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  U.S. Army 1942  US Army February 1, 1943   Peter Flahavin 1998  Justin Taylan 2003 |
Location Bonegi village and the mouth of the Bonegi River are located on the north coast of Guadalcanal. Spelled "Mbonege" in the Guadalcanal language. To the northwest is Tassafaronga Point and to the southeast is Kokumbona. Borders Iron Bottom Sound to the north. Prewar and during the Pacific War part of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate (BSIP). Today located in Guadalcanal Province in the Solomon Islands. Wartime History On November 15, 1942 two Japanese transports: Hirokawa Maru and Kinugawa Maru were beached and sunk off Bonegi in an attempt to deliver reinforcements to Guadalcanal. On January 30, 1943 US Army soldiers crossed the Bonegi River and overcame Japanese resistance from the "Yano" Battalion. After the occupation of Bonegi, the US Army quickly constructed a log bridge over the Bonegi River, that was later improved with a Bailey bridge. Afterwards, area was developed into a US Army camp area and staging base for the remainder of the US Army Guadalcanal campaign. Hirokawa Maru (Bonegi 1) Beached and sunk on November 15, 1942 Kinugawa Maru (Bonegi 2) Beached and sunk on November 15, 1942 Bailey Bridge During early February 1943, the US Army installed a Bailey bridge over the Bonegi River that remained in continuous use from 1943 until the 1990's. During the 1990's the original Bailey bridge was discarded when a new span was built over the Bonegi River. The new bridge was donated by the Japanese government. The original Bailey bridge was discarded nearby and remained until at least 2003. U.S. Army Camp During 1943, the U.S. Army established a camp area on the beach. Across the road facing inland was a firing range. During the filming of the Thin Red Line (1998) the ridge to the east of Bonegi was used in the scene when US Army soldiers march up a ridge. M4A3 Sherman Tank "Jezebel" Abandoned on Guadalcanal on a target range Japanese Hospital During January 1943, the Japanese Army established a hospital area inland at Bonegi where sick and dying soldiers were gathered. When American forces reached the area on January 30, 1943 the patients were abandoned and left to die. When discovered, US Army soldiers killed the remaining patents. Contribute
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