WEST OF BIAK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25579, 5 July 1944, Page 5

WEST OF BIAK

AMERICAN LANDING ISLAND OF NOEMFOOR (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent! (Rec. 10 p.m.) SYDNEY, July 4. American forces invaded Noemfoor Island, in Geclvink Bay, Western Dutch Ngw Guinea, on Sunday morning. Their landing point at Kamiri. on the north-west coast, is 100 miles west of the re-cently-captured airfields on Biak Island. Kamiri airfield has been captured. The American troops went ashore through raging surf and over difficult coral reefs under cover of an intensive naval and air bombardment. The Japanese were taken by surprise, and their carefully-prepared defences were outflanked. They evidently considered it impracticable for the Americans to come ashore at the chosen landing point. The unexpectedness of the invasion move thus enabled the capture of Noemfoor’s first strategic objective, Kamiri airfield, without a struggle. Thirty damaged planes were taken on the airfield. No Allied losses, naval, ground, or air, were suffered in these operations. Australian and American warships bombarded pre-invasion targets, while Liberators dropped 150 tons of bombs. The first wave of American assault troops reached the beach by 8 o'clock, and within two hours had captured Kamiri, one of the three airfields on the island. Artillery as well as infantry units have been landed. The Japanese garrison on Noemfoor is not thought to be large, but the enemy troops killed were in good condition and had new uniforms and new weapons. This was the fourth American landing operation in Dutch New Guinea. Hollandia was invaded on April 22, Wakde Island on May 17, and Biak Island on May 27. The main military importance of Noemfoor Island lies in its three existing airstrips and sites which it offers for new constructions. “The seizure of this base will give added breadth and depth to our air deployment, and will further dislocate the enemy’s South Sea defences, already shaken by our previous advances,” says General MacArihur’s communique, whic"h announces the landing. After stubborn fighting, new gains have been made by American forces at Sarmi, Dutch New Guinea, where an invasion njove coincided with that on Wakde Island. The Japanese garrison holding grimly to the Maffin airstrip is being hard pressed. , In the Hollandia sector the known Japanese losses have now reached 5339, including 765 prisoners.