c1943
May 5, 1943
June 13, 1943
November 22, 1943
December 26, 1943
December 31, 1943
March, 1944
1944
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Location
Located at the northern most tip of Cape Glochester.
Construction
Construction of an airfield was begun by the Australians, finished by the
Japanese and improved by the Americans after they occupied the area.
Japanese Occupation
The
airfield had two separate strips, defended by 12 heavy and 34
light anti-aircraft batteries, including
fake positions (as of October 19, 1943). The airfield was
so heavily bombed by the 5th AF, a new term entered the military
vocabulary 'to Gloucesterize' a target, from the pot-marked appearance
of the airfield from aerial photos.
Japanese Units Based at Tuluvu
26th Sentai (Ki-51 Sonia)
83rd Sentai (Ki-51 Sonia)
13th Sentai (Ki-45 Nick) September 1943
American Missions Against Cape Gloucester
December 23, 1942 - January 29, 1944
Assault on the Airfield
Col.
Kouki Sumiya of the 53rd Infantry had fallen back to the
airfield on December 29th to defend the 'Razorback Hill'
from bunkers on this ridge that spans across the south-west
approaches to the airfield. The 5th Marines, 1st & 2nd
Battalions attacked the area on December 30 supported by
tanks and artillery. Overpowered, the position was defeated
by dusk. The following day, General Rupertus had the US flag
raise next to the wreckage of a Betty bomber on Airfield
No. 2.
American Use
After Marines captured the strip on December 30, 1943,
heavy rains delayed its improvements, and American aircraft did
not start operating from the strip until February 1944. At the
airfield, they captured the intact Ki-61
263, and sent it to Australia for technical evaluation. The
other wrecks were evaluated by ATIU (Air Technical Intelligence
Unit) at the strip.
Allied Units Based at Cape Gloucester
8th FG, 35th FS (P-40) from Finschafen Feb 19 - March
14, 44 to Nadzab
8th FG, 36th FS (P-47) from Finschafen Feb 19 - March
14, 44 to Nadzab
8th FG, 80th FS (P-38s) Dobodura Feb 24 - March 25, 1944 to Nadzab
6th PRG 8th PRS (F4-F5s) from ? Lae - ? to Nadzab #1
12th Defense Battalion (USMC) Dec 30, 1943 - late May 1944
Australian RAAF Units Based at Cape Gloucester
78 Squadron (P-40s) March - April 25, 1944 to Tadji
Robert Rocker adds:
"The 36th FS and 80th FS were based at Glocester in March of 1944, but it was raining so much in April they pulled both squadrons back into New Guinea. Bill Wallisch a 35th FS Crew Chief told me the mud was so bad there that they just could not operate properly." |
Gloucester Airfields
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Ki-61 Tony Manufacture Number 467
Built in early September 1943, probably assigned as a replacement
aircraft in October 1943. Burned out completely.
Cape Gloucester II (No.
2 Strip, East Strip, New Airfield)
Ran roughly east to west,
and was 4,500' long, with a large dispersal loop and taxiway
to the north side. This was the primary Japanese strip
at Cape Glouchester. Several wrecked and some intact Japanese Navy and Army aircraft were captured at this location. Repaired and expanded by the Americans. Post
war, it was disused and overgrown today.
Ki-51 Sonia Manufacture Number 901
Built February 1943 with engine serial number 3602.
Dark gray camouflage paint scheme. Destroyed on the ground
at East Strip.
Ki-51 Sonia Manufacture Number 1082
Dark green upper surfaces, gray lower.
Destroyed on the ground.
Ki-45 Nick Manufacture Number 237
Built October 1942 at Kawasaki’s plant at Gifu
(Kagamigahara). One engine 1625 from
September 1942. Motted green upper surfaces and gray lower.
Demolished condition, believed destroyed in June 1943.
Ki-45 Nick 1024 Tail Number 10
Built March 1943 in Akashi. Carried engines built
in November 1942. Dark green camo scheme. Burned out on the ground.
Ki-43-I Oscar Manufacture Number 776
Abandoned at airfield
Ki-43 Oscar Manufacture Number 804
Built in December 1942 at Nakajima, at Ota. Nakajima,
No. 8232, dated July 1942 light green and the lower surfaces
were unpainted. Fair condition. possibly disabled in August
1943. Probably this aircraft was assigned to the 11th Sentai
and had a tail fin flash. Armed with two 7.7mm
machine guns.
Ki-43 Oscar Manufacture Number 808
Built in December 1942 at Nakajima, at Ota. Dark green
on upper surfaces and unpainted underneath. Destroyed on the
ground, possibly around late May 1943.
D3A2 Val Manufacture Number 3019
Built in mid-September 1942. An engine found nearby
bore serial 5487 and was built in October 21, 1942, possibly
associated with this plane.
G3M3 Model 23 Nell Tail P-905 Manufacture Number 197
Nakajima built in December 1941.
Dark green upper surfaces, unpainted lower. Served in a bomber
group, the became an unarmed transport, with bomb racks removed.
Damaged on the ground, ATIU determined
it to be salvable.
G4M1 Betty Manufacture
Number 4758
Built early may 1943 us
sept 1943
G4M1 Betty Manufacture Number 2836
Built
mid June 1943 us sept 1943
G4M1 Betty Manufacture Number 1420 Tail Number 350
Pilot Yagita (?) Force landed September 4, 1943
A6M2 Model 21 Zero Manufacture Number 1491
Nakajima built in early December 1942, crashed in late 1943 at
the strip.
A6M2 Model 22 Zero Manufacture Number 3580
Mitsubishi built in late March 1943.
Ki-49-II Helen Manufacture Number 3297
Force landed December 16, 1943
Today
Postwar remained in use for civilian aircraft to service
the Cape Gloucester area. It is not used by larger commercial
flights. Volcano eruption nearby temporarily closed the strip.
Brian Bennett adds:
"I found the old dump at Cape Gloucester some years ago but you would need
to move a bit of dirt to get at it. I recall that there were bits of Japanese
aircraft sticking out of the ground."
References
The excellent article Tuluvu's
Air War by Richard Dunn details operations at this strip. Cape Gloucester:
The Green Inferno by Bernard C. Nalty, Marine Corps Heritage Center, 1994.
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