Battle of Biak

BelligerentsUnited States
AustraliaJapanCommanders and leadersHorace H. Fuller
Robert L. Eichelberger
William Morrow Fechteler
George C. KenneyKuzume Naoyuki‡‡
Sadatoshi Senda†Units involved

• 24th Infantry Division
  • 34th Regimental Combat Team
• 41st Infantry Division
  • 162nd Infantry Regiment
  • 163rd Infantry Regiment
  • 186th Infantry Regiment

• 35th Infantry Division
  • 219th Infantry Regiment
  • 221st Infantry Regiment
• 36th Infantry Division
  • 222nd Infantry Regiment

StrengthLand:
12,000 infantry,
29 artillery pieces,
12 tanks
Sea:
Task Group 77.2 Attack Group
Air:
5th and 13th Air ForcesLand:
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 aircraftCasualties 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 May 27 to August 17, 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.