On 1 Nov 1943, Japanese defenders were waiting on Bougainville behind a 75-m, regimental gun, positioned so no landing craft could approach the beach. Sgt Robert Owens set out to neutralize it, charging the mouth of the cannon, entering through the fire port, and driving the hostile gun crew out of the rear door where they were taken out by Marine riflemen. In the pursuit, Sgt Owens was tragically shot and killed.