~Green Island Timeline~

--1941

Green Islands under Australian Mandate since given from Germans after WWI 
home to several thousand natives of predominantly Melanesian descent 
Marist missionaries have church, school, dispensary 
Australians have 3 plantations - I Barahun, 2-Nissan for copra - coconut derivative used in making soap, etc.



1942



March 30: Japanese occupy Solomon Islands 
Green Island and 1500 natives under Japanese



1943



Fr. George Lepping captured on Shortland and taken to Rabaul 
Dec. 20: Decision by Halsey and MacArthur to capture Green 
Dec. 31: Operation mapped out; code named "Squarepeg" 
NZ’s Barrowhead gets operational command 
New Zealand prepare tactical diagram facilitating strategy 
New Zealand plans overruled out by US Command



1944



Jan.10: 2 PT Boats reconnoiter the Island and entrances to lagoon 
Jan. 30-31: NZ Battalion 30 raid and assessment: 4 killed in ambush 
Feb. 1: Japanese on Green flee to Feni Islands 
Feb. 2: 77 Japanese reinforcements arrive from Rabaul 
Feb. 5: original group of Japanese returns and 102 move into cave on Pokonian, then up to Mission

February 15, Landing Day: Battalions 30, 35, 37 of the 14th New Zealand Brigade, Barrowclough and other staff
on USS Halford, some 40 NZ Units including the 3 Battalions, 3 USNCBs, , 967 US Anti-aircraft Battalion, Naval
base and air units, PT Boats estab base and are patrolling 2 days later to beaches, few skirmishes Capture by 4242
New Zealanders and 1564 US (over 30 ships)Arrival of NZ and 1st echelon 93rd, Navy Beachmasters

Feb.15-25: arrival of 93rd NCB (4 consecutive echelons) 
Feb.15, 19, 24: arrival of 37th NCB 
Feb. 16: Battle of Tanaheran 
Feb. 19: construction begins on strips 
Feb. 20: second 93rd echelon arrives and 1147 natives are removed 
Feb. 22: arrival of one echelon of 15th NCB 
Feb.15-March 6: arrival of 33rd NCB 
Feb. 25: last 93rd echelon arrives with Bob Conner 
7 more echelons every 5 days until March 17. 16,448 on Island 
March 3: first plane - a disabled Corsair - lands on fighter strip 
March: 17,000 troops on Green 
March: Arrival of PATSU with Richard Nixon 
March 29: bomber strip completed: First plane - a Liberator - crash lands 
April 3: 1944 departure of 15th NCB echelon 
April 7: VMSB Dive Bombing Squadron 341 (SBDs) arrives 
April 11: Casseopeia arrives with supplies 
April 15: activity on Green "declines" 
3rd NZ Div. recalled to aid work effort at home 
April 24: Wharton removes first 1800 NZ troops 
May 2: Mel Clark’s stunt 
May 7: 1944 (Bulldog squadron) Lindbergh Lindbergh joins VMB 223 (or 433) 
May 11: VMSB 341 leaves for R&R 
May 29: Naos leaves for New Caledonia with NZ troops 
May 30: Mintaka leaves for New Caledonia with NZ troops 
May/June arrival of VMB 423 ground echelon 
Spring: VMB 423 (PBJ/B-25)Squadron) 
VMB 413 
MAG 24/14 leaves and 423 ground echelon moves 
US Army Coast Artilliary station on Barahun 
arrival of nurse - Helen Weant, flying nurse with 13th Army 
June 10: Five 93rd Seabees men killed in dynamite accident 
Early Summer US Army takes over from NZ 
June 15: The Main Body of HQ, 3 NZ Division’s staff sailed from Green Island for New Caledonia on ROTANIN. 
June 16: Coos Bay departs 
June 18: Bulldogs depart 
June 21: arrival of VMB 423 air echelon 
July 1: VMSB 341 Returns 
July 11: Bob Conner mentions Hollywood and Vine 
July 14.VMB 433 air echelon 
July 16, 1944 arrival of VMB 433 
July, August 1944: departure of 33rd NCB 
August 1, 2 Bob Hope 3-5 shows 
August VMB Air leaves for Espiritu Santo 
August 15, VMSB leaves for US 
August 15 Jack Benny 
August 20, 1944 departure of VMB 433 
August 44 - PT RON 28 is on Green 
Sept. 10, Australia takes Solomons Mandate 
October 4, 1944 departure of 37th NCB 
October 14, Clark Dennis and Duffy’s Tavern 
October 25, departure of 93rd NCB 
October: 20th RNZAF arrives 
November: 18th RNZAF arrives 
November: 20th RNZAF leaves 
December: 14th RNZAF arrives 
December: 16th RNZAF arrives 
December: 18th RNZAF leaves 
December 25: Signal Corps 551barbeques pig for Christmas dinner



1945



January: 17th RNZAF arrives 
January: 14th RNZAF leaves 
February: 15th RNZAF arrives 
February: 16th RNZAF leaves 
March: 17th RNZAF leaves 
March: 24th RNZAF arrives 
April: 21st RNZAF arrives 
April: 15th RNZAF leaves 
April: VPB departs 
May: 24th RNZAF leaves 
May: 21st RNZAF leaves 
June 12: VMB 423 leaves for Emirau 
July VPB 53 departs for Samar 
July: PATSU see remaining troops off, burn everything behind, leave for Guiuan.- 
August: Pacific War ends 
natives return