US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

540 Amphibians Came To Conquer
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$ ALL ARMY MAPS GIVE THE ISLAND TO THE “’74N&eL
SOUTHWEST OF BARAULU ISLANO AS SASAVELE,
PRE-ATTACK NAVY CHARTS SHOW IT AS DUME
ISLAND. MODERN CHARTS SHOW IT AS SASAVELE,
New Georgia Island, Onaiavisi Entrance.
the troops from Rendova were to land to commence their flank attack on
Munda airfield.
Since the minor task was to be undertaken first, it is described here first.
ONAIAVIS1 ENTRANCE (TU 31. I .1 )
Two miles east of the eastern end of the Munda airstrip on New Georgia
Island is Ilangana Point, and the western end of the 25-mile long Roviana
Lagoon. Onaiavisi Entrance, a block-busting name even for the South Pacific,
separates Dume (Sasavele) Island and Baraulu Island, which together with
Roviana Island and many smaller islands and long coral reefs, guard the
western end of Roviana Lagoon and mark the northwestern boundary of
Blanche Channel which separates Rendova and New Georgia Islands.
Laiana Beach, just north of Ilangana Point, was a fair beach and a logical
place to land to start an assault on Munda airfield. However, Laiana Beach
reportedly was defended, while equally good Zanana Beach, two and a
half miles, several rivers and creeks and some densely jungled area to the
eastward, was not defended.