Cape St. George
Encyclopedia
Cape St. George is the southernmost point on the island of New Ireland
, Papua New Guinea
, at 4.850°S 152.877°E. It was the namesake for the Battle of Cape St. George
, fought on 26 November 1943, between New Ireland and Buka
.
During the Pacific War
the Japanese used the Cape to watch out for American bombers from Guadalcanal
heading towards Rabaul
. The concrete bunker they built is still there. From information gathered from men from Lambom Village who are the traditional land owners and most of whom have either died or are now very old and who were forced to work for the Japanese, the Japanese commander/officer-in-charge during the war was called Kato. Apart from its association with the war in the Pacific and particularly in the New Guinea Islands region, "Cape St. George" is traditionally known in the local Siar language as Lain Silou - this is in reference to its protruding point into the outer sea and the fact that it is quite dangerous during rough seas to ships sailing past/around it.
On February 3, 1944, Medal of Honor recipient, Lt Robert M. Hanson
, VMF-215
, participated in a fighter sweep. On the return flight he strafed the lighthouse on Cape St. George, New Ireland, that served as an enemy flak tower and observation post. Making his run low on the deck, his blue-gray Corsair took a flak hit to the wing. Hanson tried to ditch but his wing dug into the water and the Corsair cartwheeled and crashed, leaving an oil slick and scattered debris.
New Ireland (island)
New Ireland is a large island in Papua New Guinea, approximately 7,404 km² in area. It is the largest island of the New Ireland Province, lying northeast of the island of New Britain. Both islands are part of the Bismarck Archipelago, named after Otto von Bismarck, and they are separated by...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, at 4.850°S 152.877°E. It was the namesake for the Battle of Cape St. George
Battle of Cape St. George
The Battle of Cape St. George was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II fought on 25 November 1943, between Cape St. George, New Ireland, and Buka Island . It was the last engagement of surface ships in the Solomon Islands campaign.-Background:Americans had landed troops on...
, fought on 26 November 1943, between New Ireland and Buka
Buka Island
Buka Island is the second largest island in the Papua New Guinean province of Bougainville.- History :Buka was first occupied by humans in paleolithic times, some 30,000 years ago...
.
During the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
the Japanese used the Cape to watch out for American bombers from Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
heading towards Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
. The concrete bunker they built is still there. From information gathered from men from Lambom Village who are the traditional land owners and most of whom have either died or are now very old and who were forced to work for the Japanese, the Japanese commander/officer-in-charge during the war was called Kato. Apart from its association with the war in the Pacific and particularly in the New Guinea Islands region, "Cape St. George" is traditionally known in the local Siar language as Lain Silou - this is in reference to its protruding point into the outer sea and the fact that it is quite dangerous during rough seas to ships sailing past/around it.
On February 3, 1944, Medal of Honor recipient, Lt Robert M. Hanson
Robert M. Hanson
Robert Murray Hanson was a Marine Corps aviator who shot down 25 Japanese planes from the South Pacific skies. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor.-World War II flying ace:...
, VMF-215
VMF-215
Marine Fighting Squadron 215 was a fighter squadron of the United States Marine Corps that was activated and fought during World War II. Known as "The Fighting Corsairs", they fought in many areas of the Pacific War, including the Battle of Bougainville...
, participated in a fighter sweep. On the return flight he strafed the lighthouse on Cape St. George, New Ireland, that served as an enemy flak tower and observation post. Making his run low on the deck, his blue-gray Corsair took a flak hit to the wing. Hanson tried to ditch but his wing dug into the water and the Corsair cartwheeled and crashed, leaving an oil slick and scattered debris.