Location
Located on Wakde Island, off the northern coast of New Guinea. To the south-west is the smaller Nsoemanai Island.

Construction
Airfield construction by the Japanese was noted by Americans in February 1943 and by June, a single coral surfaced 5,400' x 390' runway, with dispersal areas off the northern side, and barracks area on the south side was visible. By September, the Japanese had expanded the base further with a radio station and quarters for 1,000 personnel.

Japanese Usage
Japanese Operations at Wakde by Richard Dunn covers the historical information about operations from the island.

Japanese Units based at Wakde
61st Sentai (Ki-49) November 1943
101st Sentai (Ki-21 Air Transport Unit) November 1943
1st Air Route Department
20th Airfield Battalion
6th Navigational Aid Unit
6th Mobile Air Repair Squadron
60th Sentai (Ki-21) January 1944
45th Sentai (Ki-45) via Babo February 1944
208th Sentai (Ki-48) from Wewak then returned to Wewak

American & Japanese Missions Against Wakde
April 7 - June 8, 1944

American Occupation
Occupied by the US Army begining on May 15, 1944. Construction work began to repair the airstrip once the battle was over on May 18, 1944. Repaired and put into use by the 5th Air Force as a forward operations base. From Wakde, the first American reconnassiance mission of the Phiippines (since withdrawal of US forces) was undertaken, over Mindanao.

American Units Based at Wakde
HQ 348th FG, 341st FS, 342nd FS (P-47) Saidor May 22, 1944 - ?
71st TRG, 17th TRS (B-25) Finshafen May 25, 1944 - July 1944 Biak
348th FG, 340th FS (P-47) Saidor May 26 - Aug 24, 1944 Noemfoor
348th FG, 341th FS (P-47) Saidor  May 26 - Aug 24, 1944 Noemfoor
5th Fighter Command (P-38, P-70, P-61) Nadzab May 28 - Sept 21, 1944
5th BG HQ (B-24) Momote August 17 - Sept 22, 1944 Noemfoor
5th BG, 394th BS (B-24) Momote August 25, 1944 - ?
403d TCG, 64th TCS (C-47) Biak Oct 2, 1944 - Oct 29, 1944 Biak
403d TCG, 13th TCS (C-47) Los Negros Oct 4, - Oct 19, 1944 Biak
403d TCG, 63th TCS (C-47) Biak Oct 4, 1944 - Oct 29, 1944 Biak
13th Bomber Command HQ Los Negros Sept 3 - Oct 17, 1944 Morotai
307th BG, 424th BS (B-24) Los Negros Aug 22 - Nov 10, 1944 Morotai
307th BG, 371st BS (B-24) Los Negros Aug 22 - Nov 10, 1944 Morotai
307th BG, 372st BS (B-24) Los Negros Aug 22 - Nov 10, 1944 Morotai
307th BG, 370th BS (B-24) Los Negros Aug 22 - Nov 15, 1944 Morotai
307th BG HQ (B-24) Los Negros Aug 24 - October 18, 1944 Morotai
1094th Signal Company Aitape May 24 - November 1, 1944 Leyte
303rd Airdrome Squadron Tami May 8 - November 5, 1944 Leyte

Japanese Air Raid - June 6, 1944
A Japanese air raid against the strip on June 6, 1944 destroyed six planes, and damaged 80. Destroyed are: B-24J "Turtle Money" 42-19968, P-38J 43-28839, P-38J 43-28486, P-38J 43-28838, P-47 Thunderbolt, L-4B.

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009

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Japanese Operations at Wakde