▁men ▁to ▁G av ut u ▁to ▁build ▁install ations . ▁ ▁K ō to ku ▁Mar u ▁left ▁R aba ul ▁in ▁a ▁con voy ▁to ▁res upp ly ▁B una ▁and ▁G ona . ▁Dis emb ark ation ▁of ▁her ▁emb ark ed ▁troops ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁Independent ▁Engine er ▁Regiment ▁began ▁near ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Bas ab ua ▁on ▁the ▁afternoon ▁of ▁ 2 9 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁The ▁ships ▁of ▁the ▁con voy ▁came ▁under ▁bomb ard ment ▁from ▁eight ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁Air ▁Forces ▁( USA AF ) ▁A - 2 4 ▁B ans he es ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Bomb ard ment ▁Group ▁from ▁ 7 - M ile ▁D rome ▁near ▁Port ▁M ores by , ▁New ▁Guinea , ▁esc orted ▁by ▁USA AF ▁P - 3 9 ▁A i rac ob ras ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 1 st ▁F ighter ▁Squadron ▁and ▁ 8 0 th ▁F ighter ▁Squadron ▁at ▁ 1 4 4 5 . ▁She ▁took ▁a ▁bomb ▁hit ▁on ▁her ▁No . ▁ 5 ▁h atch ▁and ▁began ▁taking ▁on ▁water . ▁She ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁dis emb ark ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁emb ark ed ▁troops , ▁but ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁un load ▁any ▁of ▁their ▁equipment . ▁ ▁After ▁heading ▁back ▁under ▁her ▁own ▁power ▁to ▁La e , ▁she ▁was ▁quickly ▁patch ed ▁up ▁to ▁return ▁the ▁following ▁day ▁to ▁off load ▁the ▁much - ne eded ▁equipment . ▁On ▁ 3