no crews following us as usual all lights were cut off on the ship and beach. I knew how to reach the beach area in the dark by heading for a V-shaped gap in the mountain that was visible at night. Thinking the driver knew where he was going, I didn't notice until the wheels of the vehicle began hitting coral reefs and the breakers began coming over the stern, that we were off course. I immediately ordered the driver to reverse his screw and not to move the steering wheel. This kept the vehicle across the breakers and brought us back out into deeper water that enabled us to get on the right course to the beach.
He had been heading for the outer side of Puruata Island where the breakers were always rough. If we had been caught in the trough of one of those breakers we would have never made it back to shore.
******
After we left Bougainville the island was turned over to the Australian Forces. Sometime later they made an all-out drive to eliminate the enemy remaining there, by bombing, shelling and keeping their supply lines cut. At the end of the war it was reported that the Aussies had killed 8 or 9 thousand and another 10 thousand plus died from sickness or starvation, as there was no way for them to get any food or supplies.
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