1942
23 January	Japan seizes Rabaul; lands at Kieta, Bougainville
12 March	Jananese forces invade Bougainville and raise their flag after a short struggle
20 April	The South Pacific Command established
8 May	Battle of Coral Sea; further Japanese advances to the south halted
19 June	Vice Admiral Robert Ghormley, USN, assumes command as COMSOPAC
7 August	1st Marine Division lands on Guadalcanal; first American land offensive undertaken in the war against Japan
8-9 August	Battle of Savo Island; U.S. Fleet suffers a defeat while protecting Guadalcanal
23-25 August	Battle of Eastern Solomon Islands; U.S. Carrier forces turn back Japanese attempt to bring reinforcements to Guadalcanal
2 October	U.S. Marines occupy Funafuti
5 October	U.S. carrier aircraft raid Buin-Faisi-Tonelei area, Bougainville
11 October	Battle of Cape Esperance, Guadalcanal; U.S. fleet turns back another Japanese attempt to retake Guadalcanal from the sea
18 October	Vice Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr., U.S.N., relieves Admiral Ghormley as COMSOPAC
26 October	Battle of Santa Cruz Island; U.S. planes and surface units inflict severe damage on the Japanese
13-15 November	Battle of Guadalcanal; final Japanese attempt to engage in naval action in the southern Solomons ends in disaster for Japanese navy
30 November	Battle of Tassafaronga, Guadalcanal; a naval meeting engagement ending in a draw
9 December	Major General Vandegrift, USMC, relieved by Major General Patch, USA, of command at Guadalcanal; 5th Marines relieved by Army troops preparatory to their withdrawal
1943
7-8 February	Japanese Naval feint enables Japan to deceive U.S. Fleet and facilitate the final evacuation of Japanese forces from Guadalcanal
21 February	3d Raider Battalion and Army troops seize the Russell Islands
1-4 March	Battle of the Bismarck Sea
5-6 March	Vila-Munda bombarded by U.S. DD-CA Task Force

12-13 May	Vila-Munda bombarded by DD-CA Task Force; Kolombangara coast mined
21 June	4th Raiders and Army troops land at Segi Point, New Georgia
29-30 June	Vila-Munda and Shortland-Faisi areas bombarded by DD-CA Task Force; Shortland Harbor mined
30 June	Initial landing of 1st Raider Battalion and 43d Inf. Div. (Maj. Gen Hester) captures Rendova Island, Wickham Anchorage, Segi, and Viru, all in the New Georgia Area
30 June	12th Defense Bn. and Army troops occupy Trobriand and Woodlark Islands
1 July	9th Defense Battalion, FMF, shells Munda
4 July	9th Defense Battalion, FMF, establishes new record for 90mm AA fire
4-5 July	1st Raiders land at Rice Anchorage on north coast of New Georgia
5-6 July	First Battle of Kolombangara; Beginnings of Japanese attempts to evacuate Central Solomons
11 July	Admiral Halsey issues directive to his subordinate units to prepare for an attack on an unannounced position in the Bougainville area
11 July	Lieutenant General Vandegrift makes an examination of forces available for a Northern Solomons operation
11-12 July	Munda bombarded by CA-DD Task Force
12-13 July	Second Battle of Kolombangara; Japanese attempting to evacuate Central Solomons intercepted and defeated
26 July	Plan of 11 July slightly modified, in that the area to be attacked is designated to be Southern Bougainville, Shortland, Kieta, Faisi
5 August	Plan of 26 July modified in that the target area is limited to Shortland-Faisi due to insufficient troops for large attack
5 August	Munda airfield falls to Americans
6-7 August	Battle of Vella Gulf
15 August	Allied forces (including Fleet Marine Force units) occupy Vella Lavella
17-18 August	Battle of Vella Lavella
22-23 August	Three Marine amphibious patrols landed on Shortland and in the Treasurys for the purpose of conducting reconnaissance missions
3 September	Marine amphibious patrol lands on Santa Isabell. Returns to base on 9 September
6 September	Marine amphibious patrol lands on Choiseul and returns to base on 12 September
7 September	Rear Admiral Wilkinson, Lieutenant General Harmon, Major General Barrett, and Vice Admiral Fitch propose landings on Treasury Islands and Choiseul with purpose of launching further attacks on either northeast or southwest coast of Bougainville
11 September	COMSOWESPAC requests Admiral Halsey to strike in the Northern Solomons in accordance with JCS directives
15 September	Maj. General Charles Barrett relieves Lieutenant General A. A. Vandergrift as CG, IMAC
17 September	COMSOPAC requested by COMSOWESPAC to strike at Bougainville on pin point target to be selected by Admiral Halsey

17 September	IMAC Warning Order # 18-43 directs all IMAC units to be prepared for a movement to a forward area
22 September	Two Marine amphibious patrols land on Choiseul to make a reconnaissance of the north-west coast in preparation for a proposed landing
22 September	Admiral Halsey issues directive to prepare study of a proposed landing at Empress Augusta Bay. Places Wilkinson in overall command of the proposed operation
23 September	Two Marine amphibious patrols sent to Bougainville; one to north coast, the other to the south coast, in order to conduct reconnaissance for suitable landing beaches and airfield sites
27 September	General Barrett completes ground forces conception of the operation. Informs subordinate units of the plan
27 September	General Barrett instructs the 3d Division to be prepared to undertake the Bougainville operation
28 September	General Barrett instructs the 8th New Zealand Brigade to be prepared to undertake the Treasury Islands operation
1 October	Low level reconnaissance flights, with ground officers acting as observers, made over the Cape Torokina region
7 October	Admiral King approves 1 November 1943 as D-day Empress Augusta Bay
8 October	General Barrett sets up the Task Organization for the ground forces
8 October	Lieutenant General Vandegrift resumes command of IMAC upon the death of Major General Barrett
9 October	Central Solomons Campaign ends
15 October	IMAC issues Operation Order #1; orders 3d Marine Division to seize Cape Torokina
21-22 October	New Zealand amphibious patrol lands in the Treasury Islands
22 October	IMAC issues Operation Order #2, directing the 2d Parachute Battalion to conduct the Choiseul diversion
22 October	Major General Geiger named Deputy Corps Commander IMAC
25-26 October	New Zealand advance party lands in the Treasury Islands
27 October	Advance party of Marines landed at Atsinima Bay to prepare for the assault landing of the 3dMarDiv
27 October	8th New Zealand Brigade lands on the Treasury Islands
28 October	2d Parachute Battalion lands on Choiseul for a diversionary raid shortly after 0001; withdrawn 4 November
31 October	Buka-Bonis at northern end of Bougainville bombarded by Admiral Merrill's Montpelier Task Force
1 November	Shortland-Faisi area bombarded by Admiral Merrill's Montpelier Task Force
1 November	IMAC lands at Cape Torokina with 3d and 9th Marines and 2d Raider Regiment in assault
1-2 November	Battle of Empress Augusta Bay; U.S. Fleet turns back Japanese attempt at naval counteraction
5 November	Rabaul bombarded by U.S. carrier planes
7 November	Elements of the Japanese 54th Infantry land near the mouth of the Laruma River; join our forces in battle

7 November	Battle of Piva Road Block (Piva Trail), units of Japanese 23d Infantry attack of 3d Raider Battalion
8 November	First elements of 37th Division arrive at Bougainville
9 November	End of Battle of Koromokina Lagoon; Japanese 54th Infantry defeated by 3d Battalion, 9th Marines, 1st Battalion, 3d Marines, and 1st Battalion, 21st Marines
9 November	Major General Geiger relieves Lieutenant General Vandegrift of command of IMAC. Vandegrift ordered home to become 18th Commandant of the Marine Corps
10 November	Japanese 23d Infantry defeated at Piva Road Block by 3d Raider Battalion, 2d Battallion, 9th Marines, and 1st Battalion, 9th Marines
11 November	Rabaul bombarded by U.S. carrier planes
12 November	Beginning of Battle of Coconut Grove; Company E 21st Marines, contacts elements of the Japanese 23d Infantry
14 November	2d Battalion, 21st Marines, secures Coconut Grove and East-West Numa Numa trail junction for IMAC
19 November	Beginning of Battle of Piva Forks
19 November	Final elements of 37th Division arrive at Bougainville
20 November	Cibik Ridge discovered and seized
23 November	Buka-Bonis bombardment by Admiral Merrill's Montpelier Task Force
24 November	Battle of Cape St. George, New Ireland; defeat of the "Tokyo Express"
25 November	Kavieng, New Ireland, bombed by U.S. carrier planes
26 November	3d Marine Division advances to Piva River line, having defeated the Japanese 23d Infantry in the battle of Piva Forks
29 November	1st Parachute Battalion conducts Koiari Beach raid
10 December	Fighter field on Bougainville becomes operational
15 December	IMAC relieved by XIV Corps; Major General Geiger relieved by Major General Griswold
22 December	3d Marines relieved on the lines by the 2d Raider Regiment
25 December	The 164th Infantry begins relief of the 9th Marines on the lines
27 December	9th Marines relieved on the lines by the 164th Infantry
28 December	3d Marine Division relieved of responsibility for eastern sector at 1600 by the Americal Division
28 December	9th Marines withdrawn from Bougainville
1944
1-2 January	21st Marines relieved on the lines by the 182d Infantry
9 January	21st Marines withdrawn from Bougainville
9 January	The 132d Infantry arrives at Cape Torokina and relieves the 3d Parachute Battalion and the 3d Raider Battalion on the lines
16 January	Final evacuation of 3d Marine Division personnel from Bougainville
31 January	78,000 men and 130,000 tons of supplies delivered to Bougainville by eight echelons of landing craft since 1 November. 14,700 men and 28,000 tons of supplies delivered to Treasury Islands since 27 October by six echelons of landing craft
15 February	Green Islands fall to 3d (NZ) Division

8 March	Japanese begin attack on 37th Division sector
20 March	4th Marines (Reinforced) seize Emirau
24 March	Japanese attacks on 37th Division reach greatest intensity with Japanese 13th, 23d, and 45th Infantry Regiment elements in the fight. Certain elements of the 53d, 54th, and 81st Japanese Infantry Regiments appear
1 April	End of the Japanese attacks on the 37th Division. Americans begin advance against no resistance up the Numa Numa trail
15 June	South Pacific Command turned over to Vice Admiral Newton by Admiral Halsey. COMSOWESPAC assumes command of all forces west of longitude 159 East. The South Pacific Campaign against the Japanese virtually ended
21 June	3d Defense Battalion, FMF, which landed 1 November 1943 on Bougainville, and was the last FMF ground unit in active South Pacific area, withdrawn to Guadalcanal

Table of Contents ** Previous Chapter (Appendix II) * Next Chapter (Appendix IV)