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  5th AF Assoc 1990 |
Location The "Japanese Cave" (Goa Jepang in Indonesian) is the local name for a natural limestone cave system that spans over 1.86 miles (3 kilometers) on southern Biak Island in the Schouten Island Group (Schouten Archipelago) in the Biak Numfor Regency of Papua Province in Indonesia. Also known as "Gojep". An entrance is located at Paray Beach (Pantai Paray) in Paray village. 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 1942, occupied by the Japanese when they occupied Biak. By early 1944, the Japanese developed this cave into a natural defensive fortress with soldiers and heavy weapons emplaced and hidden inside the cave. On May 27, 1944, after the U.S. Army 41st Infantry Division made an amphibious landing at Bosnik. After the U.S. Army landing on Biak, Americans occupied portions of the cave while the rest was held by the Japanese and used to harass the landing force and bombard Mokmer Airfield (Mokmer Drome). To eliminate the threat, American forces began probing the cave system for entrances and weaknesses. On July 7, 1944 during the early morning, the U.S. Army began attacking the cave and bombing and bombarding of the area. The attacks culminated with pumping drums of gasoline into cave entrances that was ignited. Inside, an estimated 3,000 Japanese were killed in the attacks. Today The "Japanese Cave" (Goa Jepang) is located in a forest, the cave is one of the main tourist attractions on Biak. The entrance is surrounded by fences. According to Yusuf Rumaropen, an Irianese who has been taking care of the cave for decades years, the forest is kept intact; tree cutting is strictly forbidden to keep the historic site as it is. References Jakarta Post "Goa Jepang, natural museum for Japanese killed in WW II" April 5, 2000 Contribute
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