Raid on Koiari

Koiari Raid
Part of the Bougainville Campaign in the Pacific Theater (World War II)

Marines from the 1st Parachute Battalion on the beach at Koiari 29 November 1943
Date28–29 November 1943
Location
Result Japanese victory
Belligerents
United States United States Empire of Japan Japan
Commanders and leaders
United States Roy Geiger
United States Richard Fagan
Empire of Japan Masatane Kanda
Empire of Japan Shun Iwasa
Strength
614 est. 1,200
Casualties and losses
15 dead
99 wounded
7 missing
est. 145–291 killed

The Raid on Koiari was a battle that occurred between 28 and 29 November 1943 in the Pacific theater of World War II between American and Japanese forces. Part of the Bougainville campaign, the raid involved a landing by a battalion-sized force of United States Marines to harass Imperial Japanese Army troops on Bougainville Island. The raid was a failure for the Americans as they were attacked by a larger-than-expected Japanese force and as a result the Marines were withdrawn from the beachhead without having achieved any of their objectives.