COAST WATCHING IN WORLD WAR II:

From their perches on islands such as Buka and Bougainville, coast watchers--for the most part, Australian civilians--monitored Japanese shipping and aircraft activity. They played a pivotal role during the battle for Guadalcanal in the fall of 1942, when their intelligence facilitated the interception and destruction of twelve Japanese transports. These reports from the participants themselves provide a fascinating account that will intrigue historians as well as World War II and espionage buffs.