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 AWM c1915  USAAF 1943   38th BG c1943   USAAF Dec 27, 1943  Justin Taylan 2000 |
Location The Alexishafen Catholic Mission (Catholic Mission of the Holy Ghost) was located on a peninsula at Alexishafen on the north coast of New Guinea. Borders Sek Harbor to the north and Megas Island to the east. Prewar and during the Pacific War located in Madang District in the Territory of New Guinea. Today located in Madang Province in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Prewar Prewar, the German Catholic Mission of the Holy Ghost headquarters was established at Alexishafen. The mission had large cathedral, living quarters for the priests and nuns, boat shed and cemetery plus other facilities. To the west, the mission built Alexishafen Airfield (Danip) to provide air service to the area. Wartime History At the start of the Pacific War, the Catholic Mission was led by Bishop Wolfe with seventy missionaries including Fathers (priests) and Sisters (nuns). Although warned to evacuate to Australia, they chose to remain at the mission and continued missionary activities until late December 1942. On December 23, 1942 during the night, Japanese Army soldiers in barges from Madang landed at Alexishafen and occupied the area without opposition. Initially, the Japanese Army officer based in the area assured the Catholic missionaries were unharmed and allowed to go about their business but were guarded. Locals loyal to the mission hid the statue of "The Sacred Heart of Jesus" to protect it during the Japanese occupation One missionary, Father Joseph Kotrba was executed by the Japanese. During the Japanese occupation, the mission buildings were used as quarters and reportedly the cathedral was used to store munitions. Materials from the mission including metal roofing were removed as construction materials. Starting immediately, Allied bombers and later fighters targeted the Alexishafen area with bombing and strafing missions. On September 1, 1943 the Catholic Cathedral at Alexishafen was destroyed by a large U.S. bombing raid by B-24s and B-25s. The nearby priest residence was partially destroyed by bombing. American missions against Alexishafen December 18, 1942–April 26, 1944 By late April 1944 the Japanese began withdrawing from the Alexishafen area. By the end of the their occupation, the buildings were largely destroyed or looted. On April 26, 1944 the Australian Army 30th Battalion liberated Alexishafen. At the cathedral, all that remained was the foundation and cross. Soon afterwards, locals returned the hidden statue "The Sacred Heart of Jesus". Immediately, area was cleaned up and developed into an Allied base area. By early June 1944 the Australian Army 2/15th Field Ambulance established their camp near the ruins of the cathedral. By July 1944 the nearby priest residence was repaired and used by the 2/15th Field Hospital and 11th Casualty Clearing Station as a hospital with patient beds and a surgery ward. In May 1944, the U.S. Navy (USN) 7th Amphibious Force was assigned to Alexishafen to provide logistical support for operations in the vicinity. On June 13, 1944 a group of 200 men of the 91st Naval Construction Battalion arrived to begin construction with construction materials from Finschafen and Milne Bay to establish the base on a peninsula off Alexishafen at the edge of Bostrem Bay with additional facilities on Megas Island and Ulimal Island. A camp was established for 400 men of command services were assigned to the base. A freshwater supply system for ships, capable of providing a half million gallons per day of untreated water was built. Boat repair facilities were built on floating dry docks. The completed base was commissioned August 17, 1944. On August 31, 1944 American singer and actress Frances Langford visited Alexishafen as part of Bob Hope's USO Tour. By early November 1944, the Alexishafen area was far behind the front lines and plans for disassembly went into effect by the end of December 1944 and the fresh water supply was turned over to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Decommissioned as a U.S. Naval base on January 28, 1945. Today Postwar, the Alexishafen Catholic Mission resumed operation at this location. Many relics remain on the mission properly undisturbed. A new cathedral was built at another location. To the northwest is St. Fidelis College (Saint Fidelis). The mission's sign is made from a large Japanese propeller, probably from a bomber wreckage recovered from Alexishafen Airfield. The stations of the cross are painted onto large ship propellers, probably abandoned by the U.S. Navy base area. Alexishafen Mission Cemetery Graveyard includes graves of missionaries who died during the war. Ship Propellers The stations of the cross are painted on large ship propellers, presumably from war debris located near the mission and collected after the war. 75mm Anti-Aircraft Gun Battery The Japanese Army emplaced an anti-aircraft gun battery at this location with at least five 75mm Anti-Aircraft Type 88 guns. Most were built into revetments constructed from coral rubble. Many bomb craters pot mark the area. Some of the guns are missing, or barrels have fallen off in the years since the war while others are still in excellent condition. 75mm Anti-Aircraft Gun Type 88 (No. 1) Emplaced as part of an anti-aircraft gun battery 75mm Anti-Aircraft Gun Type 88 (No. 2) Emplaced as part of an anti-aircraft gun battery 75mm Anti-Aircraft Gun Type 88 (No. 3) Emplaced as part of an anti-aircraft gun battery 75mm Anti-Aircraft Gun Type 88 (No. 4) Emplaced as part of an anti-aircraft gun battery 75mm Anti-Aircraft Gun Type 88 (No. 5) Emplaced as part of an anti-aircraft gun battery References Pacific Islands Year Book 1942 page 271 Madang (2006) page 147 "Maria Kramer in Alexishafen (where she still lives today), she recalled that one morning she rose as usual to prepare for 6 am Mass, and looked outside and the whole station was just occupied by Japanese. They came in overnight and in the morning when we all got up, there they were. The whole place just covered in Japs. They came in barges, no trouble, no fight, nothing." Contribute
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