View source for Hansa Bay

{{Short description|Bay in Papua New Guinea}}
'''Hansa Bay''' is a bay located on the north coast of [[Papua New Guinea]], in [[Madang Province]], between [[Madang]] and [[Wewak]], northeast of [[Bogia, Papua New Guinea|Bogia]].

== World War II history ==
During the [[New Guinea campaign]], Hansa Bay was a major [[Japanese Combined Fleet|Japanese]] [[naval base]] and transit station, between the Wewak region and south eastern bases. 

The [[airfields]] and [[Military camp|encampment]]s of [[Awar]] and [[Nubia (Papua New Guinea)|Nubia]] were also located nearby 

On 12 June 1944 the [[35th Battalion (Australia)#35th Battalion .28Australian Military Forces.29|Australian 35th Battalion]] reached Hansa Bay, pushing inland to the [[Sepik River]]. 

The abandonment of Japanese stores made it one of the largest [[ammunition dump|arms dumps]] captured in the New Guinea campaign to that date.

The extensive number of marine and aircraft engagements in the area during World War II, resulted in many wrecks, which are still to be found. These include approximately 35 [[shipwreck]]s, which are popular with [[Underwater diving|recreational divers]].

Wrecks in the area include:
* {{USS|PT-337}}: United States Navy motor torpedo boat 
* ''Sydney Maru'' (also known as (''Shishi Maru''): an Imperial Japanese Navy cargo ship)
*a [[B-25 Mitchell|B-25D Mitchell]] (serial number 41-30345 tail "Y") [[United States Army Air Forces]] bomber
*a [[B-24|B-24J-35]] (serial number 42-73338) USAAF bomber
*a [[P-39 Airacobra]] USAAF fighter

== See also ==
*[http://www.pacificwrecks.com/airfields/png/hansa/missions-hansa.html List of US missions against Hansa Bay 1943-1944]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110716153606/http://cas.awm.gov.au/photograph/075912 Photograph of Gunner H.J. SWIFT, 2/14 Australian Field Regiment, reading a sign among wrecked boats in the area controlled by the Australian 5th Div. Salvage Unit] from The Australian War Memorial
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110716153632/http://cas.awm.gov.au/photograph/075946 photograph of Australian Army Barges loaded with Japanese salvage on the run between Hansa Bay and Madang] from The Australian War Memorial

== References ==
*[https://www.pacificwrecks.com/provinces/png_hansa_bay.html Pacific Wrecks Homepage]
*''[https://books.google.com/books?id=OI45jCzvcJYC&dq=%22hansa+bay%22&pg=RA1-PA340 Intelligence and Military Operations]'' by Michael I.(ed.) Handel at [[Google Books]]
*[http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/MacArthur%20Reports/MacArthur%20V1/ch06.htm Chapter VI - The Westward Drive Along New Guinea] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170715144734/http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/MacArthur%20Reports/MacArthur%20V1/ch06.htm |date=2017-07-15 }} from Reports of [[General MacArthur]] The Campaigns of Gen. MacArthur in the Pacific – Vol. 1
*''[https://books.google.com/books?id=gadwyIkiY38C&dq=%22hansa+bay%22&pg=PA306 A Chronology of Australian Armed Forces at War 1939-45]'' by Bruce T. Swain at [[Google Books]]

{{coord missing|Papua New Guinea}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hansa Bay}}
[[Category:Papua New Guinea in World War II]]
[[Category:Madang Province]]
[[Category:South West Pacific theatre of World War II]]

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