Battle of Bairoko

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Bairoko


caption= US Marines cross a creek on the Dragons Peninsula in July, 1943.
partof=the Pacific Theater of World War II
date= July 20, 1943
place=New Georgia, Solomon Islands
result=Japanese victory
combatant1=flagicon|USA|1912 United States
combatant2=flagicon|Japan|alt Empire of Japan
commander1=Harry B. Liversedge
commander2=Minoru Sasaki
Saburo Okamura
strength1=2,000
strength2=2,000
casualties1=50 killed [Shaw, p. 143.]
casualties2=33+ killed [Shaw, p. 143.] |

The Battle of Bairoko was a battle between United States and Imperial Japanese Army and Navy forces on July 20, 1943 during the New Georgia Campaign in the Solomon Islands during the Pacific War. In the battle, US Marine Raiders, supported by two United States Army infantry battalions, attacked a Japanese garrison guarding the port of Bairoko on the Dragons Peninsula on New Georgia. The day-long assault on well-prepared Japanese defensive positions by the Americans was unsuccessful.

After calling-off the assault, the Americans withdrew to nearby Enogai. The American forces remained in the Enogai area until the end of the New Georgia Campaign. The Japanese used Bairoko to resupply and reinforce their troops who were guarding an airfield at Munda Point on New Georgia. After the US and its allies successfully captured the airfield, the Japanese evacuated New Georgia and abandoned Bairoko on August 24.

Notes

References

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External links

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title = New Georgia
format = brochure
work = FROM MAKIN TO BOUGAINVILLE: Marine Raiders in the Pacific War
pages =
publisher = Marine Corps Historical Center
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accessdate = 2006-11-21
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*cite web
last = Lofgren
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format =
work = The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II
pages = 36
publisher =
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format =
work = WORLD WAR II COMMEMORATIVE SERIES
pages = 36
publisher = History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps
language = English
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format =
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publisher = Office of the Chief of Military History, U.S. Department of the Army
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*cite web
last = U.S. Army Center of Military History
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url = http://www.army.mil/cmh/books/wwii/MacArthur%20Reports/MacArthur%20V2%20P1/macarthurv2.htm#contents
title = Japanese Operations in the Southwest Pacific Area, Volume II - Part I
format =
work = Reports of General MacArthur
pages =
publisher =
language =
accessdate = 2006-12-08
accessyear =- Translation of the official record by the Japanese Demobilization Bureaux detailing the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy's participation in the Southwest Pacific area of the Pacific War.