16 December 1942

For all his raging at the lack of progress at Buna, the Allied Commander in Chief, General Douglas MacArthur never sets foot there and this rankles with many of his troops.

His biographer William Manchester, later writes: The great hero went home without seeing Buna, before during or after the great fight while permitting press articles from his GHQ to say he was leading his troops in battle. MacArthur … just stayed over at Moresby 40 minutes away and walked the floor. I know this to be a fact.”