Atlas of Battles

battle, notable, interwar and Second World War

Battle of Buna–Gona

Battle of Buna–Gona was a battle fought on 16 November 1942 at Buna, in what is now Papua New Guinea; it lasted 2 months. It was part of the South West Pacific theater of World War II. The recorded result: Allied victory. Recorded strength: 20,000+ (total) against 5,500–6,500 (initially); 11,000–12,000 (total).

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George Silk's classic picture taken at Buna, New Guinea, on Christmas Day, 1942. An Australian soldier, Private George "Dick" Whittington is aided by a Papuan orderly, Raphael Oimbari. Whittington die
George Silk's classic picture taken at Buna, New Guinea, on Christmas Day, 1942. An Australian soldier, Private George "Dick" Whittington is aided by a Papuan orderly, Raphael Oimbari. Whittington die. George Silk, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought16 November 1942lasted 2 months
WhereBuna, Papua New Guinea8.650S, 148.350E
OutcomeAllied victory
BelligerentsAustralia; United StatesagainstEmpire of Japan
Part ofSouth West Pacific theater of World War II

Where it sits in the South West Pacific theater of World War II

Bombing of Darwin, 1942Battle of the Coral Sea, 1942Battle of Milne Bay, 1942Battle of Buna–Gona, 1942Battle of Wau, 1943Operation Cartwheel, 1943Battle of Hollandia, 1944Battle of Driniumor River, 194419421944Battle of Buna–Gona, 1942
8 placed engagements of the South West Pacific theater of World War II in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date16 November 1942
to 22 January 1943
PlaceBuna, Papua New Guinea
8.650S, 148.350E
KindBattle, interwar and Second World War
Strength20,000+ (total)5,500–6,500 (initially); 11,000–12,000 (total)
Casualties and losses1,991 killed,; 12,300+ injured or sick7,000 dead (4,000 in battle, remainder from disease); 1,200 injured (evacuated),; 250+ captured
Commanders
  • Yosuke Yokoyama
  • Yoshitatsu Yasuda
Battle of Buna–GonaBattle of Buna–GonaBattle of IsuravaBattle of Mission Ridge – Brigade HillBattle of Port MoresbyBattle of IsuravaBattle of Mission Ridge – Brigade HillBattle of Port MoresbyPopondetta100 km8.650S, 148.350E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1942

Battle of Buna–Gona is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 54 in present-day Papua New Guinea.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2917077, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Buna–Gona, revision 1377091130, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.