Battle of Viru Harbor

Part of the Pacific Theater of World War II

U.S. Navy landing craft unload troops at Viru shortly after the harbor was secured by Marine Raiders on 1 July 1943

Date	28 June – 1 July 1943
Location	New Georgia, Solomon Islands
Result	U.S. victory

Belligerents

United States

Empire of Japan

Commanders and leaders

Michael S. Currin

Minoru Sasaki
Genjiro Hirata
Saburo Okamura
Hara

Strength

500

245^[1]

Casualties and losses

13 killed^[2]

61 killed^[2]

New Georgia Campaign

Viru Harbor Rendova Wickham Munda drive Enogai Counterattack Bairoko Munda Point

Solomon Islands campaign

Land 1st Tulagi Guadalcanal Cartwheel I-Go Vengeance New Georgia Vella Lavella Treasury Islands Choiseul Rabaul Bougainville Green Islands Naval Blackett Strait Kula Gulf Kolombangara Vella Gulf Naval Vella Lavella Empress Augusta Bay Horaniu Cape St. George Karavia Bay

The Battle of Viru Harbor was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II that took place on New Georgia island during the New Georgia Campaign from 28 June – 1 July 1943.

A battalion of U.S. Marine Raiders landed at a remote location, marched overland, and attacked a force of Imperial Japanese Navy and Army troops that were guarding Viru Harbor. The Marines drove the Japanese out of Viru, which was then occupied by additional U.S. Army soldiers and U.S. Navy personnel and ships.

Notes

↑ Rentz, p. 24 and 37.
↑ 2.0 2.1 Melson, p. 6.

References

Altobello, Brian (2000). Into the Shadows Furious. Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-717-6.
Hammel, Eric M. (2008). New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester: The U.S. Marines in World War II A Pictorial Tribute. Pacifica Press. ISBN 0-7603-3296-7.
Hammel, Eric M. (1999). Munda Trail: The New Georgia Campaign, June–August 1943. Pacifica Press. ISBN 0-935553-38-X.
McGee, William L. (2002). The Solomons Campaigns, 1942–1943: From Guadalcanal to Bougainville—Pacific War Turning Point, Volume 2 (Amphibious Operations in the South Pacific in WWII). BMC Publications. ISBN 0-9701678-7-3.
Morison, Samuel Eliot (1958). Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, vol. 6 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Castle Books. 0785813071.
Peatross, Oscar F.; John P. McCarthy and John Clayborne (editors) (1995). Bless 'em All: The Raider Marines of World War II. Review. ISBN 0-9652325-0-6.
Rottman, Gordon L.; Dr. Duncan Anderson (consultant editor) (2005). Japanese Army in World War II: The South Pacific and New Guinea, 1942–43. Oxford and New York: Osprey. ISBN 1-84176-870-7.

External links

Craven, Wesley Frank; James Lea Cate. "Vol. IV, The Pacific: Guadalcanal to Saipan, August 1942 to July 1944". The Army Air Forces in World War II. U.S. Office of Air Force History. Archived from the original on 26 November 2006. Retrieved October 20, 2006.
Dyer, George Carroll. "The Amphibians Came to Conquer: The Story of Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner". United States Government Printing Office. Archived from the original on 12 September 2006. Retrieved October 20, 2006.
Hoffman, Jon T. (1995). "New Georgia" (brochure). FROM MAKIN TO BOUGAINVILLE: Marine Raiders in the Pacific War. Marine Corps Historical Center. Retrieved 2006-11-21.
Lofgren, Stephen J. Northern Solomons. The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II (United States Army Center of Military History). p. 36. CMH Pub 72-10. Retrieved October 18, 2006.
Melson, Charles D. (1993). "UP THE SLOT: Marines in the Central Solomons". WORLD WAR II COMMEMORATIVE SERIES. History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. p. 36. Retrieved September 26, 2006.
Mersky, Peter B. (1993). "Time of the Aces: Marine Pilots in the Solomons, 1942–1944". Marines in World War II Commemorative Series. History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. Retrieved October 20, 2006.
Miller, John, Jr. (1959). "CARTWHEEL: The Reduction of Rabaul". United States Army in World War II: The War in the Pacific. Office of the Chief of Military History, U.S. Department of the Army. p. 418. Retrieved October 20, 2006.
Rentz, John (1952). "Marines in the Central Solomons". Historical Branch, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. Retrieved May 30, 2006.
Shaw, Henry I.; Douglas T. Kane (1963). "Volume II: Isolation of Rabaul". History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II. Archived from the original on 20 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-18.
United States Army Center of Military History. "Japanese Operations in the Southwest Pacific Area, Volume II – Part I". Reports of General MacArthur. Retrieved 2006-12-08. - 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.