American Casualties, New Georgia 1943

This photo was taken by a U.S. Army Signal Corps photographer 12 July 1943 near Munda Point, New Georgia in the Solomon Islands. Casualties from the recent fighting to take the Munda airfield are lying on stretchers and have been loaded for evacuation. The photo is very clear and many details are visible. The Signal Corps logo is on the lower left of the photo.

The Munda airfield was one of many Japanese-held airstrips on islands across the Pacific that had to be captured on the island-hopping road to Tokyo. The New Georgia group of islands in the Southwest Pacific was on the way to New Guinea, a step before Bougainville. The two airfields at Munda and Vila had to be taken to protect Adm. Halsey's moves. At Munda, landings began on 2 July. Fighting was light on the beaches but the airfield was strongly defended. The Americans finally occupied Munda airfield on 5 August 1943.

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