Combat· World War II
New Britain Campaign (Operation DEXTERITY)
New Britain was a large jungle island anchored by the huge Japanese base at Rabaul on its eastern tip.
The Allied aim was to seize the western end, take its airfields, and help cut Rabaul off from support. The veteran 1st Marine Division, fresh from Guadalcanal and trained in New Guinea, drew the main assignment. The Marines landed near Cape Gloucester and fought through some of the worst terrain of the Pacific war: bottomless mud, swamps, and constant drenching rain. They took the airfields, then pushed along the coast clearing ridges and strongpoints. Later landings carried them west to Talasea to cut off the retreating enemy. Careful planning and hard-won experience kept their losses lower than the brutal conditions might suggest. With the western end secured, Rabaul drew another step closer to being isolated.
Engagements in this conflict (2) Podcast episodes on World War II
Record no. 564