| Milne Bay | |
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Location of Milne Bay
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  Milne Bay
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| Location | Milne Bay Province |
| Coordinates | 10°22′00″S 150°30′00″E / 10.3666667°S 150.5°E / -10.3666667; 150.5 |
| Type | Bay |
| Ocean/sea sources | Solomon Sea |
| Basin countries | Papua New Guinea |
| Max. length | 35 km (22 mi) |
| Max. width | 15 km (9.3 mi) |
| Surface area | 202.7 square miles (525 km2) |
| Settlements | Alotau |
Milne Bay is a large bay in Milne Bay Province, south-eastern Papua New Guinea. More than 35 kilometres (22 miles) long and over 15 kilometres (9 miles) wide, Milne Bay is a sheltered deep-water harbor accessible via Ward Hunt Strait. It is surrounded by the heavily wooded Stirling Range to the north and south, and on the northern shore, a narrow coastal strip, soggy with sago and mangrove swamps.[1] The bay is named after Sir Alexander Milne.
During World War II, the area was the site of the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942 and by late 1943 it became the major support base, Naval Base Milne Bay, for the New Guinea campaign through the development of Finschhafen as an advanced base after that area was secured in the Huon Peninsula campaign. By January 1944 about 140 vessels were in harbor due to congestion at the facilities. Congestion was relieved by opening of a port at Finschhafen and extensive improvements at Milne Bay.[5] Malaria was a major problem in New Guinea and Milne Bay was particularly hard hit with incidents of the disease hitting at a rate of 4,000 cases per 1,000 troops per year and estimated 12,000 man-days a month lost time.[6]
There were three planes ditched off the island in 1943, a P-38H Lightning, a P-38F Lightning, and a B-24D Liberator "The Leila Belle" (MIA).[7]
HMPNGS Seeadler fired upon a Vietnamese fishing vessel on 23 December 2016.[8] Her captain died, and the poacher sank.
The captain of a Vietnamese fishing vessel was allegedly killed and a crew member sustained injuries after PNG Defence Force patrol boat fired at the vessel for illegally harvesting beche de mers (sea cucumbers) in Milne Bay waters, police say.
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