June 1943 (2)

Pacific Paratrooper

The jungle of New Georgia

On New Georgia there were no trails or roads.  When a passage was cut, a company-size unit of men would turn the footing into a sea of mud.  The only large, flat area was a former copra plantation around the Munda airfield.  Charts were another problem.  They were pre-WWII and some dated back to the German Admiralty of the 1890’s.

21-30 June – Operation Toenails began with air and naval bombardments on Japanese land positions.  The waters were mined to prevent the enemy from bringing in reinforcements.  Col. Michael Currin’s Raiders of the 4th Marines landed first and then were relieved by 2 other infantry companies.  Sergi Point was taken and they began heading toward Viru Harbor, going through the thick Kunai grass filled with enemy snipers.  Sgt. Anthony Coulis, of P Company, remembered hacking at the grass for 12 exhausting hours to go 7…

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