Atlas of Battles

battle, interwar and Second World War

Battle of Goodenough Island

Battle of Goodenough Island was a battle fought on 22 October 1942 at Goodenough Island, in what is now Papua New Guinea; it lasted 5 days. It was part of World War II, which ran from 1939 to 1945. The recorded result: Allied victory. Recorded strength: 640 against 353 initially, 285 during ground fighting.

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Australian soldiers at Goodenough Island, off the coast of New Guinea, with a flag captured during the battle in which the island was recaptured from Japanese forces
Australian soldiers at Goodenough Island, off the coast of New Guinea, with a flag captured during the battle in which the island was recaptured from Japanese forces. Clifford Bottomley, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought22 October 1942lasted 5 days
WhereGoodenough Island, Papua New Guinea9.340S, 150.268E
OutcomeAllied victory
BelligerentsAustralia United StatesagainstEmpire of Japan
Casualties and losses13 killed, 19 woundedand20 killed, 15 wounded, 1 prisoner
Part ofWorld War II1939 to 1945

Where it sits in World War II

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313 placed engagements of World War II in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date22 October 1942
to 27 October 1942
PlaceGoodenough Island, Papua New Guinea
9.340S, 150.268E
KindBattle, interwar and Second World War
Strength640353 initially, 285 during ground fighting
Casualties and losses13 killed, 19 wounded20 killed, 15 wounded, 1 prisoner
Battle of Goodenough IslandBattle of Goodenough IslandBattle of Milne BayBattle of Milne Bay100 km9.340S, 150.268E
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 Goodenough Island 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 Q4871126, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Goodenough Island, revision 1370110964, 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.