New Guinea Campaign: Allied Air Operations Lae-Salamaua - Restored 1943

[@craig4867]

Videos like this keep the memories of our fathers and grandfathers alive, they are no longer with us, God bless them all!

[@jeffkeith637]

That is probably the best coverage of any WW2 campaign I've seen. That treetop flying was just awe inspiring. Great work.

[@maryannamerica6934]

Ok, here’s my story...My dad fought in New Guinea and in the Philippines. He was a Reconnaissance Scout for the 167th Infantry. My dad worked with everyone, especially The Aussies and he said they were the greatest gift that they could have ever gotten!!! He said there was never a division with our allies! The native’s were amazing too and so many of them helped us beyond mention! I am just happy that my dad told me all of his stories (most of these never heard in a movie). I am very thankful that he fought for our freedom and today I am a true free American 🇺🇸 I learned so much about my dad from World War II. I learned he knew jujitsu and that he got to see general MacArthur on the beach in the Philippines. He was my HERO!!!!!! 🇺🇸31st Dixie Division - 167th Infantry - U.S. Army A USAF Veteran Maryann

[@docw1819]

Maryann America my uncle is interned in a war cemetery in Port Moresby. The time that the Kokoda track campaign soaked up gave the US and Australian forces the breathing room to consolidate is highly underestimated. 🇦🇺 🇺🇸 Also the Battle of the Coral Sea would not have happened without the stand.

[@ogmiossoimgo696]

same goes for me, but my father was first attached to the RAF before Pearl and then reattach to the US Army from Italy till the mad rush into Germany... he loved General Patton and would have followed him into Russia if Patton had been given the go ahead.

[@KateLicker]

Great message, but as for 'division with allies", well, I'm afraid there was some on Australian home-front.. I don't want to ramble through what I know of it, but if interested Google things like 'Battle of Brisbane" (not a battle that had anything to do with the Japanese) ...'brownout strangler (Pvte Eddie Leonski, US army, him I read a book on, buried in US army cemetary in Hawaii,apparently) ,,,there was a mediocre war movie in 1980s which combined the two things, but although having two big-name actors, James Coburn and Brian Dennehy (playing Pvt Leonski), the movie was pretty fictionalised account of true events. My stepfather Keith Harris was an Australian RAAF 'fitter", effectively airplane mechanic, with RAAF Beauforts and P40s in New Guinea, but like a lot of Australian personel on NG, he worked alongside and even sometimes actually on loan to Kenneys 5th USAAF..he had many stories...one day, an American P38 Lightning had either just landed or was taxiing to take off..one of the engines maybe sounded a little off (not unusual for GM Allison engines in p38s to have spark-plug issues, for example) so Keith walked up in front of the plane closer to listen to motors..pilot, American kid looked just 19-20YO, put head down, grinned, and threw throttles forward to full, '38 roared and surged down runway with Keith running like Jessie Owens...young Yank in P38 thought this hilarious...maybe so do I, kind of, LOL.

[@KateLicker]

one wartime US training vid made re the issues I've referred to.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZ7CdJ2NibCpf5I

[@hodaka1000]

@@KateLicker My father was a member of the 2/19th Battalion fortunately he wasn't with the Battalion during their epic battle along the Bakri Parit Sulong road in Malaya. He was wounded in the fighting on Singapore and was one of the six survivors from Sandakan Ranau Death March in North Borneo. He called P38s "spilt-arses" and mentioned times when they were attacked by them.

[@CaesarInVa]

One of my best friend's father, Ed Kieloch, fought all the way up the coast of New Guinea all the way to Manila with the 503 PIR. Mr. K was one hell of a man. Built like a refrigerator, he was his platoon's BAR man. Rugged as hell and tough as nails, he was kind, intelligent and compassionate as well. After he got out of the Army, he went to Harvard, then skipped grad school and went straight into a PhD program when he completed his under-graduate studies. In the 1960's he conceived, implemented and led Project Head Start, a Department of Education initiative intended to redress academic inequities of the less-fortunate. He was one hell of a guy and the best kind of American this country ever produced.

[@danzervos7606]

My mother went to college with my sister and got her teaching certificate. Her first job was with Head Start in 1964. We ended up with a goat the Head Start Program acquired and didn't know what to do with it at the end of summer school and as we had a small farm they gave it to us. We later gave the goat to a guy who boarded race horses. They had a horse that was fidgety and nervous and thought it could use a stable mate. Worked like a charm and the horse had some success in racing. An older man who worked at the stables at Sportsman Park appropriated the goat and it achieved minor celebrity status. We called the goat Pearl. The guy at the stables renamed it Pearly May.

[@laurencetilley9194]

My Father was a member of the Australian, 7th Divisions, 2/4th field regiment that flew into Nadzab. He said the Young American soldiers were very inexperienced when they arrived in New Guinea, but they went through a baptism of fire, to become bloody good soldiers as the campaign continued. My dad said Yank air force combined with the RAAF did a bloody good job and saved many lives

[@allananderson2019]

My Grand dad also.

[@roberttrout3588]

My Uncle Lee Trout piloted one of those Bostons, thank you for your kind words 🙏

[@stevenseagal6548]

My grand dad was in the 2/8th field regiment. Great grand father was the commander of the 11th infantry and 14th infantry Later good enough island and the milne bay fortress. He was on blameys staff and apparently also thought of blamey as a wanker. Ive got a trove of photos in the albums

[@jefesalsero]

Ya bloody right, they did!

[@karlosvulture7707]

My grandad also said the same thing about the yanks..he didn't have much respect for the American officers as many young soldiers died because of their inexperience, poor buggers were ordered to their death.....

[@karlosvulture7707]

I can proudly say that my grandad got shot by a sniper over there,he fought in PNG and then went to the Solomon's,he was lucky as the bullet just missed his heart by millimeters..by all accounts he fought hard and like many kiwi soldiers he was willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice for his country and the freedom of the world...RIP Grandad and thanks mate

[@mmcin719]

My grandfather was an Australian engineer in New Guinea. He would never say a word about it. When I went into the army, his advice was look after your rifle as it will be your best friend. I still have his medals, it was tough up there.

[@MrCarlSykes]

We have the blood of heros in our veins Jeffrey. My grandfather was in the 39th up the Kokoda trail and then at Gona. My grandfather basically never talked about his time in New Guinea either. My grandfather didnt go for the "glory", he went to protect his family and his people. I reckon the same for your grandfather Jeffrey. If he had gone for the glory, and there was plenty of that, he would have crowed about it. He didn't. Freedom in Australia for a person to grow and live and thrive and shine is not a god given right, it is a privilege. It was bought with the suffering, commitment and love of a band of ragged bloody heroes. Our children and their children in turn are living free because of our grandfathers and their mates. We are very blessed Jeffrey. "Lest we forget."

[@63bplumb]

@@MrCarlSykes Bless ALL of them for their service!

[@markfryer9880]

Lest We Forget!

[@peterrobbins2862]

It was absolutely horrific up there my grandfather was at Milne bay and various along the coast and Bouganville tropical illnesses and malaria took a massive toll on the troops

[@petermalloy5360]

Bravest and superbly planned Battle well Done Aussie engineers and infantry.Airforce firepower magnificent WELL DONE

[@gw2058]

This is probably one of the best US Army WW2 (1943) news/information documentaries made regarding the Operations at Lae-Salamaua and Huon Peninsular, and the pronunciation of the place names is pretty good too

[@ClancyQuinn]

My Dad was a bombardier/navigator with the 90th bomb group on a B24. He contracted malaria on the island of New Guinea. Was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and 2 other medals. Major Donald M. Detry. My Dad.

[@wdavis6814]

My great-grandfather served with the 5th Air Force - 22nd BG in Australia, he was onboard many b26 and b24 flights into New Guinea, New Britain, and other islands there. Luckily he left the Pacific Theatre with all his limbs. Truly a generation of brave giants.

[@kathryndrury6495]

My Dad 5th AF/22nd BG. - B-24 pilot at age 19! George F. Drury

[@brodybehr]

My Great uncle was in the fifth air force squadron flying escort, he was a p38 lightning pilot and flew 15 fighter missions! I have his old ring, his wings , air medal , and a book that he’s featured in! very happy to have these items!

[@kathryndrury6495]

My Dad was a command pilot for the 5th Air Force in Papua New Guinea in 1943 - he was 19 years old! Perhaps your great uncle flew escort! His name Col.(P) George F. Drury, USAF. GREAT MEN!

[@AtomicDawg713]

@@kathryndrury6495 My Great Uncle flew with the 19th Bomb Group 93rd Bomb Squad, 5th AF in 1942. In 1944 he was KIA over Italy. Heroes all.

[@ballafon7]

My dad, piloting B-25's and B-24's often spoke of the exhilarated sense of relief when P-38's showed up for escort. Respect.

[@MarsFKA]

21:45 "The kunai grass hampered the job of finding and assembling the heavy equipment." No kidding! That stuff has more sharp edges and points than barbed wire. I worked in Lae for a year in 1971/72 and even that long after the War there was still a lot of discarded war materiel lying around - I saw old runway matting used for a variety of purposes. However, the piece of War materiel that really caught my attention was the bit that I dug up in my garden one day - I was living close by the air field, that had, in this movie, been the Japanese air strip - and my shovel went clink on a 3-inch anti-aircraft shell that had been lying there for twenty-eight years. I called the police, who called the Army and we all stood back at a respectful distance while the Army ordnance people took the shell away.

[@stevelacombe9816]

That was amazing! Those were some bad-ass soldiers and airmen!

[@pshehan1]

I have interviewed veterans of the 2/14 battalion 7th Australian Division who participated in the Markham and Ramu valley campaigns, and have also spoken to the Australian artillerymen who parachuted into the valley as mentioned in the video. Sadly there are now very few of these remarkable men left.

[@peteranson4021]

My father-in-law, Dick Slattery was in the 2/14th. He joined under an assumed name because he was under-age, was wounded in Syria fighting the Vichy French, went AWL from hospital and stowed away on the ship returning the battalion to Australia (he was discovered in his hiding place because of the gangrenous smell of his wound). He fought on the Kokoda track and Gona. I think he missed the battle depicted here because he was recovering from scrub tyfus in Australia but he rejoined the battalion and fought right through to the end of the war.

[@royfrye333]

My dad fought in New Guinea. He didn’t speak about it much. I really enjoyed watching this. I don’t understand all the criticism about “incorrect pronunciations” of various places and things. Seems like petty nonsense complaining about how the narrator pronounced things.

[@terryrussel3369]

Made my uncle laugh and he actually was 'strawffed'. Air crew. Radioman. 8th USAAF.

[@rupert5390]

god bless your dad

[@acadman4322]

I see things like this and am overwhelmed with pride for the men slugging it out with such a tough enemy as the Japanese in that Hell of New Guinea. My war was Vietnam, 1967-1968 with the 101st Airborne Div up north around Hue. We slaughtered the enemy in every engagement and yet, still, because of political cowardice and blunders, had to lose our war. These videos of real men with determination crushing a tough enemy inspire me. God bless all soldiers, sailors, and airmen. It does not matter which side, those guys all deserve a "well done". They did their very best for their country.

[@jefflanham1080]

ACADMan thank you for your service! It is now June 17, 2020 and look what’s going on right here at home...sad and pathetic. Our kids have been brainwashed by communist/fascist America haters right in our own schools for the last 25 plus years and the politicians are even worse if you can imagine that!

[@paulbrown6338]

I was there in 68-69 with 5th Special Forces and you are correct about how easy they were to kill. The hardest part was getting them to fight. We just had too much firepower for them to deal with. Politics determined the outcome and I think we learned from that.

[@andreww9252]

Bravo Zulu ACADMAN ... its a Navy congratulations

[@oakvue45]

Dad was a crew chief on C-47's in the 317th Troop Transport Group. He got a Bronze Star delivering Aussie's and ammo up to Wau Airfield on top the Owen Stanley Mountains. The Japanese were trying to cross the mountains north of the Kokoda Trail but the Aussies held the air field at Wau and drove the Japanese back. Dad flew with the 317th all thru the war. They got a hole in a wing dropping paratroops onto Corregidor during our invasion...They even got into Japan for while before being sent home.

[@rupert5390]

god bless you dad

[@robburghoff1355]

My dad was a B24 pilot with the 43rd Bomber group, 63rd bomber squadron "Seahawks" stationed in Dobodura and then Nadzab between Oct '43 to July '44 primarily targetting shipping from Rabaul to the New Guinea coast and Solomons. There's a recently published book covering the B24 era in SWPA titled Ken's Men Against the Empire: Vol II, The B24 Era that details a lot of the campaigns after this one. I haven't read Vol I which does cover this campaign. Really interesting material.

[@arabianrebel61]

Your dad most likely knew my grandfather. Raymond Gates of West Monroe Louisiana. Same bomb group and bomber squadron. They had radar in his B-24. I have that book too

[@arabianrebel61]

I have a picture of the Seahawks. My grandfather and your dad are probably in it together

[@bdcguru01]

Rob, Thanks so much for the book info! Looking for information on the role of the B0-24 in the SWP campaign. My father was a young bomber pilot stationed there.

[@leomoore3597]

My dad was in the Navy "Sea Bees" Construction Battalions, on Manus Island, known as Admiralty Island off the coast of New Guinea during that WWll Naval campaign.

[@davidvines6498]

My Dad was in the Seabees too, all he would say was he was in the Aleutians and the Philippines. I know his unit was in Guadalcanal, but he was tight lipped about what went on during the War

[@peterrobbins2862]

They were very well regarded by the Australian troops

[@BearfootBob]

Sgt. Sheldon Scriven was with the 312 Bomb Group(L) , airborne recon photographer. He flew on one of the A-20Gs through the whole campaign, and promoted in August of '45.

[@ballafon7]

My dad Charles Allen piloted and copiloted B-25's and then B-24's here Oct 14 1943 until July 28th 1944 until scrub typhus hospitalised him. 55 combat missions.

[@vicbittertoo]

be very proud, tough blokes :)

[@kathryndrury6495]

Our Dad, Col. (P) George F. Drury USAF piloted a B-24 with the 5th AF in 1943 - the Command Pilot at 19 years old! He. Was a Red’s Raider! See the book - Red Raiders Revenge! A great history and a great picture of our 19 year old hero!

[@ballafon7]

My dad too. Charles C. Allen

[@scottwins2]

My dad was in New Guinea during the war airfield # 7 I think. B-17's McAurther flew out on my dad's plane. If fact he had to waite since my dad was working on an engine. He was the engineer and also flew top turret twice

[@billgreen7844]

My dad piloted a B-25 in the 345th/500th. This is where he flew 50 missions.

[@georgestack4764]

Vale, Australian 6th Div., stopped the German nazi Army in the desert sands as the “Rats of Tobruk”, then moved to stop the Japanese imperial army in the tropical jungle conditions of the Kokoda Trail heroes. These heroes delivered the first Allied defeats to the German Nazi war machine and to the Imperial Japanese army in the history of WWII. Among others: Uncle George Remilton, and Father-in-Law, Bill Dundas. Their name liveth forevermore. Always lovingly remembered. Aussies. Vale among others men of The “Grey” 8th Battalion, RAR South Vietnam 1970-71.

[@geoffheard5768]

Amazing how the efforts of the 39th Militia Battalion always get overlooked.

[@moss8448]

you are correct sir

[@terrygalvin6066]

That's not correct. The 6th Division took Tobruk from the Italians but were sent to Greece and Crete and then onto Syria before being sent to Australia and then New Guinea. They never defended Tobruk. They served on 4 continents.

[@MarkGoding]

The chocos also did an amazing job.

[@laurencetilley9194]

The 18th Brigade of the 6th division was reorganised and joined the Australian 2AIF, 'Silent' 7th Division. These guys were battle hardened. The reorganisation of the 6th division saw them broken up into brigades and dispersed across other divisions etc.They received the name 'silent' because of the 7th divisions secret invasion of Syria. As a formation, the 6th Division fought in the campaigns in Libya, Greece, and the Aitape-Wewak region of New Guinea. Its individual brigades also fought on Crete, in Lebanon, along the Kokoda Trail and at the Japanese beachheads in Papua, and in the Wau-Salamaua region of New Guinea.

[@bobkoomans3490]

I was at Boram in 1967, as a, Australian Government worker, It was still littered with odd bits of war relics, the main airfield of Wewak still had much of the AA Gun batteries in place, and a number of old enemy planes alongside the airstrip. In 1969, I joined the PNGVR an Australian Army Regiment in TP&NG.

[@garydargan6]

My father was originally in 13 Squadron RAAF in Darwin. They flew Lockheed Hudsons, a twin-engined medium bomber version of the Lockheed Ventura airliner. They lost so many planes and crew in operations against the Japanese that by the time they were withdrawn they had only 2 serviceable planes. After a time spent in Victoria doing check and delivery flights of more Hudsons he was posted to a joint Australian-American Bombardment Group flying Liberators. He did his Liberator training at Nadzab. Even after it was repaired flying from this was a bit of an adventure particularly in a heavy bomber like the Liberator. There was a dip part way down the runway which became a small creek when it rained as it often does in New Guinea. For his time in 13 Squadron the Americans nominated his squadron to receive a Presidential Unit Citation. However since it was a foreign decoration they were not allowed to receive it. This rule was changed decades later and after some agitation by my father the surviving members of the squadron were flown to Hughes airfield in Darwin where they had a ceremonial parade and were presented with the citation. My father didn't march very often on Anzac day but when he did visiting American soldiers he encountered treated him like royalty when they saw the blue bar on his jacket.

[@normm7764]

Gary Dargan hi Gary, I saw your comment. You might be interested in this, if you live in Melbourne, come in for a look. Regards Norm. www.b24australia.org.au/home

[@dm2781632]

The Presidential unit citation has been awarded to three Australian units, The NGVR (New guinea Volunteer rifles ) WW2, 3 RAR Kapyong Korea and D Coy 6 RAR Vietnam. Australia units can receive this award but a nomination is not receiving. Your fathers unit did not receive the award because they were Australian, unfortunately the nomination just did not get accepted .

[@grozenbaum]

Dr

[@rupert5390]

god bless your dad

[@mpetersen6]

The 5th Air Force was still flying operations against Rabual in August of 1945. A gentleman I worked with had his co-pilot killed between Hiroshima and Nagasaki in a pointless raid on Rabual. Rabual had been bypassed and left to rot on the vine. Yet air operations continued until the end of the war. The Allies could taken Rabual but it was most likely considered not worth the cost in men, material and time. The same thing happened with Truk and other islands and positions along the north coast of New Guinea. As an aside the US 32nd Infantry (Red Arrow) which served on New Guinea and the Philippines had a number of firsts First US combat division moved overseas in one sea lift (to Australia) First complete unit unit moved by air to an area of operations (128th rgmt) It was one of the first US Army divisions to engage in offensive combat operations and the the last US unit still engaged against Japanese forces in August 1945. On August 15th, 1945 elements of the 32nd defeated two last ditch banzai attacks. In all the Division was I combat operations for 654 days. More than any other US Division. One would think that after that they would be amongst the first units to return home. Yet on October 14th they landed at Sasebo to begin occupation duty in Japan.

[@mpetersen6]

@@jacktattis143 When the 32nd was put into action on New Guinea they were poorly trained and overburdened with too much personal equipment. One reason they were ill trained is from the time the left for Fort Devins outside of Boston (they were originally being sent to the UK) until the first units were flown into Port Morseby they were either getting ready to move, in transit or getting set-up at their arrival point. Harding protested that they were not trained up but was over ruled by MacArthur. The 41st division wasn't in any better state of readiness. I really don't think any unit in the US Army thrown into that situation in 1942 would have done much better given what the tactical situation was and the terrain. Japanese bunkers were so well concealed that troops could literally walk right up to them and not know it. Add in the lack of artillery (Harding requested artillery be brought up and all he got initially was some aged 3 inch pieces. When he asked for artillery support Kenny (sp) made a comment "in this theater the artillery flys") getting Japanese troops out of their bunkers proved difficult to say the least. Eventually when they received some M-4 light tanks it was possible to drive the tanks right up to the bunker and shoot HE rounds through the gun slits. Overall the whole Southwest Pacific Theater was pretty much run on a shoestring in terms of the commitment of resources up until when the invasion of the Philippines took place.

[@jacksnyder7318]

mpetersen6: My Dad was in the 43rd div 172 inf and I belive you are right on target, Dad didn't say much but said most of his training was on the ship going over (SS Coolidge) he came back on a hospital ship badly wounded. Passed in 2002 with shrapnel still in his skull. I asked him once as a boy if brought anything back and he said "I brought nothing back" he was wrong, he brought back nightmares.

[@sonyascott6114]

@@mpetersen6 💯 percent correct,brother!You are walking point man with that statement.Shoestring is correct.

[@pamwalker7823]

Never forget these brave souls 🙏🏻

[@Blinkybills]

Thanks for sharing. Truly inspirational.

[@Newtire]

W

[@paulmcwilliams1709]

God Bless the Aussies!

[@chiefseadawg5164]

General MacArthur's brilliant Papua-New Guinea campaign remains one of the most under-reported and greatly unknown campaigns of WW II. And what tremendous allies the Americans and Australians were! The Australians were indeed the best jungle fighters in the world. Thank God they were on our side! On a personal note, I was very fortunate to have visited Australia during my career in the U.S. Navy.

[@KateLicker]

there are good books on the PNG north-coast campaign such as Peter Brune's books like "Gona's Gone"

[@ninline2000]

I was fortunate that Vietnam was over before I turned 18. All the people I talked to that were there remarked on how awesome the Aussies were. Lots of people didn't know they were our allies in Vietnam too.

[@mickthefisherman1562]

@@daviddou1408 Thankyou for mentioning this, my grandfather was in the 2/25th battalion on the track and fought all the way to Gona. He held a great resentment towards MacArthur because of the way he constantly criticised them, while he stayed as far away from danger as he could. When they finally pulled them out of the line they were incapable of offensive action.

[@MarkGoding]

@@daviddou1408 Gona and Buna were brutal. The Japanese had entrenched themselves in a swampy area with a series of blockhouses with overlapping fields of fire. Even the Australian veterans of the Kokoda trail found that hard going.. No where in NG was easy to fight in. That one was particularly brutal.

[@jayfrank1913]

It's hard to get an Aussie in a small roll.

[@icewaterslim7260]

That's a ground support A20 at 13:13 . A20s comprised 2 of the first 3 parafrag bomb squadrons, B25s the other. My dad was a gunner on A20s and A26s and was in on this one.

[@mohammedcohen]

...reading "war at the End of the World" about the New Guinea campaign....hell on earth...God rest the souls of these brave men...

[@greasyflight6609]

Burma was no picnic either. Kohima

[@dmr122003]

this was the bravest generation ever, thank you so much, i am proud to all men , women , and children that did their part for my freedom, the punks of today have NO clue and have NO respect ,

[@richardc7721]

The youth of today are the victims of brainwashing. They are taught that America never did any good only evil. This is being done by other brainwashed people, teachers who were brainwashed by people who never worked or built anything but spent their lives as students all their lives, who after several years in college go on to teach the next generation to hate America. Those are the university professors who indoctrinate students who become the teachers, teaching to hate America and capitalism, to embrace communist. The cycle must be broken starting now at the school board level, they are the ones that okay the school books and subject matter taught. Next the college and university governing bodies, for the same reason, then go after all the American hating professors. Then and only then will we gain back our country. Otherwise, those that hate freedom and embrace communism will outnumber us and vote to enslave us.

[@nickviner1225]

@@richardc7721 Oh , so true. I have the same thoughts as you do.

[@kaptainkaos1202]

Well I’d like to see if you are brave enough to tell the Sailors and Marines I work with they’re a bunch of punks. Or maybe either of my nephews who combined have done 11 deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Or my father who was a USN SAR crewman or maybe even me who has over 3000 flight hours protecting our country in the USN. What have YOU done to contribute? Whine?

[@dmr122003]

@@kaptainkaos1202 first i apologize...our service men and women of today are also some of the best people i’ve met... i was referring to the ones who disrespects the flag , kneel for our anthem. disrespectful of the men in uniform..thank god for those who sever, again i apologize

[@richardc7721]

@@dmr122003 I hold the youth of America that joins the military or P.D. or F.D. in other words those who put others 1st in a special group. They are carrying on the legacy of those who gave more than they got. Those I hold in high esteem. I served my country for many years

[@ramroddrone5449]

the greatest generation. Yes thanks very much for this video. Dave Australia. The son of an Australian digger who only just survived Milne Bay 1942.

[@ramroddrone5449]

Sorry Milne Bay New Guinea.. Edited

[@charobaigorri2457]

Lamento no saber inglés y que no haya traducción y, así, poder subscribirme. Enhorabuena por la filmación y la calidad de las imágenes. Saludos

[@twinstu50]

At 28:37, note the Australian C.A.C. Wirraway in the background, it's the single engine acft with a white tail and white centre to the roundel marking. I think the squadron code on the side is 'QF', not sure though.

[@ianjamie7319]

Probably "QE" - 4 Squadron RAAF. "In May 1943, No. 4 Squadron was re-equipped with CAC Boomerang fighter aircraft,[29] to be operated in a tactical reconnaissance role. Operating with these new aircraft and also some Wirraways it had retained, the squadron supported the Australian 7th and 9th Divisions during the Huon Peninsula campaign." - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._4_Squadron_RAAF#World_War_II

[@kennewman4272]

@@ianjamie7319 My Dad was with 4 Sqd. as an LAC. I don't know role he played, but he often referred to the Lae area.

[@allgood6760]

These old vids are interesting... thanks from NZ 👍🇳🇿

[@wayne.thomson-qe1pf]

Thank you for this documentary of World war 2 in the Pacific the reason why I'm saying the Pacific is that two of my grandfathers were serving in Australian military one of my grandfathers was a chief gunnery officer on HMAS Canberra and then HMAS Shropshire, HMAS Canberra was at the battle of the Coral sea and also the Boom bombard meant of islands for American troops to land, and then serves on HMAS shropshire at the battle of leyte gulf in the Philippines right up to the end of the war in Tokyo Harbour. My other grandfather served with the Australian army he was a sergeant at the time of this battle in Papua New Guinea he also made it to the end of the war. Myself as a young boy my dad was in the navy The royal Australian Navy and he was posted overseas to Papua New Guinea to a city could ( LAE ), in 1973 and 1974 there was a Japanese soldier still alive thinking the war was still on so they coached him out of the jungle and he got to go home, But it still hurts me today when my grandfather and myself ( grandfather who served on HMAS Canberra ) when to the Australian cemetery to pay our respects to the men and women for the service to our country and the freedoms that we have today unknowing my grandfather and myself we're about to walk up the stairs to the cemetery , Two Japanese men appeared out of nowhere, I saw my grandfather protecting his men that are still asleep he yelled out and then he yelled some more as he still was protecting them I saw my grandfather still fighting the war, protecting and defending me and those men and women who were in the cemetery looking back he didn't want these men from Japan walking or touching Holy ground dishonouring them it would be very disobedient. Lest we forget.

[@maryannamerica6934]

wayne. thomson .....What an amazing story!!!! I was very touched! What awesome grandfathers you had! A USAF Veteran 🇺🇸

[@jamesmilton8308]

Had a grandfather in the 7th as a B24 gunner returned stateside in 44 and was an instructor in Pensacola

[@johnscanlon3362]

My father was a navigator on B17s and B25s in New Guinea at the time of this video

[@scottwins2]

Mine was too in 17's

[@paulbaker9277]

It was nice to hear a little mention of Aussies in there small roll.

[@samuelgoodman2825]

Aussies Kick Ass

[@incubus1160]

Small role??? are you serious, we played a huge part in defeating the japanese in new guinea.

[@the_real_bin_chicken]

Calm down gents..... it’s just a bit of humour.

[@XxBloggs]

The US ground forces in New Guinea completely failed and were replaced in the line with Australian forces. It was Australian troops who took Buna, Lae, Gona abs Salumala

[@justaname1862]

Small Role? The Aussies cleared everything out...only after they did, did the Yanks turn up...but in typical Yank fashion they tried to take all the glory...Yank arrogance has no limits....They use to say this about the Yanks in Australia...They're Overpaid, Oversexed....and Over "Here"

[@ThomasWLalor]

The Aussies performed superbly in that conflict. I am glad the US and Australia are allies. Lucky US

[@AXESMI]

My dad flew 8 of his 48 missions on Wewak. He was with the 320th Squadron of the Jolly Rogers.

[@munsif55]

hi gentleman, glade to read about you sir

[@johnscanlon3362]

did he fly bombers or fighters? My father was there from 1942 until the end of the war. He never said much about it.

[@crestonraines9915]

My uncle was Sqd, Com. of the 319th. Maj. Milton Porter. Shot down over Formosa and was killed in the crash of his bomber. 9 crew members killed with him. His Squadron was "Asterperious" "Superior attitude in an inferior environment." Their motto.

[@terencegalvin5344]

My grandad served in Weewak after your Dad made it relatively safe. He was also in Nth Africa, Greece, Crete and Syria. Died aged 100 years 2 months.

[@thomasjr8360]

Are wewack and ewack sister islands?

[@phillipoconnor2097]

My DAD WAS WITH THE 390th BOMBARDment SQUADRON 13th Air Force 42nd BOMB WING. in New Guinea he was the Intelligence Officer for the Group S-2 It was Called (THE JUNGLE AIR FORCE). The one plane was THE HEAVENLY BODY) which still flies today

[@munsif55]

hi gentleman, glade to read about you sir

[@johnbeatty9317]

My father-in-law sgt.J T Vines radio operator and top turret gunner on the B24 ,with Capt. Kelly made the the first raid. He said to me that they didn’t believe they would make it back,but they did and he was for ever thankful for the crew who made the flight. I might add that J T said that they never lost a crew member, while stationed in Australia, and other bases.

[@nickviner1225]

My late father in law was there and came down the kokoda trail . My Son in Law did the same trail about ten years ago and told me 'it was the toughest thing he had ever done in his life." In his case he (son in law was NOT being shot at.

[@amartinjoe]

..love those B-25's...what a sight to see....

[@JohnDoe-ff2fc]

such a versatile planes. how many other bombers were used for strafing and tree top bombing? I suppose that you could include the Mosquito

[@chrismaggio7879]

Grampa Chet Long was a bombardier on B-24s (Moby Dick) out of PNG. Thank you to him and so many like him.

[@ZenosWarbirds]

👍

[@donscheid97]

The Aussies were and still are great allies. Few recall they were with us in Korea and Nam also.

[@kevtop351]

And so were the New Zealanders.

[@maddyg3208]

Unlike (in the case of Vietnam), the UK, Canada, Israel etc.

[@presidentxijinpingspoxdoct9756]

@dan conrad New Xiland

[@scottyfox6376]

My late uncle served in the Australian Medical Corp as a chiropractor in New Guinea. Much respect to the brave men & women who fought & died to stop the Japanese. 🇦🇺🇺🇸💯🙏

[@pshehan1]

I came to know veterans of the Australian 7th Division through interviewing them in an oral history project for the 2/14 Battalion Association and La Trobe University in Melbourne. At a couple of functions I talked to artillery men who parachuted into the Markham valley as mentioned in the video.

[@pshehan1]

@@daviddou1408 Thanks David. So your father was Ivan Dougherty. I don't really have a specific link on this, and just received word that ANZAC Day functions are cancelled this year due to the virus. So can't ask the old gunner I talked to last year. Is it just info about the artillery men you wan't? I could ask one of the office holders of the battalion association about it if you like.

[@pshehan1]

@@daviddou1408 OK David. I was actually a scientist by trade but did some 'whistle blowing' at Sydney University which was not a good career move and at one stage decided I might become a science maths teacher so was at La trobe doing a Dip Ed when they were looking for someone to do a project in conjunction with the 2/14 Battalion association. They were probably looking more for humanities grads but they were not exactly rushed with volunteers Anyway I have an interest in history and had done some online research into my own families service in both world wars so stuck my hand up. I decided on an oral history project interviewing some of the 'originals' of the battalion. Fantastic blokes who i am pleased to say came to regard me as a friend. Sadly all gone now. This was in 2008. Became a member of the 2/14 Battalion Association which is now run by the sons and daughters of the veterans. So I did become familiar with the battalion history in general so remember the controversy surrounding Potts removal.

[@Vsshooter]

My father was at Milne Bay, Buna, Nadzab, Dobodura, Hollandia, Wewak, Biak Island, then to Leyte, Tacloaban, Linguan Gulf, Ie Shima and finally Kimpo Field, Korea. 475th Fighter Group. Check out their museum at the Planes of Fame Museum, Chino, CA. They also have a website 475th Fighter Group.

[@goodshipkaraboudjan]

"We held at PM and took Kokoda" must be American for - "The Australians held PM and took Kokoda before we even arrived".

[@moss8448]

by we ..he meant the Allies

[@moss8448]

@Jack Tangles No Sir...as a Yank can't agree with that...the overall perception by the unwashed masses may think that; buffs don't...met some diggers in 'Nam damn good soldiers.

[@moss8448]

you guys did all the heavy lifting on that deal...we did or were able to...get off our feet and make a stab at using air power.

[@moss8448]

@Jack Tangles yep we got our butts kicked at Kasserine..it was a learning experience for sure..they brought Patton in to take over and you know the rest of the story

[@jrt818]

Unclear antecedents, hence lawyers.

[@steves8236]

Thanks, Zeno. So much of the New Guinea campaign's depictions are so vague... a landing here, a landing there... this was good stuff. You haven't happened to run across anything highlighting Charles Lindburgh's work during this campaign have you?

[@GKASEY1424]

There is a long video on the P38 in the middle of has a great segment on Lindberghs pioneering work on engine leaning almost doubling the P38 range having significant positive impact.

[@kristov29]

Whether it was in the Second Boer War, WWI, WWII, Korea or Vietnam, it seems as though the Australians were always handed the most difficult assignments.

[@JRandallS]

Well in this case, they were defending against an invasion of their homeland by Japan. They were happy to have some Allied assistance in the matter, but I'm sure would have fought on, with or without us.

[@matthewcullen1298]

@@JRandallS hey John . I'm certainly glad our US Friends stepped in on our side.im not sure why some of my fellow Australians get so precious. My uncle fought in PNG. He got buried alive by Japanese artillery but was lucky his mates dug him out. The Aussies stopped the Japanese first at Kokoda buying us some precious time and we should by very proud of our Aussie soldiers but by no means had we beaten the Japanese empire nor did we process the ability too. As a realistic but very proud Australian I'm very greatful for the American people and the sacrifice made by many of their very brave service men and their families. I have nothing but respect for all involved by ALL THE ALLIES

[@jamesbridge6408]

Great video, showing a retreat from the MacArthur media machine, to a celebrate the men video take.

[@tbjr1150]

My friend Lou, (deceased) was a paratrooper. Made low level drops in NG . He fractured his leg in Luzon . How you ask, the Japanese shot his chute up. He said as he dropped he passed his buddies down, "in a hurry" . Ended up in Australian hospital. Lou was a great man, RIP Lou.

[@kimoandrews5802]

Uncle Keith was a Headhunter (80th Fighter Squadron) stationed at Port Moresby... but not for long, they were on to the Philippines and eventually, Honshu.

[@frankcomando8440]

I cannot thank all service men here enough for your service. may God Bless...All who come in peace...

[@jimbo81553]

The Aussies sacrificed so much from a small population. God bless the Aussies!

[@peterread705]

My dad was in the 9th division. He fought at Tobruk (the Easter battle was the first German defeat in WW2) El Alamein then took part in the beach landing at Red beach near Lae. My workmate ( we worked together during the early eighties) flew on the Liberator bombers with the yanks

[@longez360]

My Grandfather too. 9th div 2/23rd battalion. Was wounded in action 4th September 1943. Great men.

[@davidmusick1673]

My Uncle Jack Musick was an Enlisted pilot for the Army Air Corps during WWII. My dad (who was in the Navy at the time), said Uncle Jack flew transport planes over the Burma Hump. When I was in the Navy I remember seeing old Chief Petty Officers that were enlisted pilots these were rare birds at the time as they were nearing retirement. Nowadays there are no enlisted pilots. Anyone ever heard of enlisted pilots?

[@sonyascott6114]

No David,I never have heard of that.What a story,brother.

[@ninline2000]

Aussie troops kicked ass!

[@roymccomb8749]

My grandmothers brother was a B 25 pilot in New Guinea. He was shot down over Wide Bay and survived with 2 other crew members. All 3 men were found by local natives and told that they would be brought back to the allies but were turned over the the Japanese stationed in Rabaul. He spent 8 months in a POW camp but was later taken into the jungle, along with all the other officers in the camp, and beheaded. My grandmother found out what had happened from an Australian Catholic priest that survived the war as a POW and wrote my great grandmother a letter. The Japanese were heartless, soulless individuals whose only purpose was to enslave any non Japanese. Until the day she died my grandmother would refer to them as “Jap bastards”

[@djsi38t]

Really an interesting operation that I dont know much about.I am very interested in the pacific campaign and know quite a bit but this was new to me and it seems they really did a great job figuring this one out.Those parabombs look pretty scary,Imagine seeing those falling all around you.

[@ZenosWarbirds]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@clayz1]

My dad was a US Army medic and could have been in any of those shots of grunts. They worked with Australian troops. Dad had nothing but good to say about the Aussies. God bless them all.

[@randelldarky3920]

Kids these days have no idea how great We have it

[@manueljudin2501]

@@KateLicker gb

[@manueljudin2501]

@@KateLicker ''

[@manueljudin2501]

I

[@rodkeays8171]

You did what you did so young people would not have to know!

[@willthorson4543]

@@KateLicker those millennials have been fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq and all over the world since 2003. So slow it down. People know.

[@joestephan1111]

The Aussies (correctly pronounced "ozzie's") played a major part in world war two, Europe & Africa as well as the Pacific. That includes secret civilian radio operators in the island "hot zone". Many were caught & executed. Because there's so much focus on long range B-29 bombing of Japan, most don't know that B-17s & B-24s played a big part in the South Pacific.

[@greasyflight6609]

Aussies are the best friends you will ever have

[@joestephan1111]

@@greasyflight6609 I spent 25 years writing for Aussie car & motorcycle newspapers & magazines, which included a year living there. I could write a book on my experiences with Aussies both there and here in the U.S. They really are special people.

[@greasyflight6609]

@@joestephan1111 It takes one to know one

[@joestephan1111]

@@greasyflight6609 Sadly, over time and my retirement, I have lost track of the last ones I knew. Two key ones have passed away. But they can't take my memories for a million dollars.

[@brucestorey3400]

The start of a great and enduring friendship. Australia and USA stand together against tyranny. Now we seem to have another threat emerging.........

[@danielmocsny5066]

Yes, that threat would be the lie-fueled mob of loser Trump supporters storming the very seat of US democracy, the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

[@RolloTonéBrownTown]

@@danielmocsny5066 Correct

[@donsch6766]

@@danielmocsny5066 Well we at least know your opinion, although it is not necessarily accurate nor is it shared by half the country.

[@raydematio7585]

TRUMP makes these people crazy, he's doing a good job. They are so desperate they have to mention him on an old documentary. Good man.

[@magnacarta9364]

@@raydematio7585 Lol, living rent free in their heads.

[@hazchemel]

Amazing. Brilliant. Thank you.

[@black-hw7zg]

thanx for video didnt know A-20 havocs and B17s were involved in that campaign..

[@kilcar]

My nextdoor neighbor did the parachute jump on New Guinea. Later, he jumped on Corregidor in the Phollipines and helped liberate it.

[@motecmac972]

A good movie however, i missed the part where native assistance were acknowledged (1:56).

[@erichhartmann1]

Motec Mac This video was made in the 40's. Don't expect there to be much equality and everything the way people would like it.

[@Folma7]

I caught it at (2:39). They are acknowledged in part where supply by air is discussed.

[@IanBarker-r1l]

The Aussies/Kiwis and the US forged a great friendship fighting together in New Guinea.

[@Benilife444]

My Great Uncle was lost in a storm around Bougainvillea June 5 1944.. In his letters he said he would get back from a run with palm trees stuck in place on the ship. Love the beer run to Australia

[@alexbaum2204]

The Huon Peninsula remains a very remote area even today. Really extreme terrain. One of the highest levels of biodiversity on the planet. I watch the bombing runs and can’t help but think of the endemic wildlife getting incinerated. I wonder if any of the conflicts like this put species at risk back then.

[@ericgrace9995]

Good work. Thanks .

[@t0ny1189]

At 7:36 Is that someone who bailed out on the left going from the bottom to the top of the picture ?

[@brodybehr]

t0ny1189 i’m probably wrong but that might just be flak

[@lostinpa-dadenduro7555]

The B-25s with all the guns in the nose are awesome.

[@desweller6614]

In

[@terrya6806]

Have you got anything on the US airbase at Charleville Queensland?

[@MarsFKA]

A lot of war material is still lying around in that part of the world, some of it still lethal. I lived in Lae for a year in 1971-72 and heard on the News of some villagers on one of the New Britain islands, who found a bomb and decided to cut it open to get the explosive out for fishing. Four of them died when it exploded. In Lae, my gardener was digging around one day and found a 3-inch anti-aircraft shell. I still have the photo of me holding it, before remembering that it was the last thing I should be doing, lest it become the last thing I ever did. So I carefully put it down and called the Police, who called the Army, who carefully took it away.

[@danzervos7606]

Working at a car dealership, a used car came in with a 75 mm shell in the trunk (it weighed about 15 lbs), It had been fired as indicated by the grooves on brass rings on it but had very little damage. It had what looked like a fuse on the base, but no detonator on the nose. I was thinking that if I flushed out the fuse and whatever it led to, it would make a great table decoration. However I knew that sometimes these things used phosphate which probably reacts with water - so I let it be and eventually left the company. Don't know what ever happened to it.

[@danzervos7606]

I wonder how they got the bulldozers there by air transport. Disassembling and reassembling?

[@JRandallS]

By ship I'm sure, though I have read of small dozers transported by C47.

[@billwatkins8227]

The original bulldozers were as small as a jeep. Most of the equipment was jeep sized to be able to be put on a C47. My father in the 871st Engineering Battalion was a loadmaster, and I still have the pictures of the equipment and the loading process. They were pushed up a ramp on the side of the plane and then pivoted 90 degrees to the left, and pushed as far forward into the plane as possible. The larger equipment must have been brought by ship later on.The 871st was formed at Westover Field in Chicopee Mass. in 1942 and then, by way of Australia, sent to New Guinea.

[@jimigreen2050]

I'm sorry if I'm mistaken but I thought that the liberator was a B24

[@terryrussel3369]

Strawffing ? That made my uncle laugh. Radioman with the 8th USAAF, European theater. Forgot which group !

[@markcougan3173]

Could someone please tell me if the 2nd, 28th batallion took part in any of these campains ? I am retracing my grandfathers sevice in the 2nd 28th. A.I.F .

[@peterpayne9869]

They took part in taking of Lae ,most 2nd/28tg were veterans of tobruk ,El Alamein in Africa, like my own father who was with 2/16th formed in Western Australia, & were sent to the Atherton table land for ju gle training ,as with 2/28th served in the liberation of borneo later so they would of seen more fighting than anyone should ,Amazing men hope this helped.

[@arabianrebel61]

I’ve got my grandfather’s memoirs and reading his accounts of the dates mentioned in this video. Raymond Gates Radar Equipped B-24 top turret gunner/ engineer 43rd bomb group 63rd squadron Seahawks.

[@JoeInCT418]

Bless those C-47s (2:25). And "The Diggers." "Parafrags"; the original cluster bomb. A bunch of 23-pound hand grenades.

[@icewaterslim7260]

My dad was a gunner on A20s in the 89th Squadron, 3rd Attack Group, 5th Army Air Force . . . One of the first parafrag bomb groups attacking Japanese airfields & ammo dumps.

[@derrobbster]

There's an excellent book on this campaign called Race of Aces by John R Bruning if anyone is interested.

[@sonyascott6114]

My uncle was in papa new guinea and Luzon phillippines.He was 95 in 2004 when he passed over to meet our lord Jesus.

[@Cbabilon675]

You know I don't think it can be stated in enough how much the native population really helped to win this battle.

[@waterboy.6001]

I've been there in 2002 , we can still see the remain of WW2 air craft

[@uncletimo6059]

holy shit land skip bombing. 9:20 bombs bounce off ground as the low level bomber zips by and explode after hitting the ground 2nd time!

[@MrSnottt]

They took the fins off.

[@luckyja1]

So so proud of my pa he was a sergent in the 2/7th infantry battle for wau then on to salamaua, he says his greatest achievement was when he escorted general adachi in to allied hands

[@markhorrell9213]

My old man was there too. He got scrub typhus in Lae n got shipped to Cairns to recover n went back to finish the job

[@markhorrell9213]

I heard gen Adachi drowned trying to escape Lae.. according to Dad n some of his mates?

[@icarusairways6139]

5th AF 380 BG B-24 Gunner - 27 missions - my father.

[@frankcomando8440]

My uncle Lt.General Whitehead surmised that, if his forces were to be effective in the im¬plementation of Allied strategy, he would need more airfields so that there would be more room for the concentration of all the available Allied air strength in SWPA. Forward airfields on New Guinea were necessary because pilots from Australia, staging through Port Moresby for targets in Japanese-held territory, flew missions which took them from thirty-six to forty-eight hours away from their home base, so that crews had to fly as much as eighteen hours to drop a load of bombs. Adding to the problem, the Japanese usually met them over the target with swarms of fighters. Under the above-described adverse conditions, the efficiency of both planes and crew suffered. Such circumstances pointed to the necessity of obtaining air bases, not merely staging areas, on the north coast of Papau. Many of the same unfavorable conditions impelled the Japanese to seek an air base on the northeast coast of Papua. Thus when the Japanese landed at Buna on July 21, 1942, they proceeded immediately to build airstrips there.25 Whitehead devoted much of his time during his first months in Now Guinea to obtaining a substantial increase in engineer troops and equip¬ment for construction of the additional airdromes, operations. facilities, and housing. He pushed engineering construction rolls with unlimited energy, and he personally selected sites and visited them on a daily basis.26

[@野良犬撮影隊二大隊四]

nice video &job!

[@rael5469]

The A-10 has almost the bomb load of the B-17. The A-10 has shorter range but of course....with air to air refueling it can exceed the B-17 range. But the A-10 is more or less dependent on fighter escort in a real shooting war.

[@frankcomando8440]

these quotes are from "We Shall Return" MacArthur's Commanders, Lt. General Whitehead Aerial Tactician designed the air attacks. In any large war such as World War II, there are always a few brilliant and dedicated commanders who through dislike of publicity or oversight- deliberate or unintended-on the part of superiors fail to receive the plaudits of the public or the recognition merited by their performance. The Southwest Pacific theater seemed to have more than its share of such individuals, and foremost among them was Lieutenant General Ennis Clement Whitehead, U.S. Air Force serial number nine. Few air com¬manders accomplished as much with as little as did Whitehead. Yet his successes remain obscure and his name largely forgotten. He deserves a better fate.