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CAPT James Garrett
to remember
Schneidmiller, Edward, F1c.
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Contact Info
Home Town Johnstown
Last Address 498 Eastern Drive
Date of Passing Dec 11, 1985
Location of Interment Elmwood Cemetery - Brighton, Colorado
Treasury-Bougainville Operation/Battle of Empress Augusta Bay
From Month/Year
November / 1943
To Month/Year
November / 1943
Description The Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, on 1–2 November 1943—also known as the Battle of Gazelle Bay, Operation Cherry Blossom, and in Japanese sources as the Sea Battle off Bougainville Island was a naval battle fought near the island of Bougainville. The naval battle was a result of Allied landings on nearby Bougainville in the first action in the Bougainville campaign of World War II and may also be seen as part of the Solomons and New Guinea campaigns. The battle was significant as part of a broader Allied strategy—known as Operation Cartwheel—aimed at isolating and surrounding the major Imperial base at Rabaul. The intention was to establish a beachhead on Bougainville, within which an airfield would be built.
On 1 November 1943, the U.S. 3rd Marine Division landed at Cape Torokina in Empress Augusta Bay. The bay had been chosen because it was at the outer limit of Allied fighter plane range, and because the numerically-superior Japanese 17th Army was concentrated at other, more strategic sites in the north and the south. The Marines were backed by Task Force 39, composed of cruisers and destroyers, commanded by Rear Admiral Aaron S. "Tip" Merrill.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
November / 1943
To Month/Year
November / 1943
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories On 28 October 1943, Fuller sailed from Efate, New Hebrides, for the initial landings on Bougainville, where she landed Marine raiders on Cape Torokina 1 November. Laden with casualties, she cleared the assault beaches the same day for Tulagi and Purvis Bay. Returning to Bougainville's Empress Augusta Bay anchorage with reinforcements 8 November, Fuller came under enemy air attack, receiving a direct hit on her port side which set her afire and killed five of her crew and two soldiers embarked. She returned to Purvis Bay 2 days later to repair battle damage, and twice more during the following month and a half carried reinforcements to Bougainville.
