COMPANY C, 594TH ENGINEER BOAT & SHORE REGIMENT, 4TH ENGINEER SPECIAL BRIGADE, SPECIAL MISSION

By
                                       Ephraim P Hansell, WWII Veteran                                             Company B 594th EB&SR
   Special Mission

Background

The Island of New Britain is 250 miles long and shaped like a crescent lying on its back and lies east of the mainland of Papus New Guinea (PNG), itself one of the most sparsely populated counties on the globe. PNG makes up the eastern half of New Guinea. Its a large land mass nine hundred miles long and four hundred miles wide, shaped something like an ostrich in stride and is one hundred miles north of Australia. The western half of New Guinea is an Indonesian province called Iran Jaya.

New Britain is now divided into the PNG provinces called East and West New Britain and was named by the English pirate and explorer William Dampier in 1700. No one claimed it until 1880 when Germany, interested in the copra crops , planted its flag on the island and established German New Guinea. The Capital was established at the far eastern tip of the island, in Rabaul, a town surrounded by active volcanoes and a deep harbor.

The Australians took the island at the start of the First World War, solely to capture the German radio base and they allowed the Germans to keep running the plantations. The Japanese took Rabaul in January 1941 with no resistance and they built a major naval and air base in the harbor to support their southeast expansion into the Solomons.

The emperor's troops didn't give much thought to the western end of New Britain until the allies started marching up the coast of the mainland Papus New Guinea, a hundred miles away across the channel. At this point the Japanese set about fortifying western New Britain. They built a bomber strip at the remote village of Cape Gloucester and launched boat strikes from a peninsula some twenty kilometers west at Natamo Point.

The allies were marching up the New Guinea mainland because Douglas Mac Arthur had vowed to return to the Philippines and he wanted help on his flanks and he wanted it from the First Marine Division. At a meeting of the Joint Chiefs while the First Marine Division was recuperating from Guadalcanal in Australia, Mac Arthur had asked for and been given the First, sort of on loan. The First were told by the commander of the Army that the island of New Britain was the next stop on its march through the Pacific. Meanwhile the Japanese had gathered some 10,000 troops on the eastern half of New Britain by the end of 1943 and Tokyo announced that the jungle will run red with the blood of the Guadalcanal butchers.

The Marines landed on New Britain on the 26 of December 1943 after a breakfast of steak and eggs. a traditional marine landing meal. The first mission was to take the airfield at Cape Gloucester on the north eastern coast of New Britain. The first Marines lost around 400 men on the eastern half of New Britain with bitter fighting before the Japanese retreated east to Rabaul. But that's another story and if one is interested I recommend "My Father's War" by Peter Richmond, published by Simon & Schuster. Although Mac Arthur was not interested in taking New Britain he realized the importance it had for the Australians. He authorized amphibious support to the First Australian Army to keep the Japanese in bay. This was where company B came into play by reassignment to the First

Reassignment

On October 6th 1944,orders were received from higher headquarters placing the company under the operational control of the Fifth Division, First Australian Army. The news was received with no small measure of surprise by the officers and men of the company and expectation ran high as to what the future held. In the week that followed the company began to arrange its equipment and stores for the pending operation. Since details were not yet available preparations were of a very general nature. The craft came first realizing that their condition would be of primary concern. Meanwhile, the company continued to resupply troops and installations at Cape Gloucester, Saidor, Madang and Long Island. The loss of boats to the Second Brigade plus the season's worst storms placed a burden on the company maintenance and seamanship.

Finally on the 10th of October 1944 the release came from the fourth Brigade. With the orders came detailed plans for our first initiation in joining the Australians' Forces. Lt. Miokanics was dispatched to Lae, New Guinea to act as Liaison Officer. Two radiomen, Sgt. Wilson and Tec. 4th grade Beal, from the communications section accompanied him to establish radio contact with the company so that headquarters could be kept well informed as to what was going on. Lt. Miokanics was to act as adviser on Amphibious Operations and on other technical operations pertaining to our crafts and their employment. Meanwhile the company had also been assigned an Australian Liaison Officer, Lt. James Roache Our company Liaison Officer was Ist Lt., Alex Nagy. Lt. Roache won the whole hearted affection of everyone with his wonderful accent, contagious humor and friendliness. At the end of our New Britain operation Lt. Roache returned to his unit and went on a patrol the following day with his Colonel and was killed by Friendly fire.

The opening gun of "B" Company's Australian Campaign rang out on October 12, 1944. On that day notification was received that one platoon of the company would embark within a week for Cape Hoskins, New Britain. The next few days found the second platoon readying the boats and loading necessary equipment needed to maintain such a detachment. Eight LCMs sailed on the morning of the 20th of October carrying forty seven men under the command of Lt. Eagan for Cape Hoskins.

In the week that followed, Captain Wallner together with Lt., Roache made several fast trips by "J" boat to Lae, for conferences with the Ist Army of the Australian Forces on the pending move to the Jacquinot Bay area in New Britain where the Australian landings were to take place. Details were worked out and every phase, of the operation was covered in these meetings. When Capt., Wallner returned to Finschhafen after the final conference on October 27th, the company was ready to embark. By This time the company equipment had been loaded on the fifteen LCMs and nine LCVPs to which wehad fallen heir. On October 28th Lt.,. Robertson and his embarkation section of eight men were recalled by Regimental Headquarters to Oro Bay thereby officially terminating the company's activities under the Finschhafen Port Director's Office

The weather was our first bad break. On the day we were scheduled to pull out, heavy rains and rough seas hampered every move and doubts were expressed on the part of all as to the risk involved in any lengthy trip with the LCVP's. However, the decision to use them was made at midnight on October 30th the company left Finschhafen on fifteen LCM's nine LCVP's and three "J" boats.

The trip to Arawe, New Britain was like any other, the usual cooking of meals, your turn at the wheel reading, and the sun bathing added to the brawniness of the already leathery skinned boatmen. At 143 0 on October 3 Oth the orderly convoy of M's, V's and "J" boats pulled into Arawe, having traveled eightyfive miles. The next two days were spent at Arawe where the Third Platoon of the 3016 Engineer Maintenance Company joined us. It was here that the D7 tractor and LeToumeau crane were loaded which later was to prove our only salvation in establishing a camp area. Everyone will remember the extra ration of so called fresh meat that was picked up that evening. It appears that a refrigeration ship loaded with meat lost their freezing capacity and the meat was spoiling. We were advised to cook the meat well done before eating. After boiling a roast for hours and skimming off the green foam we ate our fill. Early morning November 20th the small convoy took to the sea for Gasmata. The fog which was encountered from Arawe to Gasmata seemed to blanket the entire passage making the trip of 90 miles one not easily navigable.

The stay at Gasmata though brief was a very busy one. The boats had to be refueled and completely checked for the gruelling leg which still lay ahead. Fortunately every boat had weathered the first part of the journey in fine shape. The only real hardship on the trip thus far had been the limited combat rations and the living conditions on the LCVPs due to the limited space on them. Admirable fortitude and patience, which reflected a high degree of morale, found the men eagerly awaiting the final and most important stretch of the operation. We awaited an Australian escort vessel that was to accompany the convoy to serve as protection. Finally at 1530 on 3rd November 1944 the convoy started out from Gasmata only to be turned back by mountainous seas, which proved a bit too rough for the LCVPs. Each swell seemed to envelope the tiny craft and toss it about leaving it as helpless as a straw in a whirlwind. The experienced boatmen were not to be beaten. Doggedly and without any fanfare whatsoever, the bows of the boats were once again turned to the open sea, this time not to be driven back by any rough water or so called unnavigable waters. Without question this was the roughest trip ever experienced. The crew of the LCM 814 which was loaded with the LeTourneau Crane will easily recall the bailing of water to keep their craft afloat. Morning found the convoy sretched out along the horizon, each coxswain trying to get his bearing and moving his craft along cautiously with the feeling of preparedness for any unforeseen incident that might occur. Dday and Hhour had arrived November 4th, 1944,"DDay," the first DDay our company had experienced! In spite of the gruelling trip from Grasmata, all boat c ews wer e ale tp epar ed fbi any eme gency and the machine guns were readied as the shores of Jacquinot Bay, New Britain became visible in the early morning light. We landed at 0800 hours, with all LCMs and LCVPs running in perfect formation. Two destroyers of the Australian Navy, and the troopship carrying the men of the Australian 6th Brigade had already arrived, and if the crews of our "landing craft navy" were expecting a "show" they were destined to be disappointed. AM and Angau reported that "the Nip" pulled stakes, and had established his nearest base on the southern shore of Wide Bay.

Following the preconceived plan of operations, all craft loaded with company equipment nudged their ramps into the impenetrable jungle, along the shore near MalMal Plantation, at a point which was to become HOME for the next six months. Unloaded, (get that icebox ashore first, gang!) the boats began lightering operationsworking around the clock. Meanwhile, boats which had arrived empty, began the job of transporting the Aussies from ship to shore. With the landing of the initial troops, a perimeter defense was established, and the job of moving men and materiel ashore began in earnest. Fifteen LCMs and nine LCVPs was a pitifully small "fleet" for the task ahead, yet everyone pitched in, heartened by a promise of more craft to come.

The Australians with their manner of speaking, strange to us, were "great guys." Friendships ripened, slang expressions were exchanged, and it wasn't long before "The Yanks~' were using "cobber .. .. bloke," "Bloody," and "buggeredup" as freely as the Aussies! Our camp area was the worst yetwith jungle so dense that all we could do was follow the bulldozer into the woods. It was chop and cut back and keep cutting until we had sufficient room to set up a few tentsandour usual luckRAIN and MUDmore rainmore mud! Added to the difficulties that Mother Nature was bestowing on us, was the shortage of men ashore, and for a while work on the camp was painfully slow. By the end of our first month on New Britain, however, Company "B's" camp had taken on an air of permanency, the rainy season had ended, and life with the Aussie '~Blokes"and the nativeswas beginning to assume a rosier glow. Never a group to do things on a small scale, we erected the "New Britain Colossus"Our Mess and Recreation Hallfrom native saplings and what dunnage we were able to acquire during our ship to shore lightering. Coral tent floors were soon replaced with wood, showers enlarged, the maintenance beach enlarged and improved, a pier for the "J"boats and Picket boat floated and even a Jungle Theatre under the stars created for occasional movies from Finsch and Lae. Our industry provoked"She's right, mite!"from our Aussie ftiends. The mail situation was not "Right," however. Except for occasional packages and a few letters by our own boats from Finsch, all mail was brought in on a rather erratic schedule by Australian "Martin Mariner" and "Catalina7' flying boats. All eyes were turned upward at the welcome sound of their approach, and the crew of the "Mail V' was always eager to go to work. It was four months later before a C47 landed on the MalMal strip!

From the very beginning, no boat crew was idle and in a very short time, runs to Pomio Cutarp, Maru, and Baien had become familiar, not to mention harbor duties such as 'Movement Control" and "Courier!"

Thanksgiving Day was the first really bright spot since our arrivalturkey and all the trimmings from Finsch, brought up on our own boats, and plenty of Aussie beer (one of the fondest memories of "things Australian"). On the following night two planes were detected and fired upon by the antiaircraft guns across the anchorage. We later learned they were Australian ships, returning from a raid on Rabauland both were hit! During December we experienced several air raid Red alerts, but nothing ever developed. The extent of the Jap aid force was apparently a few float planes seen occasionally during the day. We did acquire a few more Ms, which eased the job of the original boats considerably. By this time the bottoms of the Vs had been worn thru from continuous beaching on coral, and after replanking, these craft were used only for harbor taxiboats.

Christmasour first overseas, was celebrated according to tradition, Church services were held by the Australian Chaplains, the Australian 5th Division Commander, General Ramsey, came down to wish us Merry Christmas, and we enjoyed a repeat performance of our Thanksgiving turkey deal with the added delicacy'Mllionaire's Salad" made from heart of palm. What a bit of timing! Lt. Munger arrived from Finsch on Christmas Eve with an Mload of Christmas packages! The Australian Comforts Funds had a holiday box for each of us; Dave Oberholtzer and "committee" created a fireplace and a snow covered Christmas tree. Spare those Kapok life jackets! The officers invited the N.C.O.s to a Christmas Eve party which developed into a "company party," and although we were isolated "Yanks" in the vast South West Pacificthe holiday was a merry one, and within our ranks a shining example of good will among men.

This was the time for gardens!! South of the Equator, we were in the middle of the summer season, and seeds from home and the Australian Canteen were soon sprouting alongside every tent. Could it be our usual Australian ration issue left something to be desired? Weekly fishing parties (equipment required, I LCVP, a few blocks of TNT, and a handful of natives) also helped the billoffare, not to mention occasional lucky "hauls" of fresh meat, eggs and butter when an American ship was in the harbor. We met the Diggers on their softball fields; the jungle allowed only VolleyBall and Table Tennis in our own camp area. Bingo?Yes! Every Wednesday nightand did the officers ever miss an afternoon at Badminton?

At this time the Sixth Brigade began their leapfrog movement north toward Wide Bay. Convoys left regularly for Cutarp and Sampun. On January 4th, aboard the ML 802 on a reconnaissance and patrol run, Capt. Wallner and Lt. Pope had their first glimpse of Kiep. The Sainpun to Kiep, afterdark run was scheduled to begin soon, and here was our first good beach. Lt. Duffy and a seventeen boat convoy arrived Jan. 8th bringing besides greatly needed craft, movies and P. X. supplies. The company was now committed for twentyone LCMs daily, or over two thirds of the total numbera credit to the crews and maintenance section.

On January 26th began our first PUSHthirteen LCMs and one "J" boat to land troops at Kiep under cover of darkness. Supplies were moved from Cutarp to Sampun. There the boats were reloaded in a murderous surf (so bad, in fact, that skegs were later found to be split from bow to stem) and then rendezvoused at Baien. At dusk, our boats departed from Baien in two waves, picked up troops at Sampun and proceeded to Kiep. First wave together with two MLs for protection landed at 1930, the second at 2130. Brigadier Sandover, C. 0. of the 6th Brigade, boarded the "J" boat from his ML for a brief reconnaissance north of Kiep. Troops and supplies were successfully landed without incident and by 0100 of January 27th all boats had returned to Baien. On the following day, the company fuel boat and four replacement LCMs arrived, and damaged craft returned to Jacquinot. That afternoon all craft were again loaded at Sampun and under cover of darkness proceeded to Kiep. Although violent seas and head winds were encountered, the LCM 803 was in a sinking condition, both waves arrived at Kiep on schedule, discharged troops and cargo, and were safely in the harbor of Baien by 0115. At 0530, on the 28th, all craft returned to camp at Jacquinot Bay, having completed Phase One of this operation successfully. Fifteen additional LCMs departed on January 29th for Phase Twoa repeat movement to Kiep. This mission was carried out without incident.

By the end of the first week in February, Kiep was declared safe for our craft at any time, and more troops and supplies were shuttled forward on a regular schedule.

February 6th"Coy B" staged a formal review for the presentation of the Soldier's Medal to Tec. 4th grade ARTHUR 1. JUDGE, for having risked his life to rescue two crew members of an A20 which had crashed into the sea off Opi, New Guinea, on the night of April 19th, 1944. Australian Staff Officers were presentmusic was supplied over a public address system.

February 15th was a "DoubleHeader"for excitement. We had long been awaiting the arrival of the 41 st Landing Craft Company, an Australian outfit similar to ours, which was to replace us. Their first "Bloody Barges" arrived, and we had always thought WE looked like seagypsies! That afternoon our "J"boats and an ML scoured the water off Cape Cunningham in search of an Australian plane reported to have crashed. After several hours the search as abandoned without success. Beginning February 18th the company operated tenboat convoys to and from Kiepand now Kalai situation in Henry Reid Bay, well into Wide Bay. The Sixth Brigade had commenced artillery fire on Tol and Waitavalo, and sleep for the boat crews which were staying at Kalai was out of the question. This was the start of the push to clean out the remaining Japs from Wide Bay. Our craft worked day and night running troops and supplies from the MalMal Base Camp to Kalai.
February 23rd will go down in our history as the darkest day, for it was then that tragedy  and grief struck our ranks. The engine repair shop of the 3016th Maintenance Platoon, on our maintenance beach, exploded and caught fire, burning four men very severely, one of whom, Cpl. Golden, died that night. We held our first military funeral the following morning and fervently prayed it might be the last. However, the company suffered its second fatality when P.F.C. Fannen died two days later. Both the 3016th and Company "B" were visibly shocked by thisour first real tragedy since coming overseas. Less than a week later followed more shocking newsthat Lt. Roache, our Liaison Officer of earlier Jacquinot days, had been killed at Kalai just twentyfour hours after his unit had been moved up by our LCMs.

The month of March saw another record for LCM operation established. Thirteen boats of the "Thirsty Third" platoon with Lt. Pope on the Picket boat moved the 12th Australian Field Company to Nantambu on the north coast of New Britain. The Field Coy's job was to rebuild an abandoned Jap strip at Ubili, a distance by water of 500 miles from Jacquinot Bay, This 1000 mile convoy left camp at 0300, March 13, with almost everyone sick from 44 shots"! However, at Gasmata, the first leg, everyone had recovered and was eagerly anticipating the trip ahead. Not so, our "cobbers," the Aussies, for on the next two legs while seas, rain, and wind battered the boats about and the "Bloody Yanks" reveled in the salt spray, the men from "Down Under" suffered "a thousand deaths" from sea sickness. After stops at Arawe, the Itni River, and Cape Gloucester, the quiet of Peter Harbor on Garove Island was reached at dusk on the 17th. A most welcome day's layover here awaiting better weather, while "Yomar," the native chief, had his people supply all sorts of fruit, with a promise of "Plenty Fruit" when the convoy stopped on the return trip. With the weather improving, the convoy left Garove Island at 0500, March 19th, and reached Cape Hoskins and the second Platoon detachment camp at 1400. Lt. Eagan was on the beach to meet the gang, and supper was served ashore for all hands. By evening of the next day the Aussies had debarked at Ubili and our boats reached the anchorage at Nantambu, the forward base of the 36th Australian Infantry Battalion. Back to Cape Hoskins, a day for necessary maintenance work and on March 23rd the convoy again anchored in Peter Harbor. "Yomar" hadn't exaggerated. His natives piled the decks high with bananas, lemons, oranges, "Parnelo" (grapefruit), taro and PauPau. The weather was smooth on the return trip, and after stops at Gloucester, Itni River, Mowe Harbor, and Cape Dampier, thirteen LCMs approached the company anchorage at noon, March 29th, running a precision "lineabreast" formation. 1000 miles and all engines still operatinganother tribute to the skill of the Boys of Baker Company.

April Ist was Easter Sunday. One year ago today we landed in New Guinea amid the rain and mud. This April Ist was a beautiful, peaceful day at our base camp, but in the Wide Bay sector things were "hot." The Australians were suffering heavy casualties and our boat crews were seeing their share of the excitement. Several craft were under mortar fire during this period, particularly when the operation required them to discharge equipment and evacuate wounded up the Waitavalo River. T/Sgt. Paul Luisi and the boat crews under him distinguished themselves by their unceasing efforts and their ability to supply the Australians with the much needed craftwhen and where they were needed. The entire 6th Brigade sang our praises for the help we had given them "Without which the Brigade's job just couldn't have been done" and commendations were received from the C. 0. of the Australian 6th Brigade, and our own Regimental and Brigade commanders. With this first week in April came the long awaited release from the I st Australian Armyand New Britain. Our sister companies had long since landed on Luzon, and we were "champing at the bit" to be on our way to Manila. Our orders were to proceed to Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, "via organic craft." There, all craft would be turned in and the company would travel by ship to the Philippines. Lt. Leonard and Tec. 4th Grade R. V. Johnson and radio equipment left by plane for Hollandia as an advance party.

Our last job for the Aussieseighteen LCMs to Waitavalo and Tolbegan on April I Ith. The operation was to transfer troops of the 13th Brigade to replace the 6th, and we left Jacquinot in waves of three boats the evening of the 13th. It was a rough, wet, trip, and although we were unaware of it at the time, a Jap bomber was on the prowl and had jettisoned its bombs near Cape Cunningham a short time after the convoy had passed! Tol Plantation was reached at 0800 the next morning, and after reloading troops and equipment of the 6th Brigade, the convoy paused at Kalai for a few hours. At 0045, April 15th, Company "B's" boats left Wide Bay for the last time. We were greeted upon our arrival at camp with the shocking news of President Roosevelt's death.

Then followed six days of feverish packing, crating, stenciling and last minute boat maintenance. Loading of our company equipment was completed on the afternoon of April 21st. our "home" for the past six months looked stripped and deserted. We were ready to leave New Britain! Our Australian friends favored us with a band concert early in the evening, which was followed by movieshours of movies. This was one time that "the sack" had been neglected. Shows began at 2100, lasted until 0300, a half hour before our departure, with an intermission at midnight for church services.

We were eager and anxious for a changeyetnot a few experienced a momentary feeling of regret at leaving New Britain. It hadn't been pleasant when we first landed, we had been isolated Yanks in "Forgotten Theater," and at times during the operation to which we had been committed the going had been rough. On the whole, however, the New Britain chapter of our overseas life would be hard to equal .... perfect weather, a camp as comfortable as the tropics allow, swimming, fishing, and enough "Work on the water" to keep the regiment's finest boat crews happy. "Good Show!"