Lat
5° 31' 0S Long 148° 31' 0E Located on the western tip of New Britain's
northern coast. Known to the Japanese as 'Tuluvu'.
History
The Japanese landed at Cape Gloucester to built an airfield at this location. A mixture
of combat and service troops were based in the area, including the
4th Shipping Command (1st Shipping Engineers, 4th Shipping Engineers).
The troops were part of the Matsuda Force (65th Infantry Brigade:
141st Infantry, 51st Division), established in September 1943 commanded
by General Iwao Matsuda, who had arrived in the area in February
1943 and whose HQ was near Mount Talawe, 5 miles from the aerodrome.
Prior to the American landing, the area was assigned to 17th Division
under Lt. General Yasushi Sakai.
American Missions Against Cape Gloucester
December 23, 1942 - January 29, 1944
USMC Landing
This attack was part of a plan to advance Allied air
bases closer to Rabaul. On December
15, the US Army's 112th Cavalry
made
an assault on the Arawe to the
southeast of Cape Gloucester for the primary purpose of distracting
the Japanese from the main Marine thrust.
On December 26, 1943, the First
Marine Division commanded by Major General William H. Rupertus
(veteran of Haiti, China and Guadalcanal) landed at Cape
Gloucester after a brief naval bombardment and aerial smoke screen,
landing at Yellow Beach 1 & 2 and Green
Beach. The Marines faced swampy terrain and thick jungle,
but met only rear-echelon Japanese troops. Some criticized the landing unnecessary, as the
Allies already had total control of the Huon
Peninsula
of New Guinea.
Two new weapons
were introduced during the battle: the M1 Grand rifle and M4A1 Sherman
tank. Also, L-4 and L-5 Liaison planes for spotting, supply drops
and message relay. Following the landing the Marines moved
to occupy Cape
Hoskins on
the northern coast. After the area was secured, the Marines were
relived by the US Army 40th Division, commanded by Major General
Rapp Brush. Finally, the area was controlled by the
Australian 5th.
Today
Cape Gloucester is now a quite area of West New Britain. The article War
On Our Shores by
Sam Vulum talks about memories of the war in Cape Gloucester today.
Cape Gloucester Airfield (Tuluvu)
Located at the northern most tip of Cape Glochester.
Its construction was begun by the Australians, finished by the
Japanese and improved by the Americans after liberation.
Mikatsuki
Ran aground at Cape Gloucester, sunk by Army aircraft the following day
Green Beach
Site of diversionary landing by 1,500 Marines that landed December
26 at 07:48a but met no opposition. Hampered by weather and unable
to find the trail they were supposed to block, they were not attacked
until dawn on December 30, one Marine Gunnery Sgt Guiseppe Guilano,
Jr. earned the Navy Cross for firing a 30 cal mg from the hip at
attackers. The attack left 6 KIA, 17 WIA Marines and 89 KIA and 5
POW Japanese.
Hell's Point (Blue Beach)
Landing beach three miles to the west of Yellow Beach, closer
to the airfield. 1st Marines, 3rd Battalion (Col Hawkins) landed
at the flank of the point. Defended by the Japanese with bunkers, it
was attacked by Marines and Sherman tanks. 9 KIA 36 WIA Marines an
estimated 260 KIA Japanese. After the defense was destroyed, the landing
beach was used beginning on the morning of December 29.
Kilenge Village
Near the airstrip many huts use Marston
Matting for fencing.
Iboki Plantation
Site of a spotter plane strip during
the war. After the war, plantation owners were acquiring metal from
Kaliai villagers, everything from brass propellers to live ammunition.
In 1971 cases of live hand grenades were discovered near an old camp
at the plantation.
Kaliai Village
Heavy wire mesh from the spotter plane strip
are used by the villagers. The legacy of the war also has some sad
stories. In 1966, two children were killed while trying to open a
beached sea mine with screwdrivers.
Silimati
Point
Point located to the south-east of the Yellow Beach
landing areas, including Target Hill, Suicide Creek and Hill 150,
Hill 660 and Aogiri Ridge.
Target
Hill
Located to the left flank of the Yellow beaches, near
Silimati Point. Captured the same day as the landings by assault
battalions of the 7th Marines, who occupied this high ground.
Counter attacked by Col. Kenshiro Katayama 141st Infantry. Japanese
believed only 2,500 Marines were ashore (10% of the actual number).
Scaling up the hill on the night of January 2-3, 1944 they attacked
failing to probe the line first and were repulsed.
Suicide Creek
This creek is located to the north-west of Target Hill. Japanese had defenses
built around this location. On January 3, tanks first tried to cross but
were unable. A bulldozer worked to create a lip allowing Sherman tanks to
cross while fired on by the Japanese. The next morning the tanks crossed
and proceeded to Aogiri Ridge.
Aorgiri Ridge
(Hill 150, Walt's Ridge)
This ridge was located to the west of Hill 150. The Japanese
had a supply dump at this location. Marines proceeded towards this
objective after crossing Suicide Creek. Resistance persisted, including
the wounding of Lt. Col. David MacDougal (CO 5th Marines, 3rd Battalion)
and his EO, Major Joseph Skoczylas, forcing Col Puller to temporarily
assume command, before Col. Lewis Walt assumed command. The largest
weapon that Marines could get to the ridge was 37mm gun that had to
be pushed up the ridge while gunners were killed or wounded. Clinging
to their holds, the Marines repulsed counterattacks. Renamed Walt's
ridge for their commander's leadership, who received the Naval Cross
for his actions.
Hill 660
Located to the south-east of Aorgigi Ridge and
Hill 150. After occupying Hill 150 and Aorogiri Ridge, Marines advanced
again without tanks support and were forced to scale the hill while Japanese
fired downward from hastily constructed trenches. On January 16, two
companies of Japanese counter attacked the hill, but were killed by mortar
and artillery fire. Survivors tried to break thru the line but failed. The
capture of Hill 660 ended the assault.
Mount Talawe
Headquarters of Japanese General Matsuda. Captured
by the 7th Marines on January 30th, buried documents revealed the general
and units had escaped to the north-west. A trail led to the south,
and it was suspected the General and troops fled in that direction.
Lt. Col. Puller organized a patrol from Aguupella to Gilnit on the
Itni River, inldand of the south coast and Cape Bushing. Before this
patrol was mounted, captured documents revealed the instead went to
the north-east. Puller commanding the 1st Battalion 5th Marines too
less than 400, supplied by 150 native carriers to march to Gilnit.
They were supplied from the air, but killed only 75 enemy and took
one prisoner, and made contact with Army patrols from Cape Merkus /
Arawae on February 16th.
Ki-51 Sonia Constructor's
Number 959
Crashed near Mt. Talawe, south of Tuluvu
