Location
Lat 1° 55' 60S Long 139° 1' 0E  Located 225 miles east of Biak. Offshore is Insoemanai Island (Insoemar).

History
Occupied by the Japanese in April 1942, after their occupation of the Netherlands East Indies, and developed into an airfield complex. Read Japanese Operations at Wakde Island for more historical information about operations from the island. Thanks to Richard Dunn for information on the Japanese occupation of Wakde.

American Liberation
"Operation Straight Line" was preformed by Task Force 77, commanded by RAdm William M. Fechteler, and supported by DD Stockton. On May 15, 1944, the 3rd Engineer Special Brigade, 593d EBSR landed the 163rd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) of the 41st Infantry Division went ashore at Wakde after an unopposed landing at nearby Arara. on the mainland.

The Japanese force of 763 defenders had built 100 pillboxes and bunkers, 12 caves and aircraft cannons used as pillboxes. After a bitter two day battle and mopping up, 759 were KIA and only 4 POWs were taken alive. The cost the U.S. Army were 40 KIA and 107 WIA.  On May 18, 1944 the capture of Wakde was announced. On May 31, 1944, two battalions of the 163rd were pulled off Wakde and rushed to Biak, where the other elements of the 41st Division had landed four days earlier. On 1 Sep 1944, the 33rd Infantry Division's 123rd RCT relieved the 31st Infantry Division and patrolled the Wakde airdrome and Toem-Sarmi sector until 26 January 26, 1945.

American & Japanese Missions Against Wakde
April 7, 1944 - July 10, 1944

Today
In November 2005, several Japanese researchers, along with Indonesian security apparatus members and local people, have found thousands of skeletons of Japanese soldiers inside a cave on Wakde Island. Along with the skeletons, the researchers discovered weapons, military helmets, manual telescopes and other equipment. [Japan Today | Japan Times ]

Wakde Airfield
Built by the Japanese, occupied by American forces and developed into a major base

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Last Updated
June 21, 2011