Solomon Islands Campaign.

[Delta Tank]

To all,

Need some help! My wife got me two books from “The Great Courses”, one entitled “World War II, The Pacific Theater” and the other one is on the European Theater. In the Pacific Theater book the author states on page 95, “. . . the US Navy-Marine Corps team under Halsey advanced in parallel up the Solomon Island ladder toward Rabaul.”

I thought the US Army was also involved, so I have the following divisions from the US Army that were involved in this campaign: Americal (23d ID), 25th ID, 37th ID, 43d ID, 93d ID. Marine Divisions, 1st Marine Division, 2d Marine Division, and 3d Marine Division. Am I correct so far? We’re there any other large units, regiments and above? We’re any Australian or New Zealand units involved?

Thanks for the help.

Mike
PS I don’t recommend either of these two books, they are full of errors, the one on the European Theater is really bad.

[Pips]

There's a reasonable summation of forces involved in the capture and occupation of Bougainville here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bougainville_campaign

As far as I'm aware, it was the only island in the Solomon's chain that Australian troops were deployed. Although I do believe that New Zealand troops use was more widespread.

[Kingfish]

During the Guadacanal campaign the independent US 147th Infantry Regiment was attached (initially) to the Americal division.

[OpanaPointer]

To all,

Need some help! My wife got me two books from “The Great Courses”, one entitled “World War II, The Pacific Theater” and the other one is on the European Theater. In the Pacific Theater book the author states on page 95, “. . . the US Navy-Marine Corps team under Halsey advanced in parallel up the Solomon Island ladder toward Rabaul.”

I thought the US Army was also involved, so I have the following divisions from the US Army that were involved in this campaign: Americal (23d ID), 25th ID, 37th ID, 43d ID, 93d ID. Marine Divisions, 1st Marine Division, 2d Marine Division, and 3d Marine Division. Am I correct so far? We’re there any other large units, regiments and above? We’re any Australian or New Zealand units involved?

Thanks for the help.

Mike
PS I don’t recommend either of these two books, they are full of errors, the one on the European Theater is really bad.

I'm a retired USN CPO. So naturally I think the whole war was won by the Navy. NOT. But it happens. Patience is required in this field.

[Delta Tank]

There's a reasonable summation of forces involved in the capture and occupation of Bougainville here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bougainville_campaign

As far as I'm aware, it was the only island in the Solomon's chain that Australian troops were deployed. Although I do believe that New Zealand troops use was more widespread.

Pips,

After reading the Wikipedia article I can add the following units that participated in the the Solomon Islands Campaign.

3d New Zealand Division (Treasury Islands), 3d Australian Division, 11th and 23d Australian Infantry Brigades, and the Fuji Regiment.

Thanks

Mike

[Carl Schwamberger]

To all,

Need some help! My wife got me two books from “The Great Courses”, one entitled “World War II, The Pacific Theater” and the other one is on the European Theater. In the Pacific Theater book the author states on page 95, “. . . the US Navy-Marine Corps team under Halsey advanced in parallel up the Solomon Island ladder toward Rabaul.”

I thought the US Army was also involved,

This I think comes from a lack of understanding of command arraignments. Particualry in the PTO. Operationaly Marines attached to a senior Army HQ or Army units attached to a Marine/Navy command are technically part of a Army, Navy, or Marine command. ie: US 14th Corps on Guadalcanal was acting as part of a combined operation in the SE Pacific under Navy control. The components of the 2d Marine division attached to the 14th Corps were under Army command. If the writer is in ignorance and assuming Army and Navy units are always separate they can miss & fail to include this intermingling or task organization in their historical account.