May 1944
VMB 423 (PBJ/B-25) mid 1944 - June 45 to Emirau
VMB 413 (PBJ/B-25) mid 1944
MAG 24/14
VPB 53 (PBY) ? - July 45 Samar
STAG-1 (TDR) Oct 44
NZ Units based at Green
18 Squadron (Nov 44 - Dec 44)
20 Squadroon (Nov 44 - ?)
14 Squadron (Dec 44 - Jan 45)
16 Squadon (Dec 44 - Feb 45)
17 Squadron (Jan 45 - March 45)
15 Squadron (Feb 45 - April 45)
24 Squadron (March 45 - May 45)
21 Squadron (April - May 45)
Ocean Aerodrome
Bomber runway, on the outer side facing the sea. The strip was completed on March 29, 1944. That same day, a B-24 Liberator crash lands at the strip.
Lagoon Aerodrome
Fighter runway, on the outer side of the lagoon. The first plane to land on the fighter strip was a disabled F4U on March 3, 1944. A note to WWII pilots was: ;...not to approach the island less than 1,000 feet when possible, as the atoll is difficult to locate at low altitude."
Drone Operations
US NAVY had a radio controlled aircraft operation on the island, called STAG-1 (Special Task Air Group One) flying TDN's dromes and then upgraded to TDR Dromes. They flew missions on the following days:
October 5 - four drones against targets in Rabaul
October 9 - VK-12 four attack causeway at Matupi (mission failed)
October 15 - VK-11 four attack causeway at Matupi (mission failed)
October 26 - four drones against Rabaul
Famous People On Green
From May 22 - June 10, 1944, Charles Lindbergh flew 13 combat mission, escorting TBFs to Rabaul with a Marine F4U squadron and strafing assigned ground targets while flying from Green and Emirau islands. Bob Hope preformed on the island on August 1-2, and Jack Benny on August 15, 1944 for the troops.
In July 1945, the last troops leave the island for Guiua, and everything left is destroyed, and the island returned to Melanesian islanders.
Post War
After the war a vast quantity of supplies were dumped and thousands of drums of fuel were sold to locals for US $0.13 a liter.