The Snapshots in Time Collection

Aerial View of Beached Watercraft and Strafed Shoreline, Hansa Bay, New Guinea

Aerial View of Beached Watercraft and Strafed Shoreline, Hansa Bay, New Guinea

Wrecked small craft lie abandoned on a Hansa Bay beach in this Fifth Air Force reconnaissance photograph. Japanese forces relied on barges and small boats to move supplies along the New Guinea coast at night; the 312th Bombardment Group and other Fifth Air Force units flew low-level strafing and bombing missions specifically to destroy this vital, if fragile, supply lifeline. Project: 218561