We have a metal bracelet inherited from my wife’s grandfather. It bears a 1944 Australian florin, and states: “USN Milne Bay/New Guinea”. He had been on a destroyer in Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. It is not clear how he was at Milne Bay; most histories do not indicate the presence of any USN forces except possibly Seabees. He was a gunner.
As you know, Milne Bay is on the eastern end of New Guinea. My bay is in the central part of the northern shore of New Guinea. If you look on the map we are just west of Vanimo, in PNG, then Jayapura, which used to be called Hollandia, and then Tanah Merah and the village on the inside of the bay is Depapre.
That is so cool about the bracelet. I bet he accompanied the SeaBees because while they built, they needed protection. The fighting was fierce!
BTW, the Japanese even today are regarded with distrust and suspicion by the older people here.