Cape Gloucester
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105mm Howitzer M2A1 in action on Cape Gloucester
1st Division Marines return from front on Cape Gloucester
1st Division Marines return from front on Cape Gloucester 1944
1st Division Marines unload Jeep during Cape Gloucester landing
1st Marine Division and Amtrac
1st Marine Division Hero Robert Grove on Cape Gloucester
2nd Batt, 1st Marines bury fallen comrades
Amtrac LVT amphibious tractor unloaded
Battle of Cape Gloucester 2
Battle of Cape Gloucester 3
Battle of Cape Gloucester 4
Chained up jeep stuck on Cape Gloucester
Engineers crush rock for airfield on Cape Gloucester
Hundreds of mail sacks arrive for Marines
Invasion of Cape Gloucester
Landing Craft unloads Jeep at Cape Gloucester
LCM at Fink Pier, Blue Beach, Cape Gloucester, New Britain
LST loaded with supplies landing at Cape Gloucester 1943/44 2
LST loaded with supplies landing at Cape Gloucester 1944
LSTs unload men and materials on Cape Gloucester
Marine and wrecked Japanese plane at Cape Gloucester airfield
Marine and wrecked Japanese plane at Cape Gloucester Airport
Marine cook baking in makeshift oven on Cape Gloucester
Marine Division band salutes comrades on Cape Gloucester
Marine moves thru swamp near Hill 660 on Cape Gloucester
Marines advance toward Talasea Airstrip on Cape Gloucester, March 1944
Marines and Sherman advancing on Cape Gloucester
Marines and Sherman advancing on Cape Gloucester, New Britain 2
Marines at improvised kitchen on Cape Gloucester
Marines carry wounded comrade for aid on Cape Gloucester
Marines disembark from LSTs on Cape Gloucester
Marines in LVT pull 37mm gun onto Beach at Cape Gloucester
Marines inspect Japanese Type 93 Kyūsan-shiki syō-kaen-hasshaki flamethrower on Cape Gloucester
Marines leave front on Cape Gloucester after 23 Days, January 1944
Marines leave LST to take beach at Cape Gloucester December 26, 1943
Marines make their way to the front lines during battle for Japanese airfield at Talasea, March 1944
Marines man 75mm Pack Howitzer M1 at Cape Gloucester Airfield
Marines man AA Gun on beach of Cape Gloucester
Marines man Browning M1917 Machine Gun on Cape Gloucester
Marines man rangefinder on Wing of Japanese plane on Cape Gloucester
Marines manning 75mm Pack Howitzer M1 in rain on Cape Gloucester
Marines march thru jungle
Marines move 105mm M2A1 howitzer thru mud on Cape Gloucester
Marines move to Airfield behind tanks on Cape Gloucester, New Britain
Marines move toward Japanese airfield at Cape Gloucester
Marines sleep at base of Hill 660 on Cape Gloucester 44
Marines with wrecked Japanese equipment on Cape Gloucester
USS LST-452 headed for Invasion of Cape Gloucester
USS LST-68 on beach at Cape Gloucester, New Britain
The Battle of Cape Gloucester was a battle in the Pacific theater of World War II, which took place between late December 1943 and April 22, 1944, on the island of New Britain, part of the Territory of New Guinea - Operation Backhander. The battle was a major part of Operation “Cartwheel”, the main Allied strategy in the South West Pacific Area and Pacific Ocean Areas during 1943-44. The Allies’ main objective was the capture and expansion of the Japanese airfield at Cape Gloucester; this was to contribute to the isolation and harassment of the major Japanese base at Rabaul. Supporting operations began on December 15, when the U.S. Army’s 112th Cavalry Regiment was landed at Arawe (Cape Merkus) to block the route of Japanese reinforcements and supplies. The main operation began on 26 December with an artillery barrage of Japanese positions at Cape Gloucester by U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Navy vessels, followed by ground attacks by planes from the U.S. Army Air Forces and Royal Australian Air Force. These were followed by the landing of the U.S. 1st Marine Division, under Major General William H. Rupertus. The Marines were opposed by the Japanese 17th Division, commanded by Major General Iwao Matsuda, which was augmented by “Matsuda Force” — the 65th Infantry Brigade and elements of the 51st Division, the main body of which continued to resist Allied offensives in mainland New Guinea. Matsuda’s headquarters was at Kalingi, along the coastal trail northwest of Mount Talawe, within five miles (eight kilometres) of the Cape Gloucester airfield.