Atlas of Battles

battle, notable, interwar and Second World War

Battle of Talasea

Battle of Talasea was a battle fought on 9 March 1944 at New Britain, in what is now Papua New Guinea. It was part of the Pacific War, which ran from 1941 to 1945. The recorded result: Allied victory. Recorded strength: ~3,000 against 596.

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Map depicting US Marine operations around Volupai and Talasea, on the island of New Britain, March 1944
Map depicting US Marine operations around Volupai and Talasea, on the island of New Britain, March 1944. R.F. Stibil, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought9 March 1944
WhereNew Britain, Papua New Guinea5.264S, 149.991E
OutcomeAllied victory
BelligerentsUnited States; AustraliaagainstEmpire of Japan
Casualties and losses17 killed and 114 woundedand150 killed
Part ofPacific War1941 to 1945

Where it sits in the Pacific War

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1945Bombing of Odawara, 1945Bombing of Isesaki, 1945Seishin Operation, 1945Philippines campaign of 1944–1945, 1945Operation Jurist, 1945Operation Tiderace, 1945Operation Agas, 1945UN Offensive Campaign, 195019401950Battle of Talasea, 1944
415 placed engagements of the Pacific War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date9 March 1944
PlaceNew Britain, Papua New Guinea
5.264S, 149.991E
KindBattle, interwar and Second World War
Strength~3,000596
Casualties and losses17 killed and 114 wounded150 killed
Commanders
Battle of TalaseaBattle of TalaseaBattle of AraweBattle of Cape GloucesterBattle of Open BayBattle of AraweBattle of Cape GloucesterBattle of Open BayHoskinsKimbe100 km5.264S, 149.991E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1944

Battle of Talasea is one of 4,429 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 70 in present-day Papua New Guinea.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q23751276, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Talasea, revision 1385685199, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.