View source for Landing at Saidor

{{Short description|Allied amphibious landing of World War II}}
{{good article}}
{{use Australian English|date=May 2017}}
{{use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Landing at Saidor
| partof            = [[World War II]], [[Pacific War]]
| image             = File:Troops of the 32d Division near Saidor.jpg
| alt               = Soldiers wearing helmets wade across a stream
| caption           = Troops of the 32nd Infantry Division near Saidor.
| date              = 2 January 1944&nbsp;– 10 February 1944
| place             = {{coord|05|37|30|S|146|28|21|E|name=Saidor}}, [[Papua New Guinea]]
| result            = Allied victory
| combatant1        = {{flag|United States|1912}}<br />{{flag|Australia}}
| combatant2        = {{flagcountry|Empire of Japan}}
| commander1        = {{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[Walter Krueger]]<br />{{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[Clarence A. Martin]]
| commander2        = {{flagicon|Empire of Japan}} [[Hatazō Adachi]]
| strength1         = 13,000
| strength2         = 6,000
| casualties1       = {{plainlist |
{{flagicon|United States|1912}} '''American:'''
*40 killed
*11 wounded
*16 missing
{{flagicon|Australia}} '''Australian:'''
*3 killed 
*5 wounded
}}
| casualties2       = {{plainlist |
{{flagicon|Empire of Japan}} '''Japanese:'''
*853 killed 
*66 captured
*1,793 found dead
}}
}}
{{Campaignbox Huon Peninsula}}
{{Campaignbox New Guinea}}

The '''landing at Saidor''', codenamed '''Operation Michaelmas''', was an Allied [[amphibious landing]] at [[Saidor]], [[Papua New Guinea]] on 2 January 1944 as part of [[Operation Dexterity]] during [[World War II]]. In Allied hands, Saidor was a stepping stone towards [[Madang]], the ultimate objective of General [[Douglas MacArthur]]'s [[Huon Peninsula campaign]]. The capture of the airstrip at Saidor also allowed construction of an airbase to assist Allied air forces to conduct operations against Japanese bases at [[Wewak]] and [[Jayapura|Hollandia]]. But MacArthur's immediate objective was to cut off the 6,000 [[Imperial Japanese]] troops retreating from [[Sio, Papua New Guinea|Sio]] in the face of the [[Battle of Sio|Australian advance]] from [[Finschhafen]].

Following the landing at Saidor, the Japanese elected to retreat rather than fight, and withdrew over the foothills of the rugged [[Finisterre Range]]. For the Japanese soldiers involved, the march was a nightmare, as they struggled through the jungles, across the swollen rivers, and over cliffs and mountains. Men succumbed to fatigue, disease, starvation, drowning, and even exposure, the nights in the Finisterres being bitterly cold. Hampered by the rugged terrain, inclement weather, signal failures, misunderstandings, over-caution, and above all the resolute and resourceful Japanese, US troops were unable to prevent large numbers of the retreating Japanese from slipping past them.

After considerable construction effort in the face of wet weather, the airbase was completed and proved useful. Whereas the base at [[Lae Nadzab Airport|Nadzab]] was surrounded by mountains and was therefore unsuited for missions that had to take off after dark, there was no such problem at Saidor. During March 1944, [[B-24 Liberator]] bombers staged through Saidor for night attacks on Hollandia.

==Background==
Fighting in the [[South West Pacific Area]] in late 1943 and early 1944 was dominated by [[General (United States)|General]] [[Douglas MacArthur]]'s [[Operation Cartwheel]], a series of operations directed at isolating and neutralising [[Rabaul]], the main base of the [[Imperial Japanese]] forces in the South West Pacific Area. MacArthur's original Elkton III plan called for Australian troops to capture first [[Lae]], then [[Finschhafen]], and finally [[Madang]] with a combination of airborne and amphibious assaults. However, it was a long way from Finschhafen to Madang—{{cvt|178|mi|km|sp=us}}. Thinking in terms of a shore-to-shore operation, which would be limited in radius of action to the distance that [[landing craft]] could sail in one night, the Commander of Allied Land Forces, [[General (Australia)|General]] Sir [[Thomas Blamey]] recommended in August 1943 that an intermediate objective be seized first. Saidor was chosen as it had accessible beaches, a harbour, and a pre-war airstrip, and it was allocated the codename "Michaelmas" by MacArthur's General Headquarters (GHQ). It was recognised that the capture of Saidor might make that of Madang unnecessary, as both could cover the [[Dampier Strait (Papua New Guinea)|Dampier]] and [[Vitiaz Strait]]s, and both would provide airbases close to the Japanese base at [[Wewak]]. For the time being though, both were considered objectives.<ref>Miller, ''Cartwheel: The Reduction of Rabaul'', pp. 214–215</ref>

The [[Battle of Finschhafen]] prevented the early occupation of Saidor. The Japanese wrested back the initiative and threatened to derail MacArthur's strategy, but ultimately failed to dislodge the [[9th Division (Australia)|Australian 9th Division]] or prevent the occupation of the Finschhafen area. With the battle won, the 9th Division initiated a pursuit of [[Lieutenant General]] [[Hatazō Adachi]]'s retreating [[Japanese Eighteenth Army]] on 5 December 1943.<ref>Dexter, ''The New Guinea Offensives'', p. 714</ref> Adachi was in a difficult and precarious position, attempting to conduct a fighting withdrawal with his inland right flank vulnerable to attack from the [[7th Division (Australia)|Australian 7th Division]] in the Ramu Valley and his seaward left flank open to amphibious assault.<ref>Miller, ''Cartwheel: The Reduction of Rabaul'', p. 295</ref> That he had an opportunity to destroy Adachi's army was not lost on MacArthur, who decided on 10 December that Saidor should be seized on or about 7 January, provided that [[Battle of Cape Gloucester|Operation Backhander]], the landing at [[Cape Gloucester (Papua New Guinea)|Cape Gloucester]], was proceeding satisfactorily.<ref>GHQ G-3 Journal, 10 December 1943, NACP: RG407 Box 610</ref> On 17 December, [[Lieutenant General (United States)|Lieutenant General]] [[Walter Krueger]], the commander of [[Sixth United States Army|Alamo Force]], received orders setting a target date for Saidor of 2 January 1944.<ref>Casey, ''Amphibian Engineer Operations'', p. 201</ref>

==Preparation==
Krueger selected the [[32nd Infantry Division (United States)|32nd Infantry Division]] for the Saidor operation as it was at [[Goodenough Island]] but no longer required for the [[New Britain campaign]]. The assistant division commander, [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]] [[Clarence A. Martin]], was appointed commander of Michaelmas Task Force, which was built around the [[126th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|126th Infantry Regimental Combat Team]].<ref name="Miller_p296">Miller, ''Cartwheel: The Reduction of Rabaul'', p. 296</ref> The 126th Infantry Regiment had been rebuilt after the [[Battle of Buna–Gona]] and had received six weeks' amphibious training in Australia and a further three weeks' training at [[Milne Bay]]. Units assigned to the task force were at Goodenough Island, Milne Bay, [[Oro Bay]], Lae, Finschhafen, [[Port Moresby]], [[Kiriwina]], [[Arawe]], and [[Cape Cretin]], and in [[Australia]].<ref name="Miller_p296" />

[[File:Principal operations 1943.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5|Principal Operations in the South West Pacific, January 1943 – January 1944.]]
The mission of Michaelmas Task Force was to (1) seize the Saidor area; (2) establish facilities for a fighter group; (3) assist in the establishment of air forces in the area; (4) assist in the establishment of light naval forces in the area; and (5) construct minimal port and base facilities. Notably, it did not contain any explicit instruction to fight the Japanese.<ref>''Report of Michaelmas Operation'', pp. 1–2</ref> [[Lieutenant General (Australia)|Lieutenant General]] [[Frank Berryman]]'s [[II Corps (Australia)|Australian II Corps]] would cooperate by exploitation along the coast, while the Australian 7th Division would contain Japanese forces in the [[Bogadjim]] area by fighting patrols.<ref>''New Guinea Force Operational Instruction No. 108'', 27 December 1943, GHQ G-3 Journal, 27 December 1943, NACP: RG407 Box 612</ref>

Maps were supplied by the [[Royal Australian Survey Corps|Australian Survey Corps]].<ref name="Michaelmas Operation p. 1">''Report of Michaelmas Operation'', p. 1</ref> There was insufficient time and opportunity for ground reconnaissance, so three beaches, codenamed Red, White, and Blue, on the west shore of Dekays Bay were chosen from aerial photographs.<ref name="Miller, pp. 297">Miller, ''Cartwheel: The Reduction of Rabaul'', pp. 297–298</ref> They proved to be "narrow, rocky and exposed to heavy seas".<ref>Morison, ''Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier'', p. 389</ref> The intelligence staff at GHQ in [[Brisbane]] believed that there were no more than 4,500 Japanese forward of [[Sio, Papua New Guinea|Sio]], and only 1,500 more between there and the Madang area. They estimated that if the Japanese decided to counter-attack at Saidor, they would take a week to bring up 3,000 men.<ref>GHQ G-3 Journal, 21 December 1943, NACP: RG407 Box 610</ref> Accordingly, Martin elected to dispense with a preliminary aerial bombardment. Removing this requirement permitted a dawn landing.<ref name="Miller, pp. 297"/>

The assault troops with their supplies and equipment had to be loaded on board the ships on 31 December 1943, just five days after the assault on Cape Gloucester.<ref>Barbey, ''MacArthur's Amphibious Navy'', pp. 126–127</ref> [[Rear admiral (United States)|Rear Admiral]] [[Daniel E. Barbey]]'s VII Amphibious Force allotted 6 [[Landing Ship, Tank|Landing Ships, Tank]] (LSTs), 10 [[High speed transport]]s (APDs) and 17 [[Landing Craft Infantry]] (LCIs).<ref>''Report of Michaelmas Operation'', p. 5</ref> A last minute hitch developed on 30 December when it was discovered that only nine APDs would be available. New embarkation tables were drawn up, shifting personnel not required in the assault waves to LCIs, and the landing schedule was revised in the light of the reduced number of landing craft.<ref>''Report of Michaelmas Operation'', p. 7</ref>

The difficulty of simultaneously supplying operations at Saidor, [[Battle of Arawe|Arawe]], [[landing on Long Island|Long Island]], and Cape Gloucester was sufficiently daunting for Krueger to request a postponement of the Saidor operation;<ref>Holzimmer, ''General Walter Krueger'', pp. 122–123</ref> but the commander of the Allied Naval Forces and the [[United States Seventh Fleet]], [[Vice admiral (United States)|Vice Admiral]] [[Thomas C. Kinkaid]] assured MacArthur that enough supplies would be delivered, and MacArthur overruled Krueger.<ref>Miller, ''Cartwheel: The Reduction of Rabaul'', p. 299</ref> "I am most anxious that if humanly possible this operation take place as scheduled," MacArthur informed him, "Its capture will have a vital strategic effect which will be lost if materially postponed."<ref>James, ''The Years of MacArthur'', Vol II, p. 346</ref>

==Operations==
{{further|Landing at Saidor order of battle}}

===Landing===
[[File:RAdm Barbey with Generals Martin and Hopkins off Saidor in January 1944.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Rear Admiral [[Daniel E. Barbey]], Brigadier General [[Clarence A. Martin]], and Brigadier [[Ronald Hopkins]] observe the landing at Saidor.]]
The ships and landing craft were escorted by the [[destroyers]] {{USS|Beale|DD-471|6}}, {{USS|Mahan|DD-364|2}}, {{USS|Drayton|DD-366|2}},
{{USS|Lamson|DD-367|2}}, {{USS|Flusser|DD-368|2}}, {{USS|Reid|DD-369|2}}, {{USS|Smith|DD-378|2}} and {{USS|Hutchins|DD-476|2}}.<ref>Morison, ''Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier'', p. 390</ref> The force arrived at Dekays Bay before dawn on 2 January 1944 to find the shore obscured by low hanging clouds and drizzling rain. Admiral Barbey postponed [[H-Hour]] from 06:50 to 07:05 to provide more light for the naval bombardment, and then to 07:25 to allow the landing craft more time to form up. The destroyers fired 1,725 5-inch rounds, while rocket-equipped LCIs fired 624 4.5-inch rockets. There was no concurrent aerial bombardment, but [[Fifth Air Force]] [[B-24 Liberator]]s, [[B-25 Mitchell]]s and [[A-20 Havoc]]s bombed Saidor airstrip later that morning.<ref>Miller, ''Cartwheel: The Reduction of Rabaul'', p. 300</ref>

The first wave reached the shore at about 07:30. The first four waves of [[LCVP (United States)|Landing Craft, Personnel (Ramped)]] (LCP(R)) from the APDs—arrived over the next 15 minutes. Each of the six LSTs in the assault towed a [[Landing Craft Mechanized]] (LCM) of the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade; two carried bulldozers, two carried rocket equipped [[DUKW]]s, and two carried spare [[diesel fuel]]. The LCMs beached shortly before 08:30 and the LSTs soon after. The Shore Battalion, 542nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment laid Australian Reinforcing Company (ARC) [[Chain-link fencing|mesh]] to provide a roadway across the beach for vehicles.<ref>Casey, ''Amphibian Engineer Operations'', pp. 205–206</ref>

All six LSTs were unloaded by 11:45.<ref>Casey, ''Amphibian Engineer Operations'', p. 209</ref> There was little opposition. Eleven Japanese soldiers were killed by the naval bombardment or assault troops. Perhaps as many as 150 transient Japanese troops were in the Saidor area, all of whom fled into the interior. American casualties on the day of the landing came to one soldier killed and five wounded, and two sailors drowned.<ref name="Miller_p302"/> Nine Japanese [[Nakajima Ki-49]] (Helen) aircraft, escorted by up to twenty [[A6M Zero]] (Zeke) and [[Kawasaki Ki-61]] (Tony) fighters bombed the beach area at 1630. There were three more air raids during the night,<ref name="Cate, p. 348">Craven and Cate, ''Guadalcanal to Saipan'', p. 348</ref> and 49 over the course of the month, but most were small.<ref>''Report of Michaelmas Operation'', p. 16</ref>

MacArthur announced the landing in his communiqué the next day:
{{quote|We have seized Saidor on the north coast of New Guinea. In a combined operation of ground, sea and air forces, elements of the Sixth Army landed at three beaches under cover of heavy air and naval bombardment. The enemy was surprised both strategically and tactically and the landings were accomplished without loss. The harbour and airfields are in our firm grasp. Enemy forces on the north coast between Sixth Army and the advancing Australians are trapped with no source of supply and face disintegration and destruction.<ref>GHQ SWPA Communiqué No. 633, 3 January 1944.</ref>}}

===Japanese response===
[[File:Saidor operation.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Saidor Operation, January 1944.]]
Since October 1943, the Japanese strategy had been to conduct a fighting withdrawal in the face of MacArthur's advance that would "trade position, to the end that the enemy offensive will be crushed as far forward as possible under the accumulation of losses".<ref>Morton, ''Strategy and Command: The First Two Years'', p. 552</ref> At [[General]] [[Hitoshi Imamura]]'s [[Japanese Eighth Area Army]] headquarters at Rabaul, the staff debated whether the [[20th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)|20th]] and [[51st Division (Imperial Japanese Army)|51st]] Divisions should attack Saidor or slip past it and join up with the rest of the Eighteenth Army at Wewak.<ref name="Miller">Miller, ''Cartwheel: The Reduction of Rabaul'', p. 303</ref> In view of the poor condition of the 20th and 51st Divisions, Imamura relieved the Eighteenth Army of responsibility for the Sio area and ordered Adachi to withdraw to Madang.<ref name="ROGM">''Reports of General MacArthur'', Volume II, Part I, pp. 240–241</ref>

Adachi had flown from Madang to the 51st Division's headquarters at Kiari in late December, and he received word of the landing at Saidor shortly before heading overland to the 20th Division's headquarters at Sio, where he received Imamura's orders. He placed Lieutenant General [[Hidemitsu Nakano]] of the 51st Division in overall command of the forces east of Saidor and ordered the 41st Division to move from Wewak to Madang to defend that area. He then departed for Madang by submarine. To harass Saidor, he withdrew eight companies from [[Major General]] Masutaro Nakai's force facing [[Major General (Australia)|Major General]] [[George Alan Vasey|Alan Vasey]]'s Australian 7th Division in the Finisterres.<ref name="Miller" /> The Nakai force deployed along the Mot River around Gambumi. It succeeded in repelling American attempts to cross the river until 21 February, when it withdrew, its mission complete. However, weakening the Finisterres front provoked an Australian attack, resulting in the loss of the entire Kankirei position.<ref name="ROGM" />

Nakano organised the withdrawal of his force. He chose two routes, one following the coast and the other running along the ridge lines of the foothills of the Finisterres. Initially, the 20th Division was to take the coastal route while the 51st and some naval units took the inland one, but this was changed at the last minute and both divisions took the inland route.<ref name="ROGM" /> Additional rations and supplies were to be delivered by submarine. However, the 51st Division elected to move out rather than wait for the submarines and risk exhausting its rations through waiting. The 51st Division had experience crossing the mountains before, and Nakano was confident of its ability to negotiate them. In the event, one submarine was discovered by Allied aircraft and failed to reach its objective, while a second was discovered and sunk. A third got through but it was a small type that was only able to carry five tons of supplies, which were distributed among units of the 20th Division.<ref name="Yoshihara">{{citation |last=Yoshihara |first=Kane |url=http://ajrp.awm.gov.au/ajrp/ajrp2.nsf/Web-Pages/SouthernCross?OpenDocument |title=Southern Cross |access-date=16 September 2010 |publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref>

The difficulty of the march had been underestimated, and sick and wounded men had to make their way through trackless regions. Lieutenant General Kane Yoshihara, the Chief of Staff of the Eighteenth Army, recalled the march:
{{quote|The most wearing part was that with these ranges, when they climbed to the craggy summit they had to descend and then climb again, and the mountains seemed to continue indefinitely, until they were at the extreme of exhaustion. Especially when they trod the frost of Nokobo Peak they were overwhelmed by cold and hunger. At times they had to make ropes out of vines and rattan and adopt "rock-climbing" methods; or they crawled and slipped on the steep slopes; or on the waterless mountain roads they cut moss in their potatoes and steamed them. In this manner, for three months, looking down at the enemy beneath their feet, they continued their move. Another thing which made the journey difficult was the valley streams, which were not usually very dangerous. At times, however, there was a violent squall, for which the Finisterres are famous during the rainy season; then these valley streams for the time being flowed swiftly and became cataracts. Then there were many people drowned&nbsp;... Lieutenant General [[Ryoichi Shoge]] was swept away by one of these streams on one occasion but fortunately managed to grasp the branch of a tree which was near the bank and was able to save one of his nine lives.<ref name="Yoshihara" />}}

The first troops reached Madang on 8 February, and the whole movement was complete by 23 February.<ref name="ROGM" /> Eighteenth Army anticipated that units reaching Madang, would probably have lost much of their equipment, as was indeed the case, so stores were gathered together from distant Wewak and Hansa, and collected together near Madang. In addition emergency articles such as some food, shoes and clothing were collected near the mouth of the Minderi River, supplied by the Nakai Detachment.<ref name="Yoshihara" />

===Junction with the Australians===
[[File:Saidor AWM016561.jpg|thumb|left|Australian and American troops meet near Saidor on 15 February 1944.]]
American patrols which attempted to reach the track in the Sindaman area encountered aggressive Japanese patrols.<ref>''Report of Michaelmas Operation'', pp. 12–16</ref> An observation post in the mountains at Mambit counted 965 Japanese troops passing through Yagoyoga between 6 and 10 February and 2,613 between 11 and 23 February. Perhaps another 1,000 passed through before 6 February. From prisoners of war, the Michaelmas Task Force built up a fairly complete and accurate picture of the identity and strength of the opposing Japanese forces.<ref>''Report of Michaelmas Operation'', p. 15</ref> On 12 January, Martin received intelligence from Alamo Force to the effect that the Japanese were concentrating around Sio, and would attempt to force their way through to Madang. In response to a request from Martin for reinforcements, the 1st and 3rd Battalion Combat Teams of the [[128th Infantry Regiment (United States)|128th Infantry Regiment]] were sent to reinforce Saidor, arriving on 16 January.<ref>''Report of Michaelmas Operation'', p. 12</ref> Martin came to believe that an advance to the east and an attack on the withdrawing enemy would "provide an opportunity to destroy the Japanese before they could organise an attack on the Saidor position".<ref name="p13">''Report of Michaelmas Operation'', p. 13</ref>

Krueger did not immediately give Martin permission for such an operation. There was still the possibility of Japanese attack, and the 32nd Infantry Division was required for the upcoming [[Hansa Bay]] operation. On 20 January, a visiting staff officer from Alamo Force was asked to raise the possibility with Krueger. However, on 21 January Martin received a letter stating that the mission of the Michaelmas Task Force remained unchanged and a [[radiogram (message)|radiogram]] was received on 22 January to the effect that this was not consistent with Krueger's wishes.<ref name="p13" /> On 8 February, Martin received a garbled radiogram from Krueger that indicated that the earlier restrictive message of 22 January had itself been garbled, and on 9 February a radiogram was received authorising offensive action. Plans were immediately made but on 10 February contact was made with elements of the [[5th Division (Australia)|Australian 5th Division]], which had relieved the 9th Division on 20 January. This closed the gap on the east flank.<ref>''Report of Michaelmas Operation'', p. 14</ref>

The Australian official historian David Dexter concluded that:
{{quote|The threat of enemy counter-attacks which had been further magnified by native reports, had already delayed the transition from the defensive to the offensive and the torrential rains, which rendered all tracks and rivers impassable caused great difficulty with the movement of troops and supplies to outlying sectors. Japanese units, brought from Madang, blocked access to the main escape routes, and although the task force pushed its attacks and patrolled vigorously, efforts to prevent the escape of the Japs retiring before the Australians were not completely successful.<ref>Dexter, ''The New Guinea Offensives'', p. 732</ref>}}

There were daily clashes between American and Japanese patrols. The most significant occurred on 28 January. A patrol from the 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry Regiment led by [[First Lieutenant]]s George J. Hess and James E. Barnett, with 48 enlisted men, set out to reconnoitre the area around Cape Iris. The patrol initially moved parallel to the coast, but near the village of Teterei it changed direction and headed towards the beach. On reaching it, the patrol was attacked by the Japanese. It attempted to withdraw along the beach, but found it blocked and was forced to return to the beach near Teterei. The patrol then divided into three groups, which attempted to make their way back through the jungle. The groups under Barnett and [[Sergeant]] Aaron Meyers made it to the American lines. The one under Hess reached the Mot River, but were unable to cross due to the swift current. Meyers informed the battalion commander, [[Lieutenant Colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] Gordon M. Clarkson, of the situation, and they quickly assembled a party to go to Hess's aid. They reached the river as Hess was attempting to swim across with a rope, but was being swept downstream, and formed a human chain to grab him. At that point, a Japanese machine gun opened fire on the rescue party, killing [[Staff Sergeant]] Victor L. Olson and fatally wounding Clarkson. Sergeant Thomas Reed managed to drag Clarkson away, but he died soon after. The rescue party was forced to withdraw. Eight of the 14 men in Hess's group, including Hess, were able to reach American lines during the night. Eight Americans were killed, including Clarkson, nine were wounded and six were missing, none of whom was seen alive again; 43 Japanese were reported killed. For this action, four men were awarded the [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]], including Hess and, posthumously, Clarkson, and ten received the [[Silver Star]].<ref>Blakeley, ''The 32d Infantry Division in World War II'', pp. 141–146</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.32nd-division.org/history/ww2/32ww2-6.html |title=Saidor – The 32d 'Red Arrow' Infantry Division in WWII |publisher=32d "Red Arrow" Veteran Association |access-date=6 December 2015}}</ref>

==Base development==
[[File:Aerial view of shoreline of Saidor.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Aerial view of shoreline of Saidor, New Guinea, showing LSTs unloading equipment on 2 January 1944.]]
With a large construction programme, engineers made up 29.3% of Michaelmas Task Force. An Engineer Section headquarters was organised on 24 December 1943, only nine days before landing, consisting of five officers and five enlisted men. Later a [[jeep]] and a driver were borrowed from the 114th Engineer Battalion to provide transportation. The officers did not know each other and therefore were unaware of each other's capabilities. As it turned out, none of them had experience with amphibious operations, and only one had experience in airbase construction, although this was to be their most important task.<ref>Casey, ''Organizations, Troops and Training'', pp. 123–125</ref>

Saidor had an existing grass civilian airstrip. Before they had abandoned it in 1942, Australian troops had sabotaged the airstrip by digging trenches across the runway. These were quickly filled in, and the overgrown Kunai grass was flattened by driving [[GMC CCKW|2½-ton trucks]] over it. By the afternoon of 4 January, {{cvt|1800|ft|m|sp=us}} of runway was ready for use.<ref name="Casey, pp. 196-197">Casey, ''Airfield and Base Development'', pp. 196–197</ref> A [[Piper J-3|Piper Cub]] took off from it the next day.<ref>Task Force Engineer Report – Michaelmas Task Force. United States Army Corps of Engineers Series X Box 58.</ref> The [[863rd Engineer Aviation Battalion]] arrived on 9 January and improved the strip, permitting twelve [[C-47 Skytrain]]s loaded with ammunition to land on 11 January.<ref name="Cate, p. 348"/><ref name="Casey, pp. 196-197"/> Alamo Force wanted an all-weather runway {{cvt|6000|ft|m|sp=us}} by {{cvt|100|ft|m|sp=us}}, preferably where a second, parallel runway could be constructed if need be. Construction of the second runway was requested by the Fifth Air Force on 24 January. The 8th Engineer Squadron survey detachment laid out a new runway oriented about 10° from the existing airstrip.<ref name="Casey 199 200">Casey, ''Airfield and Base Development'', pp. 199–200</ref>

The Michaelmas Task Force engineers had the entire site stripped, leaving the [[subgrade]] exposed. This was a serious error, as from 10 to 31 January there were only three days during which it did not rain, and {{cvt|25|in|mm|sp=us}} of rain fell over the period—quite normal for the time of year. As a result, construction was delayed. Gravel was taken from the Nankina River which was laid up to {{cvt|0.7|ft|cm|-1|sp=us}} deep and topped with crushed aggregate. The rains, and frequent rolling, gave a good water-bound surface. Part was sealed with [[bitumen]] but delays caused by the weather prevented it all being sealed before being overlaid with [[Marston mats]]. The runway was declared ready for emergency landings on 4 February but the surface deteriorated under use. The runway was finally completed on 6 March. Construction of the taxiways and dispersal areas continued through April, with the airbase being complete and in operation on 7 May.<ref name="Casey 199 200"/>

[[File:Piper Cub Saidor.jpg|thumb|left|A Piper Cub observation plane arrives]]
On 5 March, the engineers began construction of the bulk petroleum installation. Storage was provided for {{bbl to t|20000|lk=on}} of [[avgas]] in one {{bbl to t|10000|adj=on}} tank and five {{bbl to t|2000|adj=on}} tanks. A fuel jetty was constructed, allowing tankers to discharge into a pipeline which ran over a catwalk to the storage tanks. Work was completed on 8 April.<ref name="Caseyp201">Casey, ''Airfield and Base Development'', p. 201</ref> Considerable effort had to be expended on road construction. The 808th Engineer Aviation Battalion had to be assigned to road work, the task being beyond the resources of the Shore Battalion.<ref>Casey, ''Amphibian Engineer Operations'', pp. 210–211</ref> Gravel was laid up to {{cvt|2|ft|cm|-1|sp=us}} thick. By late January, the weather and damage to the roads by heavy military traffic forced the engineers to impose a ban on morning road use. By midday the sun had dried out the roads and traffic could resume.<ref name="Caseyp201" />

Initially, the Nankina River could be forded but the heavy seasonal rains turned it into a fast-flowing torrent. A portable bridge was flown in from Milne Bay and erected in a day but it took two weeks to construct the approaches. In the meantime the troops on the other side had to be supplied by water.<ref name="Caseyp201" /> To open up the most suitable area for camp sites, another bridge had to be erected over the Nakina. This was a permanent bridge with concrete abutments. A rise in the river level of {{cvt|8|ft|m|sp=us}} complicated work, but the {{cvt|112|ft|m|adj=on}} bridge opened to traffic on 17 February.<ref>Casey, ''Airfield and Base Development'', p. 202</ref>

Local labour was supplied by an [[Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit]] (ANGAU) detachment, initially consisting of eight Australian Army officers and eleven native police.<ref name="powell">Powell, ''The Third Force'', pp. 70–71</ref> A week after the landing, 199 native labourers were brought in from Lae.<ref>''Report of Michaelmas Operation'', p. 23</ref> Initially, the ANGAU detachment found it difficult to lure the frightened local people in from the bush, but as the word spread that there was food and safety to be had within the American perimeter, large numbers began to walk in. ANGAU established a native settlement in the Biding River area. By 13 February, 680 native labourers were at work. They constructed camps for the Americans, carried supplies to units in the mountains and brought back the wounded, and worked in the hospital. ANGAU also carried out patrols, providing intelligence on the Japanese positions.<ref name="powell" />

[[File:EngineersnearSaidor.jpg|thumb|right|Engineers attempt to keep a road passable]]
The amphibian engineers had brought six LCMs on the first day. These were joined by another six towed by the six LSTs that arrived on the second day. Within days the rocky beaches and reefs had caused nine to be damaged so badly that they had to be sent back to Cape Cretin for repairs. Later in January, the rest of B Company, 542nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment was sent to Saidor.<ref>Casey, ''Amphibian Engineer Operations'', p. 211</ref> A {{cvt|100|ft|m|adj=on}} lighter wharf was begun on 19 January and completed on 5 March. The unseasoned local timber used in its construction soon took a battering from heavily loaded barges bumping into them in high seas and had to be replaced with steel piles. A {{cvt|330|ft|m|adj=on}} [[liberty ship]] wharf was completed on 6 May. Other construction activities included jetties for servicing [[PT boat]]s, landings for LSTs, the 250-bed 23rd Field Hospital opened on 11 May, a quartermaster dump, and a staging area for 9,000.<ref>Casey, ''Airfield and Base Development'', p. 204</ref>

==Air operations==
Saidor was soon in use by the Fifth Air Force. Its base at Nadzab was surrounded by mountains and was therefore unsuited for missions that had to take off after dark, but there was no such problem at Saidor. During March, B-24 Liberator bombers staged through Saidor for night attacks on [[Jayapura|Hollandia]].<ref>Craven and Cate, ''The Pacific: Guadalcanal to Saipan'', pp. 591, 596</ref> A raid on Hollandia on 16 April 1944 encountered a weather front that closed Nadzab and the other fields in the Markham Valley. More than 30 aircraft made their way to Saidor. An [[F-5 Lightning]] and a B-25 Mitchell collided on the runway, and two aircraft cracked up on landing, but the other aircraft that made it to Saidor eventually returned to their bases.<ref>Craven and Cate, ''The Pacific: Guadalcanal to Saipan'', pp. 596–597</ref>

==Conclusion==
Krueger reported that "Michaelmas Task Force tried hard to block these escape routes. But the torrential rain, the ruggedness of the country with its impenetrable rain forests and jungles and impassable rivers, and the resistance of enemy troops pushed forward from Madang to guard the trails leading eastward, made this effort fall short of success".<ref>Krueger, ''From Down Under to Nippon'', p. 38</ref> Australian commanders were critical. In a letter to Blamey, Berryman, who had visited Krueger in an attempt to ensure that the Japanese would not escape, wrote that "about 8,000 semi-starved, ill-equipped and dispirited Japanese bypassed Saidor. It was disappointing that the fruits of victory were not fully reaped, and that once again the remnants of the 51st Division escaped our clutches."<ref>Dexter, ''The New Guinea Offensives'', p. 771. The 51st Division had previously escaped after the [[Battle of Wau]] and [[Battle of Lae]].</ref> Lieutenant General Sir [[Leslie Morshead]] of [[New Guinea Force]] reported to Blamey that Michaelmas Task Force appeared not to have made "any appreciable effort" to cut off the retreating Japanese.<ref>Dexter, ''The New Guinea Offensives'', p. 764</ref> Sadly for the men of the 32nd Infantry Division, many of these Japanese would later have to be fought again under less advantageous circumstances in the [[Battle of Driniumor River]].<ref>Drea, ''Defending the Drinimor'', pp. 14–18</ref> Krueger officially terminated [[Operation Dexterity]], of which Michaelmas was a part, on 10 February 1944.<ref name="Michaelmas Operation p. 1"/> All that remained now was the final act of the [[Huon Peninsula campaign]]: the [[Battle of Madang|capture of Madang]].<ref>Dexter, ''The New Guinea Offensives'', p. 787</ref>

==Casualties==
In the Australian 5th Division's advance from Sio to Saidor between 20 January and the end of February, 734 Japanese were killed, 1,793 found dead, and 48 Japanese prisoners were taken. Australian and Papuan casualties came to 3 killed and 5 wounded.<ref name="Dexter_p770">Dexter, ''The New Guinea Offensives'', p. 770</ref> The US 32nd Infantry Division at Saidor killed 119 Japanese and captured 18,<ref name="Krueger_p381">Krueger, ''From Down Under to Nippon'', p. 381</ref> while losing 40 killed, 11 wounded, 16 missing.<ref name="Miller_p302">Miller, ''Cartwheel: The Reduction of Rabaul'', p. 302</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|30em}}
*{{cite book |last=Barbey |first=Daniel E. |author-link=Daniel E. Barbey |year=1969 |title=MacArthur's Amphibious Navy: Seventh Amphibious Force Operations, 1943–1945 |publisher=United States Naval Institute |location=Annapolis |oclc=654249892 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |last=Blakeley |first=Harold Whittle |year=1957 |title=The 32d Infantry Division in World War II |location=Madison, Wisconsin |publisher=Thirty Second Infantry Division History Commission |oclc=3465460 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |editor-last=Casey |editor-first=Hugh J. |editor-link=Hugh John Casey |volume=II |title=Organizations, Troops and Training |year=1949 |series=Engineers of the Southwest Pacific |place=Washington, D.C. |publisher=United States Government Printing Office |oclc=252371831 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |editor-last=Casey |editor-first=Hugh J. |editor-link=Hugh John Casey |volume=IV |title=Amphibian Engineer Operations |year=1959 |series=Engineers of the Southwest Pacific |place=Washington, D.C. |publisher=United States Government Printing Office |oclc=16114793 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |editor-last=Casey |editor-first=Hugh J. |editor-link=Hugh John Casey |volume=VI |title=Airfield and Base Development |year=1951 |series=Engineers of the Southwest Pacific |place=Washington, D.C. |publisher=United States Government Printing Office |oclc=220327037 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |last=Coates |first=John |author-link=John Coates (general) |year=1999 |title=Bravery Above Blunder: The 9th Australian Division at Finschhafen, Sattelberg and Sio |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=South Melbourne, Victoria |isbn=0-19-550837-8 |oclc=43736921 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |editor-last=Craven |editor-first=Wesley Frank |editor2-last=Cate |editor2-first=James Lea |year=1950 |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/IV/index.html |volume=IV |title=The Pacific: Guadalcanal to Saipan, August 1942 to July 1944 |series=The Army Air Forces in World War II |publisher=University of Chicago Press |access-date=20 October 2006 |oclc=5732980 |ref=none }}
*{{cite web |last=Drea |first=Edward J. |author-link=Edward J. Drea |year=1984 |url=http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/download/csipubs/drea.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101107124527/http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/download/csipubs/drea.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 November 2010 |title=Defending the Driniumor: Covering Force Operations in New Guinea, 1944 |series=Leavenworth papers |publisher=Combat Studies Institute |access-date=16 May 2017 |oclc=1222108721 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book |last=Dexter |first=David |author-link=David Dexter |year=1961 |url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070205/ |title=The New Guinea Offensives |series=Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 1 – Army. Volume VI |publisher=Australian War Memorial |location=Canberra |oclc=2028994 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book |last=Hirrel |first=Leo |year=1993 |url=http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/bismarck/bismarck.htm |title=Bismarck Archipelago 15 December 1943&nbsp;– 27 November 1944 |series=US Army Campaigns of World War II |publisher=United States Army Center of Military History |isbn=978-0-16-042089-4 |id=CMH Pub 72-24 |oclc=31317889 |ref=none |access-date=1 July 2010 |archive-date=16 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216064959/http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/bismarck/bismarck.htm |url-status=dead }}
*{{cite book |last=Holzimmer |first=Kevin C. |title=General Walter Krueger: Unsung Hero of the Pacific War |publisher=University Press of Kansas |year=2007 |location=Lawrence, Kansas |isbn=978-0-7006-1500-1 |oclc=260122433 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |last=Krueger |first=Walter |author-link=Walter Krueger |title=From Down Under to Nippon: The Story of the Sixth Army In World War II |publisher=Zenger Pub |year=1953 |location=Lawrence, Kansas |isbn=0-89839-125-3 |oclc=20253865 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |last=Miller |first=John Jr. |year=1959 |url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/005/5-5/CMH_Pub_5-5.pdf |access-date=22 November 2015 |title=Cartwheel: The Reduction of Rabaul |series=United States Army in World War II: The War in the Pacific |publisher=Office of the Chief of Military History, U.S. Department of the Army |oclc=1355535 |ref=none |archive-date=27 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927083854/http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/005/5-5/CMH_Pub_5-5.pdf |url-status=dead }}
*{{cite book |last=Morison |first=Samuel Eliot |author-link=Samuel Eliot Morison |year=1958 |title=Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier |publisher=Little, Brown and Company |series=History of United States Naval Operations in World War II |location=Boston |isbn=0-7858-1307-1 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780785813071 |oclc=47055285 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book |last=Morton |first=Louis |title=Strategy and Command: The First Two Years |series=United States Army in World War II: The War in the Pacific |location=Washington, DC |publisher=Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army |year=1962 |oclc=670082999 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |last=Powell |first=Alan |year=2003 |title=The Third Force: ANGAU's New Guinea War |publisher=Oxford University Press |series=Australian Army History Series |location=South Melbourne, Victoria |isbn=0-19-551639-7 |oclc=53173145 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |last=Willoughby |first=Charles A. |author-link=Charles A. Willoughby |url=http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/MacArthur%20Reports/MacArthur%20V1/index.htm |title=The Campaigns of MacArthur in the Pacific |volume=I |series=Reports of General MacArthur |publisher=United States Army Center of Military History |location=Washington, DC |orig-year=1966 |year=1994 |access-date=7 October 2006 |oclc=909929342 |ref=none |archive-date=12 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212181053/http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/MacArthur%20Reports/MacArthur%20V1/index.htm |url-status=dead }}
*{{cite book |last=Willoughby |first=Charles A. |author-link=Charles A. Willoughby |url=http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/MacArthur%20Reports/MacArthur%20V2%20P1/macarthurv2.htm#contents |title=Japanese Operations in the Southwest Pacific Area |volume=II – Part I |series=Reports of General MacArthur |orig-year=1966 |access-date=8 December 2006 |year=1994 |id=CMH pub 13-1 |publisher=United States Army Center of Military History |oclc=174861388 |ref=none |archive-date=25 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080125072601/http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/MacArthur%20Reports/MacArthur%20V2%20P1/macarthurv2.htm#contents |url-status=dead }}
*{{cite web |last=Yoshihara |first=Kane |title=Southern Cross: Account of the Eastern New Guinea Campaign |url=http://ajrp.awm.gov.au/ajrp/AJRP2.nsf/Web-Pages/SouthernCross |access-date=12 December 2008 |oclc=222486142 |ref=none }}
{{refend}}
{{Portal bar|Australia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saidor}}
[[Category:1944 in Papua New Guinea]]
[[Category:Territory of New Guinea]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of World War II involving Papua New Guinea]]
[[Category:Battles of World War II involving Australia]]
[[Category:Battles of World War II involving the United States]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1944]]
[[Category:Operation Cartwheel]]
[[Category:South West Pacific theatre of World War II]]
[[Category:January 1944 in Oceania]]