New Georgia | Solomon Islands

June 1943

August 14, 1943


September 1943


Wartime, date unknown

Wartime, date unknown

Dennis Leturneau 1999




Justin Taylan 2003

Location
Located at Munda Point at Munda on the southern coast of New Georgia. The high ground above the area is Kokenggololo Hill. Since 1902 the land at Munda Point was Methodist mission, planted with coconut palms.

Construction
A Japanese directive in late October 1942 called for an air base to be built at Munda Point, about 150 miles northwest of Guadalcanal and Henderson Field.

Construction began in mid-November with a great emphasis on keeping the forward airfield secret. The majority of airfield work done before clearing the main runway and surfacing it with crushed coral. By wiring the tops of palm trees to keep them in place, allowing work to initially escape detection. Finally the trunks were cut away, and runway completed.

Despite these efforts, reports of the strip were relayed to Guadalcanal via coastwatcher Danny Kennedy and aerial reconnaissance spotted increased barge traffic and evidence of crushed coral being prepared at the strip, but the Japanese succeeded in buying enough time to complete a  single 1094 x 44 yard all weather runway for fighters operational on December 17, 1942. Once completed, a 1,500' extension for bombers was begun, and a satellite field at Vila.

Japanese Usage
Opened for usage on December 1, 1942. Until the American landings, it was used by the Japanese Navy and Japanese Army Air Force aircraft used the airfield as a forward operating base. As soon as it was operational, the airfield was hampered by the observation of coastwatchers in the area, including Kennedy and D.C. Horton who was observing the strip from Rendova. It was heavily bombed from the air prior to the American landing.

The first unit to occupy the airfield was the 252nd Kokutai (Zero) from December 22 - 25 advanced to the airfield. On December 29th, due to heavy bombing, all the pilots were picked up by 9 Zeros and 4 Bettys and transported back to Rabaul. Other units inclued the 204th Kokutai (Zero), 582nd Kokutai (Val), 11th Sentai (Oscar) used the airfield.

Natives loyal to the coastwatcher heard engines warming up as late as March 1943 at the airfield and observed aircraft on the ground in reconnaissance flights. These later flights were probably liaison / transport flights with escorts. Emergency landings occurred at Munda until it fell to the Americans. A Ki-21 Sally crash landed at Munda Airfield in July 1943.

Japanese Units Based at Munda
252nd Kokutai (A6M) December 23 - 29, 1942
No other units were permanently based there, but other JAAF and IJN units transited through Munda as a forward operating base.

American Missions Against Munda
December 2, 1942 - August 1, 1943

American Occupation
Munda airfield was the principal objective of Central Solomons campaign, also known as Munda or Munda Point Airfield. Captured by the US Army XIV Corps forces after 12 continuous days of fierce fighting in the jungle area. The high ground around the airfield fell on August 5, 1943.

American Expansion
Americans improved and expanded the airbase for their own operations. The first American aircraft landed at Munda on August 14, 1943 with landings by F4U piloted by Robert Owen of VMF-215, a 44th FS P-40 and J2F with Brig General J.P. Mulcahy aboard.

American Units Based at Munda:
(partial list only, know of others? Email me)
USN
VC-24 (SBD x 24) November 1943
VC-40 (TBF)
VF-33 (F6F)
VF-38 (F6F) September 1943
USMC
ComAir New Georgia
VMSB-236 (SBD) Henderson Nov 25, 43 - ? Green Island
VMF 124
VMF-213 (F4U)
VMF 214 (F4U) September 7, 1943 -
VMF 215 (F4U) C.O. Major Robert Owen
VMF 221 (F4U)
MABS-1 from Ondonga May 26, 44 - May 45 to Peleliu
VMSB-142 (TBF)

USAAF 13th AF
4th PRG, 17th PRS (F-5s) ? - Apr 1, 44 to Guadalcanal
5th BG, HQ (B-24s) ? - April 7, 44 to Momote
5th BG, 72nd BS (B-24s) ? - April 15, 44 to Momote
5th BG, 23rd BS (B-24s) ? - Apr 16, 44 to Momote
6th BG 394th BS (B-24s) ? - Apr 9, 44 to Guadalcanal
307th BG. 370th, 371st, 372d, 424th BS ? - May 13, 44 to Los Negros
868th BS (SB-24 Snooper) Jan 1 - March 20, 1944 to Los Negros

Japanese Missions Against Munda
July 2, 1943 - July 4, 1943

By July 1945, the airstrip was 8,000' x 300'. the airfield was still in use, with limited accommodations for transient and emergency landings, and minor repairs. The field offered fuel and oil by truck delivery.

Today
The airfield is still in by for regional flights by Solomon Airlines.

Contribute Information

November 15, 1943

July 1945

View in Google Earth

Japanese Aircraft Captured at Munda
Many Japanese aircraft were disabled on the ground at Munda from American bombing. When they airfield was captured, they fell into the possession of the Americans including both the Navy and Army examples. The following Japanese aircraft were surveyed at Munda in August 1943 by US Army Technical Air Intelligence Unit (TAIU): 1 x Ki-48, 4 x D3A Val, 14 x A6M Zeros 4 x Ki-43. [ Japanese aircraft captured at Munda ]

Some were recovered for further study. The remaining wrecks deemed too difficult to repair or otherwise useless were buried at Munda, to repair bomb craters and damage as land fill material.