New Zealand - NZ Soldiers at War in the Pacific - Annotations as written on the back of photo - F TP Officers - Circa 1942-1943 - Unknown Photographer - Original Real Photo Format - A Series of photos kept by a high-ranking NZ officer in the NZ army (See other images in the same series) #337814 War in the Pacific - Thousands of New Zealanders fought in the Pacific War in the 1940s. There's a certain irony in the phrase 'the Pacific War'. The ocean that was named for peace became an arena of battle between Japan on the one side, and the United States, New Zealand, Australia and their allies on the other. It was a conflict fought on a vast scale over huge distances: from Darwin to Midway, the Solomons to Iwo Jima. For the New Zealanders, this was a war fought close to home. - New Zealand fought in three main areas: in Singapore, in the seas around Japan, and in the Solomon Islands. There was desperate fighting on small island outposts where the rules of war could be ignored. In the islands, rain, heat and humidity seemed never-ending. The climate and conditions took their toll on many. - Thousands of New Zealanders from all three of the armed forces served in the Pacific: the Navy, the Air Force, and 3 Division of the Army. It was a war that took young New Zealand men and women to exotic places, many of which they'd probably never heard of: Mono, Nissan, Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Okinawa. Sometimes working closely with the United States, New Zealanders fought the Japanese in three main areas — Singapore, the Solomon Islands and in the waters surrounding Japan. New Zealanders were also stationed in other places such as New Caledonia, operating radio and radar stations and medical facilities. - In 1942 the Battle of the Coral Sea (7-8 May) and Battle of Midway (3-6 June) between the Japanese and United States navies left the United States with superior numbers of essential aircraft carriers. Japan had lost the initiative. This set the stage for New Zealand's involvement in the American campaign in the Solomon Islands — the closest point to home where the New Zealanders fought. - New Zealand seamen were the first involved. The ships Leander and Achilles joined American naval forces near Guadalcanal; Leander was later torpedoed and had to return to New Zealand. Then airmen from 3 Squadron arrived at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal in November 1942, and more New Zealand squadrons arrived over the next months. - In September 1943 14 Brigade took over from the Americans on the island of Vella Lavella, and experienced the rigours of jungle warfare for the first time. They were in danger of being shot by Japanese snipers or being cut down in an ambush. - The following month, New Zealanders landed on Mono Island. This was the first opposed amphibious landing by New Zealand forces since Gallipoli. They successfully took the island from the Japanese defenders. Early in the following year the New Zealanders attacked Nissan in the Green Islands to the north of Bougainville. An airbase was quickly built on the island which fighter-bomber squadrons used to attack Rabaul. - Further Reading https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/war-in-the-pacific Mono Island - Mono Island is the largest island of the Treasury Islands, Solomon Islands - Mono island is a volcanic island in the northwest of the Solomon Islands. - It is separated by the Blanche Harbour from Stirling Island and the other coral islands surrounding it. - The village of Falamai is the main population centre of the island. - The island is rimmed by limestone cliffs of more than twenty metres in height. The island's population is around 1,800. - The Japanese had occupied Mono during their invasion of the Solomons. - On October 27, 1943 the 8th Brigade of the Third New Zealand Division and the U.S. 87th Navy Construction Battalion landed at two locations: at Falamai (site of the Japanese HQ on the island) in the south, and at Purple Beach at Soanotalu in the north. - By November 7 the island was under Allied control. Twelve Americans and forty New Zealanders were killed during the campaign. - For the New Zealanders, it was the first opposed amphibious operation since Gallipoli. - Stirling Island was turned into a huge airstrip by the allies, which was deserted after the War ended. - Further Reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mono_Island President Jackson - Laid down, 2 October 1939, as Maritime Commission type (C3 P & C) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 53) at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock, Corp. Newport News VA. - Launched, 7 June 1940 - Delivered to American President Lines, 25 October 1940 - Acquired by the Navy, 30 June 1941 - Commissioned USS President Jackson (AP-37), 16 January 1942, CDR. Charles W. Weitzel USN in command - Reclassified Attack Transport (APA-18), 1 February 1943 - During WWII USS President Jackson was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater - Further Reading https://www.navsource.org/archives/10/03/03018.htm