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  U.S. Army 1944 |
Location Lat 0° 58' 56S Long 134° 48' 17E Kamiri village is located on the northwestern coast of Noemfoor Island (Noemfoer, Noemfor). To the north is the Kamiri River and Kamiri Airfield. Also known as Kameri, Kamirt or Kamiri. Prewar and during the Pacific War, located in Dutch New Guinea (DNG) in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). Today located in Biak Numfor Regency in Papua Province in Indonesia. Wartime History During December 1943 occupied by the Japanese who began construction of Kamiri Airfield using Formosan and Indonesian laborers and completed during early 1944. American missions against Kamiri May 24, 1944–July 4, 1944 On July 2, 1944 at dawn a U.S. Navy shore bombardment and aerial bombing proceeded the amphibious landing at 5:00am by LCT and LCM on "Yellow Beach" by the U.S. Army 158th Regimental Combat Team (158th RCT) "Bushmasters" an Arizona National Guard unit lands at Kamiri parallel to the western end of Kamiri Airfield and occupy an area of 800 yards by 8:00am. As the landing progressed, Japanese mortar and artillery fire from further inland happened sporadically for two hours, destroying a DUKW and an ammunition truck. At the eastern end of the runway, the 2nd Battalion encountered the first Japanese resistance 500 yards from the eastern end of Kamiri Airfield, when roughly forty Japanese ran out of a cave and were killed by rifle fire and support fire from LVT(A). In the same area, lightly manned caves and positions were mopped up. Tanks from the 603d Tank Company assisted the troops. At the western end of the runway, the 1st Battalion encountered little opposition and secured the area including a low hill to the southwest and reached the Kamiri River. The 3rd Battalion joined in mopping up operations. Many positions were found unmanned. By the end of the day the perimeter secured was 3,000 yards x 800 yards, short of their objective due to the difficult jungle terrain. On the first day, the U.S. suffered 3 killed (1 accidentally), 19 wounded, and 2 injured. On July 3, 1944, the U.S. Army 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment (503rd PIR) make a paratrooper jump and landed unopposed at Kamiri Airfield and occupied Kamiri village. Kamiri Airfield Built by the Japanese and used by JAAF aircraft, then captured by U.S. Army and used by the Allied aircraft. B-25D "Quitch" Serial Number 41-30518 Pilot Noland ditched August 15, 1944 onto the coral reef off Kamiri in 3' of water References U.S. Army in World War II - The Approach to the Philippines Chapter XVII - Operations on Noemfoor Island pages 398-400, 405, 407-408, 410-420 Contribute
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