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 U.S. Army Jan 2, 1944  US Army January 2, 1944 |
Location Lat 5° 37' 60S Long 146° 28' 0E Saidor is located on the north coast of New Guinea. Borders the Vitiaz Strait to the north and beyond Long Island. To the northeast is Saui Point and at the center is the Nankina River. To the east is Dekays Bay. The Japanese referred to the Saidor area as "Gumbi" or "Gumbo". To the southeast roughly 110 miles beyond is Finschafen. Roughly 8-9 miles to the northwest is Biliau (Beliau). Today, located in Madang Province in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Wartime History During 1943, occupied by the Japanese Army that maintained a small garrison at this location. American and Japanese missions against Saidor April 18, 1943 - March 4, 1944 On January 2, 1944 "Operation Michaelmas" LSTs and landing craft land the U.S. Army, 6th Army, 32nd Infantry Division, 126th Regimental Combat Team (126th RCT) under the command of General Martin with the 120th Field Artillery plus elements from the 32nd Infantry Division. The landing bypassed the Japanese garrison at Sio to the east. At Saidor, the U.S. Army used carrier pigeons for the last time in their history to deliver messages from offshore boats to troops ashore, delivering messages before radios were setup. Approximately 200 Japanese defended the Saidor area, but most fled inland and withdrew over inland trails towards Madang. Afterwards, the Americans developed Saidor into a base area and Saidor Airfield into an important forward airfield. The US Navy was established along Dekays Bay. Saui Beach Staging point for Japanese barge traffic on the coast. Saidor Airfield Built prewar captured by U.S. Army on January 2, 1944. Yamai Airfield (Saidor #2, Tarlitce, Biliau) American built forward airfield Biliau (Beliau) Village located on the coast, west of Saidor at Yamai Yalan Plantation Located 30 miles west of Saidor. References The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II - New Guinea page 17, 29 HyperWar - U.S. Army in World War II - Cartwheel: The Reduction of Rabaul Chapter XIV pages 273, 295-305 The Coast Guard at War - Chapter X New Guinea - Saidor page 57, 59 Contribute
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