This week in the War, 14–20 December 1942: Australians and Americans capture Buna in Papua New Guinea

Papua stretcher bearers in New Guinea, carrying American wounded from the front lines, rest in the shade of a coconut grove, Buna 1942-3 [Public domain, wiki]

Papua stretcher bearers in New Guinea, carrying American wounded from the front lines, rest in the shade of a coconut grove, Buna 1942-3 [Public domain, wiki]

The Kokoda Trail campaign had grown into weeks of desperate fighting until the tide finally began to turn: This week in the war, on 14 December 1942, American troops captured Buna village in south-eastern Papua New Guinea.

Japanese destroyers and transports attempting to supply their diminishing forces were attacked by American aircraft while, on the following day, a Dutch cargo vessel delivered tanks to Australian troops in Oro Bay.

The tanks were used to attack the Japanese salient around Buna Mission. The Japanese position was strongly held and was not overcome until early January 1943.

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