The 32nd 'Red Arrow' Veteran Association
WW2 32nd Division insignia

The 32nd Infantry Division

in World War II

"The Red Arrow"

Part 8

The New Guinea Campaign - Biak

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book cover
 Mr. Howard Kelley, a 32nd Infantry Division Veteran, has written a book describing his service during World War II. In Born in the U.S.A. - Raised in New Guinea, he shares some of his most personal experiences as a member of the 'Red Arrow's' 3rd Battalion, 127th Infantry. This book offers a rare, first-hand glimpse of the 32nd Infantry Division in World War II, as seen through the eyes of an enlisted GI. Click on the book cover to the left, it will take you to Mr. Kelley's web site, where you will find information about how to purchase this book.
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The New Guinea Campaign: Biak

The successful Allied seizure of the key Japanese air bases at Hollandia at the end of April 1944 was quickly exploited by further westward assaults along the north coast of New Guinea. The 163rd RCT (41st 'Jungleer' Division) established a beachhead at Maffin Bay (about 150 miles west of Hollandia) on 17 May 1944, in preparation for attacks on nearby Wakde Island and the airfields near the village of Sarmi (on the coast about 18 miles east of the beachhead). Part of the 163rd assaulted Wakde Island on 18 May, and secured it after several days of stubborn fighting. On 22 May the 158th RCT (a nondivisional unit) pushed east from the beachhead toward Sarmi and to secure the high ground around Maffin Bay. The 158th encountered strong opposition and, vastly outnumbered, pulled back toward the beachhead to wait for reinforcements, in the form of the entire 6th Infantry Division (which would relieve them on 14 June). After Maffin Bay was secured, it became a major staging area to support further operations westward on New Guinea, as well as the eventual operations in the Philippines. One of the New Guinea operations it supported was Biak.

The island of Biak is 45 miles long and 23 miles wide, and lies off  the center of strategic Geelvink Bay, near the western end of New Guinea. The Japanese had established 3 airstrips on Biak, and these air bases could support Allied heavy bombers. The seizure of Biak was important, not only to complete Allied dominance of all of New Guinea, but also to support looming operations against the Philippines and Borneo.

    "Biak was different from most of the Pacific islands on which American troops had fought. It had been described as “one huge lump of coral.” Cliffs rise abruptly from the sea, and innumerable caves honeycomb the island. Much of it is covered with rain forests and jungle. Drinking water is scarce." (Blakeley 175)

The unit tasked with the capture of Biak was named Hurricane Task Force. The majority of this force was comprised of the 41st 'Jungleer' Infantry Division, but one unit from the 32nd Division played a key role in this operation. "From early in the Aitape operation until the latter part of the Leyte campaign, one battalion of the 32d Division was detached, and it led an orphan’s existence (Blakeley 175)." The 121st FA BN, commanded by LTC Arthur E. Solem, was attached to the 41st Division on 10 May 1944, during the opening stages of the 32nd Division's operations at Aitape (250 miles to the east). The 121st, normally equipped with 155mm howitzers, but now equipped with truck-drawn M-1, 75mm howitzers, was assigned to direct support for the 186th Inf. Regiment (41st Division).
On 25 May Hurricane Task Force departed from Hollandia. At 0715 on 27 May the initial assault elements from the 186th landed on Biak with minimal resistance, the enemy had been caught by surprise.

    "Battery C of the 121st Field Artillery Battalion was the first artillery unit to land. It was ashore and ready to fire by 0730. The rest of the battalion was not far behind, but only Battery C actually went into action on the first day. Resistance was feeble that day although the enemy attacked the ships and beaches from the air." (Blakeley 175)

The high level planners had envisioned the seizure of Biak to only take about a week, and the activities on the 1st day indicated that this estimate might be met. However, it soon became evident that the planners had underestimated the enemy, both in strength and tenacity. After the battle, it was learned that there were about 11,400 Japanese troops on Biak. The assault landings had been relatively easy, because the Japanese commander, with insufficient troops to effectively defend the entire coast, had concentrated his strength inland around the airfields.

On 28 May, as the Americans started to push inland and toward the airfields, enemy resistance increased dramatically. Patrols from the 162nd Infantry (41st Division) were only 200 yards from the airfields when a determined Japanese counterattack pushed them back. The soldiers of Hurricane Force also encountered stubborn Japanese positions established in the numerous caves that dotted the island's mountainous interior. "Much bitter and involved fighting ensued in which the rough terrain and lack of water added to the problems of the invading forces (Blakeley 176)." Due to the scarcity of fresh water, the soldiers were often limited to just 1 canteen a day while enduring the equatorial heat (Biak is only about 60 miles from the equator).

    "The 121st was actively engaged throughout this period, probably more so than the other artillery units which were sometimes handicapped by the fact that they were manning heavier weapons. On 7 June, for example, the 121st fired over 2,000 rounds." (Blakeley 176)

On 29 May the Japanese launched another counterattack, this time supported by about 6 light tanks. The U.S. M-4 Sherman tanks made short work of the Japanese tanks, and the 162nd repulsed the enemy infantry.

On 1 June the 163rd RCT, organic to the 41st Division, arrived to reinforce Hurricane Force. The 163rd had just been released from its mission on Wakde Island. The airfields themselves were soon in American hands, but they couldn't be used by Allied warplanes yet because the Japanese still controlled some of the surrounding high ground and could place fire on the airfields.

    "On 14 June, in a movement reminiscent of what had happened at Buna, General Eichelberger was sent in to take over command of the Task Force when both Generals MacArthur and Krueger became dissatisfied with the slowness of the operations and the failure to capture the airfields at an early date. The fact that General MacArthur’s headquarters had already announced that victory had been achieved on Biak did not help matters. Eichelberger arrived on the island on the 15th. Even as he was in the process of taking over command, a particularly bitter battle was in progress, a battle which included a vigorous enemy counterattack employing both infantry and tanks." (Blakeley 176)

New Photo added 29 July 2004

U.S. Army Signal Corps photo

Infantrymen, supported by tanks, moving up to the attack on a ridge north of Mokmer Drome on Biak ca. 16 June 1944.

The Approach to the Philippines, the Army's official history, describes the 121st's performance at Biak, "The 121st Field Artillery Battalion, while it had hit no tanks, had proved a real aid during the battle. It prevented Japanese infantrymen from forming for the attack and neutralized a number of enemy machine guns by firing 600 rounds into the area northwest of the 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry. (qtd. in Blakeley 176)”

The Americans gained complete control of the high ground around the airfields on 27 June, when they cleared the last of the Japanese cave positions. However, the fight for total control of the island would continue for 3 more weeks.

On 28 July the 121st FA BN fired its last round in support of the infantry on Biak.

On 20 August 1944 Biak was officially declared clear.

    "On 11 September, the 121st was reequipped with tractor-drawn 155mm Howitzers. On 2 October the battalion reverted to the 32d Division, but it remained on Biak until 13 November, when it sailed for Hollandia.
    "On 6 December, in company with some rear echelon elements of the 32d, it sailed for Leyte. It was put ashore on the east coast on 14 December and was back with the Division two days later." (Blakeley 176-7)

Next Section - The New Guinea Campaign - Morotai

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Bibliography:
Blakeley, H. W., Major General, Retired. The 32nd Infantry Division in World War II.  The Thirty-second Infantry Division History Commission, State of Wisconsin, n.d.
Cannon, M. Hamlin.  Leyte: The Return to the Philippines.  U.S. Army Center of Military History, 1954.
Drea, Edward J.  New Guinea - The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II.  U.S. Army Center of Military History, n.d.
Hill, Jim Dan, Major General, Retired.  The Minute Man in Peace and War.  Harrisburg: The Stackpole Company, 1964.
Jungwirth, Clarence J.  Diary of a National Guardsman in World War II.  Oshkosh, WI: Poeschl Printing Company, 1991.
Milner, Samuel. Victory in Papua.  U.S. Army Center of Military History, 1957.
Papuan Campaign - The Buna-Sanananda Operation.  Washington, D.C.: Historical Division, War Department, 1945.
The Red Arrow - 1955 - The 32nd Division, Wisconsin National Guard.  n.p., 1955.
Smith, Herbert M., Lieutenant Colonel, Retired. Hannibal Had Elephants II.  Eau Claire, WI: Rev. William A. Heins, 1995.
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