Battle of Finschhafen
Finschhafen, Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea
What happened
The Australian 9th Division under George Wootten, with US support, fought Japanese forces under Hatazō Adachi and Shigeru Katagiri. Australian troops landed at Scarlet Beach, north of Finschhafen, and pushed south while another battalion came up from the south. They entered Finschhafen on 2 October after the Japanese pulled back. A Japanese counterattack from the hills around Sattelberg in mid-October was stopped and called off on 24 October.
Why it matters
Why it matters: Finschhafen gave the Allies an airfield and harbour beside the Vitiaz Strait. That helped them move on to New Britain and cut off the big Japanese base at Rabaul.
What came next
The Australians took Sattelberg in late November and pushed along the coast to Sio by January 1944. Finschhafen grew into a major Allied base.
Did you know?
US Private Nathan van Noy kept firing his machine gun at Scarlet Beach after being badly hurt and was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Timeline
- 22 September 1943Australians land at Scarlet Beach.
- 2 October 1943Finschhafen is entered.
- 16 October 1943The Japanese counterattack begins.
- late November 1943Sattelberg is secured.