It was the site in part, of the Battle of Buna–Gona during World War II, when it constituted a variety of native huts and a handful of houses with an airstrip.

During World War II, Imperial Japanese troops invaded on 21–22 July 1942 and established it as a base (see Buna Airfield).

Six months later,[1] Buna was recaptured by the Australian and American armies during the Battle of Buna-Gona on 2 January 1943[2] during the New Guinea campaign in the South West Pacific Area.

For weeks at a time General Douglas MacArthur, commander in the South Pacific, used Buna as an informal forward base.

A week later the Monsoon winds shifted, making MacArthurs' old house now the cooler— and he never asked for Kenney to switch back.