US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

Tough Toenaiis Paring 571
ship’s logs indicated the Army troops were disembarked at Segi Point on
D-Day.
DIVIDENDS
The original plan for the establishment of a PT boat base at Viru
Harbor was abandoned because the harbor was found unsuitable. The best
dividend out of the occupation of Viru Harbor came from a small marine
railway at Viru, built by the Seabees. It was useful in repairing the PT
boats which all too frequently grounded in the months ahead while boiling
along at high speed in poorly charted waters.
SEGI
Segi had been much in the planners’ eyes. In the first place the planners
knew something about the area because Segi home-ported a plantation and a
coastwatcher. Reconnaissance patrols were frequently landed there. Very
early planning at the SOPAC level had visualized landing the main body
of troops for the flank assault on Munda at Segi and moving them through
the dense woods to make the attack.
Second thoughts proved better. Marine troubles in getting two companies
from Segi to Viru Harbor on 27, 28, 29, 30 June were harbingers of future
difficulties when Marines and Army troops would attempt to move through
the dense woods against Japanese-held positions around Munda air base.
Since Segi Point and its immediate surroundings had been taken by the
Marines on 21 June, there was no problem for Commander Segi Occupation
Group beyond piloting his 1st Echelon ships and craft, through largely
unmarked channels to a specific beach area on a dark, rainy and windy
night, and moving the troops into the boats and ashore in the choppy seas.
The problems of all the landing ships and craft are illustrated by the
recorded experience of AK-27, which led the 2nd Echelon into Segi Point.
1 July 0030. In order to notify LCTS astern of change in convoy speed to
five knots, swung out of lead position and notified first LCTS in column
astern. Proceeded approximately one mile astern of these first three LCTS to
notify the fourth which was straggling.
0946. Ran aground on reef in Panga Bay, said reef not charted on secret
chart prepared from various sources for use in invasion operation. Unable to
work free under own power.