Landing at Aitape

The Landing at Aitape (Operation Persecution) was a battle of the Western New Guinea campaign of World War II. American and Allied forces undertook an amphibious landing on 22 April 1944 at Aitape on northern coast of Papua New Guinea. The amphibious landing was undertaken simultaneously with the amphibious landings of Battle of Hollandia at Hollandia to isolate the Japanese 18th Army at Wewak.

Aitape was occupied by the Japanese on 1 April 1942. The Japanese built Tadji Airfield a few miles southeast near the coast.

The South West Pacific Area Headquarters were advised by intelligence reports that Aitape was only lightly garrisoned, and General MacArthur decided in March 1944 to invade Aitape in order to bypass the large Japanese garrisons at Hansa Bay and Wewak.

The objective was to isolate the Japanese 18th Army at Wewak, to provide flank protection against any westward movement by the Japanese 18th Army towards Hollandia, to secure Tadji Airfield to provide support to the more important Hollandia landings after the carriers of Task Force 58 (TF 58) departed, and to establish light naval facilities at Aitape to support further operations.

Operation Persecution and Operation Reckless were supported by 217 ships, to transport and protect the 80,000 men, their equipment, and supplies over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) to conduct the separate amphibious landings at Aitape and Hollandia deep in enemy territory.

A relentless naval bombardment, led by Vice Admiral M. A. Mitscher, pounded Japanese facilities at Sawar, Wadke Island, Hollandia and Sarmi on April 21 and 22. This action served to clear away as much Japanese resistance as possible before landing the troops.

The invasion force was commanded by Brigadier General Jens A. Doe and was built around the US 163rd Infantry Regiment of the 41st Infantry Division. The Japanese defenders numbered less than 1,000 in the area.

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