Trip to Guadalcanal

[Ron Saueracker]

Great pics! Thanks for sharing them.

The naval officer apparently was the Yamato's Gunnery Officer who did much of the arty spotting. Makes one wonder why the naval bombardment model was in many ways modelled after the effects of the Kongo/Haruna bombardment, considering that this was one of the few cases where opposing sides actually had their own respective FOOs.

[Mark VII]

Having breakfast at our hotel, starting talking to an Aussie who was with the Ramsey's. Ramsey's are sorta like an international police force who rotate around the region to trouble spots to help keep the peace. Well it came out I was American and why I was there, He offers that during his next leave(at that time he will be posted in PNG) he is going to hike the Kokoda Trail starting in Buna and heading Port Moresby. Needless to say I was somewhat surprized, even more so I think he was going by himself![X(][X(]

So Nik, it must not be that bad from the cannibal point of view, who should give it a go and let us know how it went.(if you are ever seen again![:D][:D]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

Ditto. I would love to visit Henderson, and walk the Trail @ Port Morosby.

course, knowing my luck, i'd probably get eaten by cannibals......

(mmmmm....say traveler....are you, white meat....or dark?)

[X(]

[Mark VII]

Thats right Ron, thats what John had said,(I forgot, was taking photos and not notes) that the officer was from the Yamato. I also forgot what his name was. Also interesting is that the officer did get off the Island.

ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker

The naval officer apparently was the Yamato's Gunnery Officer who did much of the arty spotting.

[Mark VII]

OK, I left off at the Japanese OP on the edge of Mt Austen at mid morning Thursday. We head down the Mt. to the East and have to work our way around the North side thru some (lets say) suburbs of Honiara. We approach the Gifu area from the NE possibly on what was called Wright Road. The road ends in Barana Village just below Hill 27 which is where The Gifu is.

A important person in this village oversees the collection of war debris from the nearby battle fields. Much is for sale but the government of the Solomon Islands now prohibits the taking out of country any such stuff. The locals also want some money just to take photos but I snapped off some before they got to us. There was another larger table that was clearly marked wanting cash per pic, this table had no sign and nothing was said.

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Imperial Japanese Army helmet with star

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medicine bottles, some still had a liquid in them

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mess kits and canteens. They look Japanese but I wouldn't know for sure.

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Leaning on table, part of a wing to something. A zero??? Guesses allowed!

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I think a fuel tank

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one more shot of the wing

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We are now heading to the top of Hill 27, which I believe is in the middle of the Gifu. Looking right after exiting the village. Guess what we can see out in the water?

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At top John stands next to a Japanese Memorial.

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The back of memorial. In background you can see the hill we came up and the roof of last building in Barana Village.

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close-up of english version

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Where you saw John a couple of pics ago, this foxhole was just behind him on the slope heading down with it facing Northerly toward the water.

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another fox hole further down the slope. This one more facing west

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We are now heading down the SW side(I think) of Hill 27. John is in the lead, it was very steep. At the 12 o'clock of John is the area(at the tree/grass line) where the final assault on the position orginated. The Americans had came behind the ridge near top of pic, thru heavy jungle and had slowly worked themselves over the ridge, down the ridge and then up the edge of the hill to their jumping off point. The Japanese defences were more oriented the other way and they were surprized but reacted well.

To John's left you can see a foxhole about seven feet away.

[Mark VII]

We went down to the tree line but could not see anything as the growth was to thick. Another fox hole on way back. John says that these foxholes would trade owership each day with the Japanese in them at night and the Americans taking them back during the day. This happened for a couple of days, not sure how long.

Hole is maybe three feet deep. Stuff can be found in some of these holes.

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View from last hole. Dug by the Japanese for an attack from the North but then used against them as Americans rolled up the flank.

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Another hole looking north, maybe northwest.