 Ramba uchinyora ndima iyi - MaJapan akarova kutanga, achisvika paBuna muna July, uye paMilne Baymuna August. VaAustralia vakakurumidza kukunda vaJapan paMilne Bay, asi kukundwa kwakatevedzana mumushandirapamwe weKokoda Track kwakava nomugumisiro unoodza mwoyo shure muAustralia. Musi waAugust 30, MacArthur akaudza Washington neredhiyo kuti kana pasina zvaiitwa, New Guinea Force yaizokundwa. Apedza kutumira mauto ose eAustralia akanga aripo, MacArthur akasarudza kutumira mauto eAmerica. 32nd Infantry Division, boka reUnited States National Guard rakanga risina kunyatsodzidziswa, rakasarudzwa kuti riite chiito chokupoteredza. Nhevedzano yekukanganisa kweAmerica kunonyadzisa muHondo yeBuna-Gona yakatungamira mukushoropodzwa kwakajeka kwemauto eAmerica naBlamey nevamwe veAustralia. MacArthur akatuma Lieutenant General Robert L. Eichelberger kuti atora Buna, kana kuti asadzoka ari mupenyu. MacArthur akatamisa boka rakanga rapfuura reGHQ kuenda kuPort Moresby musi waNovember 6, 1942. Buna pakupedzisira yakawa pana January 3, 1943. MacArthur akapa Distinguished Service Cross kuvakuru vakuru gumi nevaviri nokuda kwekuitwa kwakarurama kwemabasa. Uku kushandiswa kwemubairo wechipiri mukurusa wenyika kwakamutsa hasha, nokuti nepo vamwe, vakadai saEichelberger naMajor General George Alan Vasey, vakanga varwa munhandare, vamwe, vakadai saSutherland naWilloughby, vakanga vasina. MacArthur akapiwa menduru yake yechitatu yeDistinguished Service Medal, uye hurumende yeAustralia yakamupa zita rokuremekedza rokuti Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. 