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Cpl Richard Campfield (gyrene79)
to remember
Marine 1stLt John James Knight, Jr..
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Contact Info
Last Address P. O. Box No. 1852 Phoenix, Ariz
MIA Date Jan 14, 1944
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Sea
Location Papua New Guinea
Location of Memorial Manila American Cemetery - Taguig City, Philippines
VMF-215 departed the United States on February 23, 1943, and was first sent to Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii. During their time at MCAS Ewa they again transitioned aircraft, this time receiving the F4U Corsair. The squadron departed Hawaii on May 12 for Midway Atoll where they stayed for two months flying combat air patrols and escorting Allied shipping in the area. In mid-June 1942 they left Midway for the South Pacific. VMF-215 arrived on Espiritu Santo on July 1, 1943 and by the end of the month was taking part in fighter sweeps against Japanese bases in the northern Solomon Islands. On August 14, an F4U Corsair from VMF-215 was the first plane to arrive at the newly captured Munda airfield where they immediately began operating to cover the landings on Vella Lavella. Shortly thereafter the squadron pulled back to the rear for rest and relaxation. The squadronâ??s second combat tour began while they were based at Barakoma Airfield on Vella Lavella. From there they covered the landings at Empress Augusta Bay on Bougainville, which began on November 1, 1943.
KNIGHT, John J Jr, 1STLT, O-024932, USMC, from Idaho, location New Britain Island, date of loss January 14, 1944 + KNIGHT, John J., Jr., 1st Lt., USMCR. Mother, Mrs. Josephine E. Knight, P. O. Box No. 1852, Phoenix, Ariz + KNIGHT, John James, First Lieutenant, O-024932, USMC, from Arizona, Manila American Cemetery + KNIGHT, John James, Jr, 24932, POW & MPDet, HQ USMC, Washington DC, January 15, 1946, missing-killed in action
Body Not Recovered
World War II/Asiatic-Pacific Theater/Northern Solomon Islands Campaign (1943-44)
From Month/Year
February / 1943
To Month/Year
November / 1944
Description The Solomon Islands campaign was a major campaign of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign began with Japanese landings and occupation of several areas in the British Solomon Islands and Bougainville, in the Territory of New Guinea, during the first six months of 1942. The Japanese occupied these locations and began the construction of several naval and air bases with the goals of protecting the flank of the Japanese offensive in New Guinea, establishing a security barrier for the major Japanese base at Rabaul on New Britain, and providing bases for interdicting supply lines between the Allied powers of the United States and Australia and New Zealand.
The Allies, in order to defend their communication and supply lines in the South Pacific, supported a counteroffensive in New Guinea, isolated the Japanese base at Rabaul, and counterattacked the Japanese in the Solomons with landings on Guadalcanal (see Guadalcanal Campaign) and small neighboring islands on 7 August 1942. These landings initiated a series of combined-arms battles between the two adversaries, beginning with the Guadalcanal landing and continuing with several battles in the central and northern Solomons, on and around New Georgia Island, and Bougainville Island.
In a campaign of attrition fought on land, on sea, and in the air, the Allies wore the Japanese down, inflicting irreplaceable losses on Japanese military assets. The Allies retook some of the Solomon Islands (although resistance continued until the end of the war), and they also isolated and neutralized some Japanese positions, which were then bypassed. The Solomon Islands campaign then converged with the New Guinea campaign.
