~Green Island Timeline~

1941

Green Islands under Australian Mandate since given from Germans after WWI 
home to several thousand natives of predominantly Melanesian descent 
Marist missionaries have church, school, dispensary 
Australians have 3 plantations - I Barahun, 2-Nissan for copra - coconut derivative used in making soap, etc.

1942

March 30: Japanese occupy Solomon Islands 
Green Island and 1500 natives under Japanese

1943

Fr. George Lepping captured on Shortland and taken to Rabaul 
Dec. 20: Decision by Halsey and MacArthur to capture Green 
Dec. 31: Operation mapped out; code named "Squarepeg" 
NZ’s Barrowhead gets operational command 
New Zealand prepare tactical diagram facilitating strategy 
New Zealand plans overruled by US Command

1944

Jan.10: 2 PT Boats reconnoiter the Island and entrances to lagoon 
Jan. 30-31: NZ Battalion 30 raid and assessment: 4 killed in ambush 
Feb. 1: Japanese on Green flee to Feni Islands 
Feb. 2: 77 Japanese reinforcements arrive from Rabaul 
Feb. 5: original group of Japanese returns and 102 move into cave on Pokonian, then up to Mission

February 15, Landing Day: Battalions 30, 35, 37 of the 14th New Zealand Brigade, Barrowclough and other staff on USS Halford, some 40 NZ Units including the 3 Battalions, 3 US NCBs, , 967 US Anti-aircraft Battalion, Naval base and air units, PT Boats establish base and are patrolling 2 days later to beaches, few skirmishes Capture by 4242 New Zealanders and 1564 US (over 30 ships) Arrival of NZ and 1st echelon 93rd, Navy Beachmasters

Feb.15-25: arrival of 93rd NCB (4 consecutive echelons) 
Feb.15, 19, 24: arrival of 37th NCB 
Feb. 16: Battle of Tanaheran 
Feb. 19: construction begins on strips 
Feb. 20: second 93rd echelon arrives and 1147 natives are removed 
Feb. 22: arrival of one echelon of 15th NCB 
Feb.15-March 6: arrival of 33rd NCB 
Feb. 25: last 93rd echelon arrives with Bob Conner 
7 more echelons every 5 days until March 17: 16,448 troops on Island 
March 3: first plane - a disabled Corsair - lands on fighter strip 
March 6: 9th Special NCB, Company C, Gang 24 stevedores arrive with Headquarters personnel
March 7: Censor's date on photo of SCAT DC-3 "First plane to land on Green Island"; no date for landing
March 13: VMF-223 "Bulldogs" send all 20 planes to Green for (safety) dispersal
March 14: VMF-223 assigned to MAG 14, 1st MAW
March 15: VMF-223 Ground crews arrive to service VMF 114
March: 17,000 troops on Green 
March: Arrival of PATSU with Richard Nixon 
March 28:VMF-223 flight crews leave, ground remain to service VMF-114
March 29: bomber strip completed: First plane - a Liberator - crash lands 
       93rd NCB map of Green Islands facilities is produced
April 3: 1944 departure of 15th NCB echelon 
April 7: VMSB Dive Bombing Squadron 341 (SBDs) arrives 
April 11: Cassiopeia arrives with supplies 
April 15: activity on Green "declines" 
        3rd NZ Div. recalled to aid work effort at home 
April 24: Wharton removes first 1,800 NZ troops 
April 29: 2 VMF 215 Corsairs attack US PT boats; 1 shot down.  21 planes return for second attack.
May 2: Mel Clark’s stunt 
May 7: (Bulldog squadron) flight crews return to relieve VMF 114
       Charles Lindbergh joins VMB 223 (or 433) 
May 7 VMF 114 departs
May 11: VMSB 341 leaves for R&R 
May 29: Naos leaves for New Caledonia with NZ troops 
May 30: Mintaka leaves for New Caledonia with NZ troops 
May/June arrival of VMB 423 ground echelon 
Spring: VMB 423 (PBJ/B-25)Squadron) 
VMB 413 
MAG 24/14 leaves and 423 ground echelon moves 
US Army Coast Artilliary station on Barahun 
arrival of nurse - Helen Weant, flying nurse with 13th Army
June: CBMU 552 arrives from Ellice 
June 10: Five 93rd Seabees men killed in dynamite accident 
Early Summer US Army takes over from NZ 
June 15: The Main Body of HQ, 3 NZ Division’s staff sailed from Green Island for New Caledonia on ROTANIN. 
June 16: Coos Bay departs 
June 18: VMF 433/VMB 223 Bulldogs air crews depart 
June 21: arrival of VMB 423 air echelon 
June 24 VMF 433/VMB 223ground crew depart
July 1: VMSB 341 Returns
July 3: CBMU 553 arrives 
July 11: Bob Conner mentions Hollywood and Vine 
July 14.VMB 433 air echelon 
July 16, 1944 arrival of VMB 433 

By July 1944, all authorized construction on Green Island was complete, and CBMU's 552 and 553 reported to take charge of general maintenance and miscellaneous construction. Late in 1944, the maintenance units began dismantling structures for removal. By January 1945, the majority of the naval facilities had been rolled-up and were awaiting shipment to forward areas.

July, August 1944: departure of 33rd NCB 
August 1, 2 Bob Hope 3-5 shows 
August VMB Air leaves for Espiritu Santo 
August 15, VMSB leaves for US 
August 15 Jack Benny 
August 20, 1944 departure of VMB 433 
August 44 - PT RON 28 is on Green 
September 10, Australia takes Solomons Mandate 
October 4, 1944 departure of 37th NCB 
October 14, Clark Dennis and Duffy’s Tavern 
October 25, departure of 93rd NCB 
October: 20th RNZAF arrives 
November: 18th RNZAF arrives 
November: 20th RNZAF leaves 
December: 14th RNZAF arrives 
December: 16th RNZAF arrives 
December: 18th RNZAF leaves 
December 25: Signal Corps 551barbeques pig for Christmas dinner

1945

January: 17th RNZAF arrives 
January: 14th RNZAF leaves 
February: 15th RNZAF arrives 
February: 16th RNZAF leaves 
March: 17th RNZAF leaves 
March 20: CBMU 552 arrives at Hollandia from Green
March: 24th RNZAF arrives 
April: 21st RNZAF arrives 
April: 15th RNZAF leaves 
April: VPB departs 
May: 24th RNZAF leaves 
May: 21st RNZAF leaves 
June 12: VMB 423 leaves for Emirau 
July VPB 53 departs for Samar 
July: PATSU see remaining troops off, burn everything behind, leave for Guiuan.- 
August 1: CBMU 553 departs for Leyte/Samar
August 10: Pacific War ends 
natives return