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On to New Britain: The Cape Gloucester Landings

26 December 1943–16 January 1944


Marines boarding USS LCI-340 on the day before Christmas, 1943
Marines boarding USS LCI-340 at Oro Bay, New Guinea, on the day before Christmas 1943. They landed at Cape Gloucester, New Britain, on 26 December (USMC 72064).

Cape Gloucester Invasion, December 1943.
Coast Guardsmen and Marines participate in what is likely a Christmas divine service aboard a Coast-Guard-manned LST, en route to Cape Gloucester, New Britain. The first landings on Cape Gloucester took place on 26 December 1943.

Cape Gloucester Invasion, December 1943.
USS LST -67 landing troops through the surf on a Cape Gloucester beach (SC-184422).

80-G-57464: Battle of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, December 1943-January 1944. LST-18 and LST-463, standing by. Photographed by USS Nashville (CL-43), December 24-26, 1943. 
LST-18 and LST-463 stand by as troops assemble on a Cape Gloucester beach. Photographed by USS Nashville (CL-43) on 26December 1943 (80-G-57464).

Cape Gloucester, New Britain, December 1943
Aboard a Coast Guard–manned LST, a Navy doctor and Coast Guard pharmacist's mate perform an emergency operation on a wounded man (NH-94755).

127-GW-966-77356: Battle of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, December 1943-January 1944. “Japanese sentry who joined Marines.” “Nipper,” a Japanese sentry dog, who voluntarily joined the Marines on Cape Glouchester, poses with Marine Master Technica...
“Japanese sentry who joined Marines.” “Nipper,” a Japanese sentry dog, who voluntarily joined the Marines on Cape Gloucester, poses with Master Technical Sergeant George E. Ausman, who had been a Marine since 1926 (GW 966 77356).

127-GW-970-71518: Battle of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, December 1943-January 1944. Dummy Japanese gun crew. To make Marines think the enemy was strong in one section on Cape Gloucester, the Japanese rigged up this scarecrow gun and crew. Photo...
Dummy Japanese gun crew: To mislead the Marines about the strength of the opposing forces in one area of cape Glousester, the Japanese rigged up this scarecrow gun and crew (GW 970 71518).

Cape Gloucester Invasion, December 1943
Loading LSTs at Oro Bay, New Guinea, on 24 December 1943, in preparation for the Cape Gloucester landings two days later. LSTs present include (from left to right): LST-202, LST-466, LST-468, LST-475, LST-474, and LST-18 (USMC 69080).

Photo #: 80-G-57445 Cape Gloucester Invasion, December 1943
USS Phoenix (CL-46) firing her 6-inch/47-caliber guns during the pre-invasion bombardment of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, circa 24-26 December 1943. Photographed from the ship's fantail, looking forward (80-G-57445).

Cape Gloucester Invasion, December 1943.
Marines and Coast Guardmen landing on Cape Gloucester, New Britain, circa 26 December 1943. An LVT-1 leads the way as some men carry stretchers and others push a jeep toward the beach (26-G-3046).

80-G-57458: Battle of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, December 1943-January 1944. Supplies being unloaded on the beachhead by LST-66, LST-67, LST-68, LST-202, and LST-204. Photographed by USS Nashville (CL-43), December 24-26, 1943. 
Supplies being unloaded on the Cape Gloucester beachhead by LST-66, LST-67, LST-68, LST-202, and LST-204 (80-G-57458).

UA 462.20 William D. Watkins Collection
Wounded sailors at the Battle of Cape Gloucester (UA 462.20).

127-GW-971-77192: Battle of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, December 1943-January 1944. Marines with Japanese prisoner on Cape Gloucester, January 1944. Official U.S. Marine Corps Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (2014/7/9).
Marines with Japanese prisoner on Cape Gloucester, January 1944 (GW 971 77192).

127-GW-971-89059: Battle of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, December 1943-January 1944. Japanese prisoners putting on clean closes. Photographed by Howard, March 1944. 
Following their capture, Japanese prisoners at Cape Gloucester are issued clean clothing (GW 971 89059).

127-GW-966-77431: Battle of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, December 1943-January 1944 “Birthday Toast”. A toast if drunk in coconut juice on the occasion of the 24th birthday of Sergeant Milan A. Cicak, USMC. The birthday found him and his buddies...
A toast is drunk in coconut juice on the occasion of the 24th birthday of Sergeant Milan A. Cicak, USMC (center). The birthday found him and his buddies on a patrol in the Cape Gloucester jungle (GW 966 77431).
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Published: Fri May 10 11:37:17 EDT 2019