Location
Lat
2° 1' 0S Long 147° 16' 0E Lorengau is located on the northeast coast of Manus Island in the Admiralty Island Group (Admiralty Islands). Also known as Lorangau, Rorengau, Lorungau, Losa or Leronguan. Borders Seeadler Harbor to the north and the Lorengau River to the south. Prewar and during the Pacific War part of the Territory of New Guinea. Today located in Manus
Province in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Prewar
Prewar, the town included police barracks, native hospital, jetty, customs sheds, government buildings, radio station, district officer's house. Connected east to west by the North Coast Road. The Manus Civil District headquarters was established at Lorengau.
Wartime History
Before the start of the Pacific War, a small section of Australian Army 1st Independent Company commandos under the command of Lt. A. S. Palmer was stationed at Lorengau. On January 25, 1942 Lorengau was bombed by the Japanese. Afterwards, the Australians defenders destroyed houses, fuel and shipping then withdrew inland. On April 14, 1942 they used a schooner to escape and sailed south to Bogadjim on New Guinea.
On April 8, 1942 Lorengau was occupied by the Japanese and developed as a
base area and built Lorengau Airfield. Starting in the middle of October 1942 attacked by U.S. bombers until the middle of March 1944.
American missions against Lorengau
January 25, 1942–March 12, 1944
On March 15, 1944 U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Division, 8th Cavalry Regiment landed at Lugos Mission and encountered only light resistance and advanced in two prongs towards eastwards towards Lorengau. The 7th Cavalry Regiment also landed and was held in reserve. On March 16, 1944 the Cavalrymen attacked Lorengau Airfield and captured it by the end of the day on March 17, 1944 and began bombarding Lorengau. By March 18, 1944 Japanese resistance ceased at Lorengau as the remaining Japanese withdraw inland to Rossum.
During March 1944, liberated by the US Army, the area was developed into a base area.
Lorengau Airfield
Built by the Japanese airfield captured March 17, 1944 afterwards never used as an airfield by the Allies.
References
U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II - Bismarck Archipelago pages 22-23
Contribute
Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?
Last Updated
October 21, 2022
|
