November 14, 1942
(US Army) American troops consolidate in the Oro Bay area.
January 9, 1943
(IJN) Damaged in Oro Bay was SS Van Heutsz.
January 23, 1943
(IJN) At 1:30am, an unidentified enemy aircraft bombed the Oro Bay area.
March 28, 1943
(IJN) D3A Val dive bombers attack Oro Bay. Two bombs that hit the Liberty Ship wharf, sinking two pontoons and setting it on fire. Sunk were SS Bantam and SS Masaya.
March 29, 1943
(IJN)
Two enemy planes attacked Oro Bay and sank two barges with fuel aboard and two motor launches and a landing craft (surf boat). The twin engined enemy bombers were intercepted by P-38 Lightnings from the 49th Fighter Group, 9th Fighter Squadron. Richard I. Bong claiming a "Doris".
April 11, 1943
(IJN) Operation I-GO: Japanese aircraft including 22 x D3A Vals (8 x D3A Vals from Hiyo and 14 x D3A Vals from Zuikaku) armed with only 60kg wing bombs escorted by 72 A6M Zeros attacked shipping at Oro Bay. Inbound to the target, D3A Val piloted by Takahashi (C.O.) aborted the mission, landing at Gasmata Airfield. Arriving over Oro Bay, the dive bombers claim two merchant
vessels destroyed. In fact, they damaged HMS Hanyang, MV Noora (S-136) and HMAS Pirie (J189).
October 15, 1943
(5th AF) 50+ P-38's and P-40's intercept around 100 Japanese aircraft
attacking Allied shipping in Oro Bay; the US fighters claim 40+ shot down.
October 17, 1943
(5th AF) 40+ American fighters intercept a large group of enemy aircraft
attempting
to attack Oro Bay; US fighters claim 24 shot down.
November 22, 1943
(IJN) Japanese aircraft bomb the dock and camp area at Oro Bay
MSgt W.E. Ursprung's Journal "We boarded the SS Steinmetz (Australian Ship) and left Milane Bay [sic Milne Bay] - arrived at Ore Bay [sic Oro Bay], New Guinea on November 22nd. Had an air raid at 3:00 PM at the Docks and another raid at midnight in our camp area. Charles Morris was hit by a truck as everyone ran for cover during the air raid at the [Oro Bay] docks."
