The Landing at Aitape (code-named Operation Persecution) was a battle of the Western New Guinea campaign of World War II. American and Allied forces undertook an amphibious landing on 22 April 1944 at Aitape on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. The amphibious landing was undertaken simultaneously with the landings at Humboldt and Tanahmerah Bays to secure Hollandia to isolate the Japanese 18th Army at Wewak. Operations in the area to consolidate the landing continued until 4 May, although US and Japanese forces fought further actions in western New Guinea following a Japanese counter-offensive that lasted until early August 1944. Aitape was subsequently developed into an Allied base of operations and was used by Australian forces throughout late 1944 and into 1945 during the Aitape–Wewak campaign.
Background
Aitape, located on the northern coast of the Territory of New Guinea about 125 miles (201 km) southeast of Hollandia, was occupied by the Japanese during December 1942. The Japanese built Tadji Airfield a few miles southeast near the coast.[1] Throughout 1943 and early 1944, the Allies sought to isolate the main Japanese base around Rabaul. As the Allies began advancing towards the Philippines, the Allied South West Pacific Area Headquarters received intelligence reports that Aitape was only lightly garrisoned, and GeneralDouglas MacArthur decided in March 1944 to invade Aitape in order to bypass the large Japanese garrisons at Hansa Bay and Wewak.[2]
The objective was to isolate the Japanese 18th Army, under General Hatazō Adachi at Wewak, which was home to the largest Japanese airbase in mainland New Guinea,[3] so that they could provide flank protection against any westward movement by the Japanese 18th Army towards Hollandia, secure Tadji Airfield to provide support to the more important Hollandia landings after the carriers of Task Force 58 (TF 58) departed, and establish light naval facilities at Aitape to support further operations.[4][5]
Operations Reckless and Persecution were supported by 217 ships, along with almost 23,000 personnel of all types of service units, to transport and protect the 52,000 men, their equipment, and supplies over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) to conduct the separate amphibious landings at Aitape and Hollandia deep in Japanese territory.[6] Out of those 52,000 men, 22,500 were allocated to the landing at Aitape.[7] Overall command of the Allied operation to secure Hollandia and Aitape was given to Lieutenant General Walter Krueger, commander of the Sixth United States Army, codenamed Alamo Force. Japanese troops around Aitape and Tadji Airstrip were thought to number about 3,500, including 1,500 combat troops of Shigeru Katagiri's 20th Division.[8][9]
A naval bombardment, carried out by Task Force 58 led by Vice Admiral M. A. Mitscher, struck Japanese facilities at Sawar, Wadke Island, Hollandia and Sarmi on 21 and 22 April. This action served to clear away as much Japanese resistance as possible before landing the troops.[10] Additionally, in direct support of the attack, the Eastern Attack Group (Task Group 77.3) was assigned under the command of Captain Albert G. Noble; this Task Group formed part of Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey's US and Australian Task Force 77, which was assigned to support landings at Aitape, Hollandia and Tanahmerah Bay.[11][12] Eight escort carriers provided air support to the landing, while several squadrons of United States Army Air Force attack bombers were also allocated, or placed on standby to assist if needed. Naval gunfire support in the immediate vicinity of the landing beaches was provided by a force of five destroyers, nine high-speed transports and one Liberty Ship.[13]
Landings
The Allied ground force assigned to the landing at Aitape was commanded by Brigadier GeneralJens A. Doe and was built around the US 163rd Infantry Regiment of the 41st Infantry Division. Doe's command, designated the Reckless Task Force, was directly subordinate to Krueger's headquarters and was established at the same level as the Persecution Task Force under Lieutenant General Robert L. Eichelberger, which was assigned to capture Hollandia.[14] Japanese troops turned out to be about 1,000 in the area, much less numerous than what was previously estimated, and mostly made up of antiaircraft artillerymen and service personnel.[15] Only about 240 combat troops were in the area at the time.[16]
The shipping and troops assigned to the operation by the Allies staged out of Cape Cretin in mid-April. Rehearsals were undertaken around Lae, before departure. As the Allied plan called for simultaneous landings at Aitape, Humboldt Bay and Tanahmerah Bay, the three forces rendezvoused near Manus Island on 20 April. Under the shared protection provided by Barbey's warships, the three convoys proceeded towards their objectives until early morning on 22 April when the Eastern Attack Group broke off from the convoy about 80 miles (130 km) from the New Guinea coast and proceeded southeast towards its objective around Aitape.[17]
The landings were planned at "Blue Beach", a 1,200-yard (1,100 m) beach about 1 mile (1.6 km) from Tadji Airfield.[16] Obscured by heavy smoke from fires from the beachhead, the crews of the landing craft became disorientated and came ashore at the wrong place, landing at Wapil on 22 April 1944.[18] Two battalions of the 163rd Regimental Combat Team landed in nine waves against only light opposition Initially, the only resistance they encountered from consisted of only a few rifle shots, with most Japanese defenders fleeing into the hills as the overwhelming force continued to arrive.[18]
After the beachhead had been secured, No. 62 Works Wing of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) went ashore on the morning of 22 April to help secure and repair Tadji Airfield. MacArthur watched the landings from a light cruiser, then went ashore in a landing boat.[19]
The main airfield was secured by 13:00 on 22 April, and on 23 April, infantry secured incomplete Tadji west strip.[20] The fighter strip was made operational by the RAAF No. 62 Works Wing within 48 hours after working nonstop. Twenty-five P-40s from the No. 78 Wing of the RAAF landed on the field on 24 April, with the rest of the wing arriving the next day to provide support to the Aitape and Hollandia landings.[19] While securing areas westward of the airfield strip, the 163d Infantry Regiment did not encounter much resistance, only suffering two casualties, one man wounded and another missing.[21] The second echelon of Allied troops arrived on 23 April, with the 127th Infantry Regiment arriving from the 32nd Infantry Division.[22] The following day on 24 April, infantry and tanks proceeded further west, crossed the Raihu river without much resistance, reaching Aitap town and Rohm Point, which had been hastily abandoned by their Japanese defenders.[21]
Allied troops then decided on going up the Raihu river, in order to hunt down remaining Japanese stragglers who hoped to go either east toward Wewak or west toward Vanimo,[23][15] the closest strongholds still in Japanese hands. On 28 and 29 April, upon reaching Kamti village, around present day Paiawa, members of the 3rd Battalion encountered the only signs of organized Japanese resistance found in the Aitape area to 4 May. An estimated 200 Japanese launched a number of harassing attacks, resulting in heavy losses for them. The Japanese lost about 90 men while members of the 3rd Battalion only lost 3 men and 2 wounded. On 30 April the men at Kamti withdrew while Battery A, 126th Field Artillery Battalion, fired 240 rounds of 105 mm ammunition into the village and its environs. The next morning Company L, 163d Infantry Battalion, moved back to Kamti against no opposition. There were few further contacts with the Japanese on the west flank and all outposts of the 163d Infantry Battalion were relieved by 32d Division troops early in May.[24][25]
Aftermath
Casualties and analysis
Between 22 April and 4 May, Japanese casualties in the Aitape area were estimated at 525 killed, and during the same period 25 were captured. Allied losses were 19 killed and 40 wounded. All of these were American, and exception for two or three all were suffered by the 163d Infantry.[15] During the operation, only one landing force transport was damaged by Japanese aircraft. The transport Etami was attacked by three Japanese torpedo bombers on 27 April. The vessel caught fire with a large amount of cargo on board, but the fire was brought under control and the ship towed to Finschhafen.[26] Efforts to improve the second strip so that it could be used by bombers continued, and the strip ultimately was not ready until July.[27]
The landings at Aitape, along those of Hollandia, effectively contributed to strengthening the Allied push toward western New Guinea and the Philippines, while successfully bypassing and cutting off large Japanese forces at Wewak. The area ultimately proved less suitable for the development of airbases than the Allies had assessed,[28] and as a result Allied attention shifted further west towards the Geelvink Bay area, focusing on Wakde and Biak, which were secured in May.[29]
Subsequent operations
Following the securing of the perimeter around Aitape and Tadji Airfields, American troops of the 32d Infantry Division started probing Japanese forces east of Tadji Airfield, in case of a possible counterattack by the 18th Army, now cut off from western New Guinea, by setting up new outposts along the rivers leading to Wewak.[30] Elements of the Japanese 20th Division started digging in between Babiang and the Danmap River around Suain during early May in order to slow down or stop a potential American push eastward.[31] The expected attack was late to come. On 10 May, eight P-40s of No. 78 Wing, Royal Australian Air Force, now based at Taji Airfield bombed and strafed Japanese positions east of Babiang.[32] On 12 May, members of 127th Infantry Regiment stumbled upon the first lines of Japanese defense, coming under heavy mortar and machine gun fire.[33] However, they managed to fight back and progress several miles beyond the first Japanese defensive line along the old German road and through deep jungle forest located in between the road and the Torricelli Mountains, only to find out that the Japanese were much more numerous and organized than expected, and decided on pulling back on 14 May after heavy Japanese counterattacks.[34]
The Japanese, growing increasingly concerned of this threat on their western flank, decided to act on by taking a more offensive stance.[35] Between 15 May up until 5 June, under constant harassment and skirmishes, troops of the 127th Infantry Regiment decided to retreat first to Babiang which they had occupied five days before, only to be beaten back, driving them to flee to Nyaparake and Parakovio (the HQs of the Nyaparake Force), which turned out to be impossible to hold as well, and from which they had to depart on 24 May.[36] Eventually, they made a last attempt at delaying the Japanese at Yakumol on 4 June, before being compelled to retreat by sea the following night under constant artillery shelling, relocating on a defensive line along the west bank of the Driniumor River.[37] Several hundred Japanese and dozens of Americans died during those actions.[38]
Those constant and well organized attacks, along with intelligence provided by documents captured by AIB patrols at the end of May, indicated that the Japanese 18th Army, using 20th and 41st Divisions based at Wewak and its surroundings, were preparing something much bigger.[39] Having broken Japanese codes earlier in the war, they found out that Adachi planned to retake Tadji Airfield, in order to delay the American forces push toward Western New Guinea and the Philippines.[40][41]
During June, American forces started reinforcing their position at Anamo and Afua along the Driniumor River, with some patrols venturing eastward of the river to keep contact with the Japanese.[42] The Japanese kept moving more troops from Wewak to the area, which would lead to the Battle of Driniumor River in July.[43] Heavy fighting continued in the area continued throughout July and into early August, before the Japanese began withdrawing as they depleted their rations and supplies of artillery ammunition. The period between late April and early August resulted in heavier casualties than the original landing: 440 Allied soldiers were killed and 2,550 were wounded during this period, while 9,000 of the 20,000 Japanese soldiers committed to the fighting were lost.[44] In November 1944, Australian forces took over from the US troops around Aitape, and from then until the end of the war in August 1945, began a limited campaign in the Aitape–Wewak area, utilizing Aitape as their base of operations as they advanced towards Wewak and into the Torricellis.[45]
^Gill, G. Hermon (1968). Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 2 – Navy, Volume II (1st ed.). Canberra: Australian War Memorial. pp. 400–404. OCLC637329967.
^ abGill, G. Hermon (1968). Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 2 – Navy, Volume II (1st ed.). Canberra: Australian War Memorial. p. 405. OCLC637329967.
^Morison, Samuel Elliot (2001). New Guinea and the Marianas, March 1944 – August 1944. History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 70–71. ISBN978-0-25207-038-9.
^Keogh, Eustace (1965). South West Pacific 1941–45. Melbourne, Victoria: Grayflower Publications. p. 375. OCLC7185705.
^Drea, Edward J. New Guinea, CMH Pub 72-9. The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II. Center for Military History. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
^Drea, Edward J. (1984). Defending the Driniumor: Covering Force Operations in the New Guinea, 1944. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas: Combat Studies Institute, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. p. 26. OCLC777996740.
Dam in Ware, MassachusettsGoodnough DikeThe wet sideOfficial nameGoodnough DikeLocationWare, MassachusettsCoordinates42°17′51″N 72°17′56″W / 42.29750°N 72.29889°W / 42.29750; -72.29889Construction began1933Opening date1938Operator(s)MWRADam and spillwaysImpoundsBeaver BrookHeight264 ft (80 m)Length2,140 ft (650 m)Width (base)878 ft (268 m)ReservoirCreatesQuabbin Reservoir The Goodnough Dike (actually a dam) is on...
Artikel ini sebatang kara, artinya tidak ada artikel lain yang memiliki pranala balik ke halaman ini.Bantulah menambah pranala ke artikel ini dari artikel yang berhubungan atau coba peralatan pencari pranala.Tag ini diberikan pada November 2022. Ilia LagutenkoИлья ЛагутенкоInformasi latar belakangNama lahirIlia Igorevich Lagutenko (Илья́ И́горевич Лагуте́нко)Lahir16 Oktober 1968 (umur 55) Moscow, USSRAsal RusiaPekerjaanPenyanyiInstrumenVokal, gitarTah...
Artikel ini sebatang kara, artinya tidak ada artikel lain yang memiliki pranala balik ke halaman ini.Bantulah menambah pranala ke artikel ini dari artikel yang berhubungan atau coba peralatan pencari pranala.Tag ini diberikan pada Oktober 2022. Adam McQuaid McQuaid dengan Boston Bruins pada tahun 2015 Lahir 12 Oktober 1986 (umur 37)Charlottetown, Pulau pangeran Edward, Kanada Tinggi 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) Berat 209 pon (95 kg; 14 st 13 pon) Posisi Pertahana...
Erwin von WitzlebenField Marshal von Witzleben pada tahun 1940 atau '41Lahir(1881-12-04)4 Desember 1881Breslau, Provinsi Silesia, Kerajaan Prusia, Kekaisaran Jerman (sekarang Wrocław, Provinsi Silesia Hilir, Polandia)Meninggal8 Agustus 1944(1944-08-08) (umur 62)Penjara Plötzensee, Berlin, Jerman NaziPengabdian Kekaisaran Jerman Kerajaan Prusia (1901-1918) Republik Weimar (1918-1933) Jerman Nazi (1933-1944)Dinas/cabangAngkatan Darat Kekaisaran Jerman Angkatan Darat...
Artikel ini memerlukan pemutakhiran informasi. Harap perbarui artikel dengan menambahkan informasi terbaru yang tersedia. LG Electronics Inc.Menara Kembar LG di Yeouido-dong, Seoul, di mana kantor pusat LG Electronics beradaSebelumnyaGoldStar (1958–2002)JenisPublikKode emitenKRX: 066570LSE: LGLDISINUS50186Q2021IndustriElektronik konsumenPerabot rumahDidirikanOktober 1958; 65 tahun lalu (1958-10) (dengan nama GoldStar)Januari 1995 (1995-01) (dengan nama LG Electronics)(Didaftarkan ...
Status between belief and disbelief This article is about the mental state. For other uses, see Doubt (disambiguation). Part of a series onEmotions Affect Classification In animals Emotional intelligence Mood Regulation Interpersonal Dysregulation Valence Emotions Acceptance Admiration Affection Amusement Anger Angst Anguish Annoyance Anticipation Anxiety Apathy Arousal Awe Belongingness Boredom Confidence Confusion Contempt Contentment Courage Curiosity Depression Desire Determination Disapp...
Questa voce sull'argomento società calcistiche gallesi è solo un abbozzo. Contribuisci a migliorarla secondo le convenzioni di Wikipedia. Aberystwyth Town Football ClubCalcio The Seasiders Segni distintivi Uniformi di gara Casa Trasferta Colori sociali Dati societari Città Aberystwyth Nazione Galles Confederazione UEFA Federazione FAW Fondazione 1884 Presidente Donald Kane Allenatore Alan Morgan Stadio Park Avenue(5.000 posti) Sito web www.atfc.org.uk Palmarès Si invita a segu...
Government-owned farm and research facility in Ottawa, Ontario Central Experimental FarmCentral Experimental FarmTypeAgricultural facility, working farm, and research centreLocationOttawa, Ontario, CanadaCoordinates45°22′57″N 75°42′49″W / 45.382537°N 75.713654°W / 45.382537; -75.713654Built1886Governing bodyAgriculture and Agri-Food CanadaWebsiteOfficial website National Historic Site of CanadaDesignated1998 The Central Experimental Farm (CEF), commonly kno...
artikel ini perlu dirapikan agar memenuhi standar Wikipedia. Tidak ada alasan yang diberikan. Silakan kembangkan artikel ini semampu Anda. Merapikan artikel dapat dilakukan dengan wikifikasi atau membagi artikel ke paragraf-paragraf. Jika sudah dirapikan, silakan hapus templat ini. (Pelajari cara dan kapan saatnya untuk menghapus pesan templat ini) Artikel ini membutuhkan rujukan tambahan agar kualitasnya dapat dipastikan. Mohon bantu kami mengembangkan artikel ini dengan cara menambahkan ruj...
Pemilihan umum anggota Dewan Perwakilan Daerah untuk Provinsi Provinsi Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta 20242019202914 Februari 2024Kehadiran pemilih87.90Kandidat Calon G.K.R. Hemas R.A. Yashinta Suara rakyat 777.912 470.211 Persentase 33.83% 20.45% Calon Syauqi Soeratno Hilmy M. Suara rakyat 398.903 323.080 Persentase 17.35% 14.05% Peta persebaran suara Peta Pemilihan Umum Senator untuk Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta di berbagai kecamatan. ( Syauqi...
Harald Martin Brattbakk Brattbakk al Rosenborg nel 1996 Nazionalità Norvegia Altezza 182 cm Calcio Ruolo Attaccante Termine carriera 2008 CarrieraGiovanili 19??-19?? KolstadSquadre di club1 1990-1991 Rosenborg14 (2)1992-1993 Bodø/Glimt? (24)1994-1997 Rosenborg100 (94)1997-2000 Celtic44 (12)2000-2001 Copenaghen31 (14)2001-2005 Rosenborg109 (55)2005→ Bodø/Glimt11 (5)2008 Kolstad5 (2)Nazionale 1991 Norvegia U-211 (0)2002 Norvegia B1 (...
Philosophy of architecture Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright Försters Weinterrassen by Udo Heimermann, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler (2000) Organic architecture is a philosophy of architecture which promotes harmony between human habitation and the natural world. This is achieved through design approaches that aim to be sympathetic and well-integrated with a site, so buildings, furnishings, and surroundings become part of a unified, interrelated composition. History Frank Lloyd Wright The term org...
Attentat de la rue des Rosiers Le restaurant Jo Goldenberg, lieu de la fusillade. Localisation 7, rue des Rosiers, Paris Cible restaurant Goldenberg Coordonnées 48° 51′ 25″ nord, 2° 21′ 35″ est Date 9 août 1982 13 h 15 Morts 6 Blessés 22 Participants 2 à 5 personnes Organisations Fatah-Conseil révolutionnaire Mouvance Terrorisme palestinien modifier L’attentat de la rue des Rosiers est un attentat terroriste perpétré, le 9 aoû...
La disseminazione è il processo mediante il quale i semi delle piante spermatofite pervengono in un terreno adatto alla germinazione. Indice 1 Modalità di dispersione 2 Bibliografia 3 Voci correlate 4 Altri progetti 5 Collegamenti esterni Modalità di dispersione I meccanismi mediante cui avviene la disseminazione sono di varia natura. Alcune tipologie di disseminazione utilizzano mezzi propri della pianta: dispersione barocora o barocoria, quando avviene per effetto della gravità durante ...
Crater on the Moon Feature on the moonErroApollo 16 Mapping Camera imageCoordinates5°41′N 98°32′E / 5.68°N 98.54°E / 5.68; 98.54Diameter66 kmDepth1.2 kmColongitude187° at sunriseEponymLuis Enrique Erro Erro is a lunar impact crater that lies beyond the eastern limb of the Moon, on the far side as seen from the Earth. It lies along the eastern fringes of the uneven plain that joins Mare Marginis to the northwest with Mare Smythii to the west-southwest. This par...
هذه المقالة عن السدود. لمعانٍ أخرى، طالع سد (توضيح). بنية تحتية عامة موجودات ثابتة ومرافق مطار جسر موجة عريضة قنال البنية التحتية الحرجة سد توليد الكهرباء طاقة (مجتمع) نفايات خطرة مستشفى سد مائي منارة متنزه ميناء مواصلات عامة سكن اجتماعي مدرسة حكومية أشغال عامة سكة حد...
لمعانٍ أخرى، طالع أييا باراسكيفي (توضيح). أييا باراسكيفي تقسيم إداري البلد اليونان [1] خصائص جغرافية إحداثيات 38°34′55″N 22°44′35″E / 38.581944444444°N 22.743055555556°E / 38.581944444444; 22.743055555556 الارتفاع 150 متر السكان التعداد السكاني 188 (resident population of Greece) (2001)217 (resident po...
تخطيط اسم مالك جزء من سلسلة مقالات حولالإسلام العقيدة الإيمان توحيد الله الإيمان بالملائكة الإيمان بالكتب السماوية الإيمان بالرسل والأنبياء الإيمان باليوم الآخر الإيمان بالقضاء والقدر أركان الإسلام شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمد رسول الله إقامة الصلاة إيتاء ال...
Caregginecomune Careggine – VedutaPanorama del centro di Careggine, con la porta d'accesso, la Pieve di San Pietro e il campanile LocalizzazioneStato Italia Regione Toscana Provincia Lucca AmministrazioneSindacoLucia Rossi (lista civica Uniti per Careggine) dal 27-5-2019 TerritorioCoordinate44°07′15″N 10°19′35″E44°07′15″N, 10°19′35″E (Careggine) Altitudine882 m s.l.m. Superficie24,08 km² Abitanti503[1] (31-01-2024) Densi...
Cet article est une ébauche concernant le chemin de fer. Vous pouvez partager vos connaissances en l’améliorant (comment ?) selon les recommandations des projets correspondants. Chemins de fer de l'Indochine et du Yunnan Ligne de Hải Phòng à Kunming Chemin de fer du Yunnan, Kilomètre 43 Caractéristiques techniques Longueur 855 km Écartement métrique (1,000 m) modifier Les chemins de fer de l'Indochine et du Yunnan constituent une ligne ferroviaire longue de 8...