Atlas of Battles

battle, notable, interwar and Second World War

Battle of Milne Bay

Battle of Milne Bay was a battle fought on 25 August 1942 at Milne Bay, in what is now Papua New Guinea; it lasted 13 days. It was part of the South West Pacific theater of World War II. The recorded result: Allied victory. Recorded strength: 8,824 against 1,943 land troops with tanks.

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AWM Caption: Australian troops plough through the mud at Milne Bay, New Guinea, shortly after the unsuccessful Japanese invasion attempt.
AWM Caption: Australian troops plough through the mud at Milne Bay, New Guinea, shortly after the unsuccessful Japanese invasion attempt.. Bagnall, Frank N, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought25 August 1942lasted 13 days
WhereMilne Bay, Papua New Guinea10.320S, 150.480E
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 Milne Bay, 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

Date25 August 1942
to 7 September 1942
PlaceMilne Bay, Papua New Guinea
10.320S, 150.480E
KindBattle, interwar and Second World War
Strength8,8241,943 land troops with tanks
Casualties and lossesAustralia:167 killed or missing; 206 wounded; United States:14 killed625 killed; 311 wounded
Commanders
  • Cyril Clowes
Battle of Milne BayBattle of Milne BayBattle of Goodenough IslandBattle of Goodenough Island100 km10.320S, 150.480E
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 Milne Bay 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 Q113621, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Milne Bay, revision 1377050473, 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.