Battle of Biak

Battle of Biak
Part of the New Guinea campaign

LVTs being unloaded at Biak
Date27 May – 17 August 1944
Location
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
 United States
 Australia
 Japan
Commanders and leaders
United States Horace H. Fuller
United States Robert L. Eichelberger
United States William Morrow Fechteler
United States George C. Kenney
Empire of Japan Kuzume Naoyuki 
Empire of Japan Sadatoshi Senda 
Units involved

United States 24th Infantry Division

United States 41st Infantry Division

Empire of Japan 35th Infantry Division

  • 219th Infantry Regiment
  • 221st Infantry Regiment

Empire of Japan 36th Infantry Division

  • 222nd Infantry Regiment
Strength
Land:
12,000 infantry,
29 artillery pieces,
12 tanks
Sea:
Task Group 77.2 Attack Group
Air:
5th and 13th Air Forces
Land:
11,400 personnel
Company of light tanks
Sea:
1 battleship; 4 cruisers; 8 destroyers
Air:
Initially 18 aircraft of 23rd Air Flotilla rising to 166 aircraft
Casualties and losses

Ground:
438 killed
2,361 wounded
7,234 non battle casualties

Naval:
22 killed
14 missing
68 wounded
~4,700 killed
Unknown wounded
~200 captured

The Battle of Biak was part of the Western New Guinea campaign of World War II, fought between the United States Army and the Japanese Army from 27 May to 17 August 1944. Taking place on the island of Biak, in Geelvink Bay, in present-day Indonesia, it was part of General Douglas MacArthur's South West Pacific Area's offensive drive to clear New Guinea in preparation for an invasion of the Philippines. It was the first major effort by the Japanese to allow uncontested landings for the purpose of creating a kill zone inland. The main Allied objective was to capture the island so that they could construct airfields there. The battle resulted in the capture of the island by Allied forces, which were then used to support operations elsewhere in the Pacific.


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