Battle for the Admirality Islands – Wikipedia
Battle for the Admirality Islands
Battle for the Admirality Islands (Operation Brewer)
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| Troop strength | |
| shift. 35,000 | shift. 4,000 |
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326 dead, 1,189 injured, 4 missing people [first] |
3.280 Tote [first] |
United States 
Australia 
Japan The Battle for the Admirality Islands Was a complex landing company of the Allied troops under the lid name Operation Brewer on the Admirality Islands occupied by Japanese units during the Pacific War in World War II. It was divided into several actions, the most important of which took place on the islands of Los Negros and Manus.
On April 8, 1942, a Japanese light cruiser, a destroyer and a troop transporter were in the port of Lorengau. Japanese units of the 51st division occupied the city within a very short time without encountering resistance. The Australians, who had been stationed on Manus since November 1941, had withdrawn into the nearby jungle with a few equipment and food. They struggled to the south of the island, from where they flee to Bogadjim (Stephansort) in the Astrolabe Bay, south of Madang.
At Momote on the east coast of Los Negros, the Japanese built a 1220 m long runway. In 1943 another train with a length of 1005 m was completed at Lorengau. There were a total of around 4,600 Japanese soldiers on the Admirality Islands [2] .
As part of the Cartwheel plan elaborated by the SWPA, the conquest of the Admirality Islands as protection of the eastern flank of Neuluinea from Japanese fighter planes from Rabaul was intended as part of the Cartwheel plan worked out by the SWPA, in order to be able to intercept them early.
By February 1944, huge progress of the Allies could be recorded. In New Guinea, the troops under General McArthur reached Lae and Salamaua in September 1943, as well as Finschhafen a month later. The bases built there allowed a extensive supremacy to water and in the air over the southern part of the Bismarcksee, so that in December units on Neubritain near Arawe and on the Cape Gloucester could land (→ Operation Dexterity). In January 1944 Saidor was taken on the Coast of New Guinea.
Admiral Halsey’s fleet was now only around 230 km east ahead of Rabaul. In mid -February 1944, over 200 opposing fighter planes and more than 20 ships succeeded during the attack on the Japanese base of Truk (→ Operation Hailstone) [3] .
In order to be able to fully start an attack in the West, MacArthur needed an additional basis that was equipped close enough for the provision purposes and with a port of sufficient size to develop a large amphibian punch. At the same time, he wanted to ensure the protection of his right flank and prevent Japanese reinforcements from the area of the Bismarck archipelago and the salomons from being able to reach the area. The Admirality Islands with their natural ports and airfields met these requirements in order to support later operations along the coast of New Guinea and against the Carolines and Marians in the north. In addition, their strategic location offers an ideal starting point for the surrounding of the Japanese cut off from Neubritain and the Solomonians. The occupation of the Allies would finally seal the insulation of Rabaul.
On April 1, the original plan provided for an amphibious operation of the south -west -Pacific armed forces against the islands in connection with an attack by Admiral Nimitz’s fleet units on Kavieng. In February, however, the Allied Enlightenment could recognize a significant weakness in the defense of the Japanese against air and sea. The most important enemy positions were on the islands of Los Negros and Manus, the resistance of which was assessed as low and easy to overcome [4] .
Repeated air viewing flights about Manus and Los Negro at the end of February reported a complete lack of enemy activity. It was observed that Momote airfield was unused. The surrounding buildings and installations were apparently unattended and in poor condition. The continued lack of air defense, which was reported by the aerial reconnaissance, supported the conclusion that the Japanese had completely left the islands.
In contrast, MacArthurs G-2 Section estimated the total strength of the Japanese on February 15 to approximately 3250 men and increased their number to around 4,000 after a revision on February 24th. Enemies back [5] .
As a result, the new plan comprised a reconnaissance force that ends up in Hyane Harbor in the east of Los Negros and, if there is little resistance, the runway from Momote near the port entrance should occupy. If there is a strong resistance, a intervention force in Finschhafen was made available for the disposal.
In the morning on February 29, the landing operation began with a reconnaissance group that consisted of approximately 1000 soldiers of the 1st cavalry division that was supported by two cruisers, a dozen destroyers and the necessary air safety. The troops mainly consisted of a reinforced squadron of the 5th cavalry under Brigadier general William C. Chase; The naval forces were under the command of Admiral Kinkaid, on whose flagship Phoenix was also General Macarthur [6] .
The first landing took place after a preliminary air and seabombardment on the southwestern bank of the Hyane Harbor. The first waves of attack met with little resistance. Before the Japanese recover from their surprise and their heavy cannons, which were faced with the Sea eagle Harbor, were able to position themselves, most of the troops were on land. Under heavy rain, they fought sporadic and weak enemy fire and started preparing defense positions along the runway.
After two days of hard fights, in which determined Japanese infiltration attempts and counterattacks were repelled, General Macarthur’s auxiliary troops arrived from Finschhafen were added on March 2. An enemy document that was captured the next morning revealed that a Japanese attempt would be made on the night of March 3rd to recapture Momote airfield. Fast preparations were made for the upcoming attack, which would probably include most Japanese that remained in the west of Los Negros, and all troops that could be brought across from the nearby Manus island.
The planned attack came as announced. In several waves, the Japanese tried to push the Allied units back. The fights lasted all night. The cavalrymen then waited for further troops before they cleared the rest of the islands. Further reinforcement units arrived on March 4th, 6th and 9th. The Allies continued to west to take Papitalai, as well as north to fill the Salami plantation. From the latter point, they continued via Seadler Harbor to conquer the Papitalai mission and the Lombrum plantation. The entire organized enemy resistance on Los Negros had collapsed until March 30th.
In the meantime, the operations against the larger island of Manus began. On March 15th, after units of the 7th cavalry had secured the two small islands C and Butjo Luo off the north coast of Manus, attack forces of the 2nd brigade landed at the Lugos mission station, two miles west of Lorengau. The Lorengau airfield was conquered on March 17 and the Allied units moved to Rossum on March 25. This ended the campaign on the Admirality Islands [7] .
With the occupation of the Admirality Islands, more than 100,000 Japanese had been included in the Bismarck-Neubritannia Salomone area. In addition, the pension path for Japanese full defense was moved further west and the entire sea region between Truk and New Guinea was brought to the allies. After the threat of his right flank was eliminated, General Macarthur was able to focus on the task of moving further west along the coast of New Guinea.
- The Admiralties. Operations of the 1st Cavalry Division, 29 February – 18 May 1944 , (Part of the series American Forces in Action ) Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, D.C., 1990. ( Online )
- ↑ a b The Admiralties. Operations of the 1st Cavalry Division, 29 February – 18 May 1944 , Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, D.C., 1990, Chapter Conclusion ; accessed June 4, 2020 (English).
- ↑ The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia, THE ADMIRALTIES, unter: http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/a/d/admiralty_islands.htm ; accessed June 4, 2020 (English)
- ↑ The Admiralties. Operations of the 1st Cavalry Division, 29 February – 18 May 1944 , Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, D.C., 1990, Kapitel I: Invasion Planning ; accessed June 3, 2020 (English)
- ↑ Reports of General MacArthur: The Campaigns of MacArthur in the Pacific, Vol. I , Chapter VI: The Westward Drive Along New Guinea , S. 136.
- ↑ Reports of General MacArthur: The Campaigns of MacArthur in the Pacific, Vol. I , Chapter VI: The Westward Drive Along New Guinea , S. 137.
- ↑ Reports of General MacArthur: The Campaigns of MacArthur in the Pacific, Vol. I , Chapter VI: The Westward Drive Along New Guinea , S. 139.
- ↑ Reports of General MacArthur: The Campaigns of MacArthur in the Pacific, Vol. I , Chapter VI: The Westward Drive Along New Guinea , S. 140 f.
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