Battle of Cape Gloucester

E30180

battle military campaign

The Battle of Cape Gloucester was a World War II campaign in late 1943–early 1944 in which U.S. Marines seized a key Japanese airfield and positions on New Britain as part of the Allied advance in the Pacific.

Aliases (2)

Cape Gloucester ×2
Cape Gloucester campaign ×1

Statements (48)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	battle → military campaign →
alsoKnownAs	Cape Gloucester campaign →
belligerent	Imperial Japanese Army → Imperial Japanese Navy → United States Army → United States Marine Corps →
casualties	heavy Japanese casualties → significant Allied casualties from combat and disease →
combatType	amphibious assault → jungle warfare →
commander	Iwao Matsuda → William H. Rupertus →
conflict	World War II →
countryInvolved	Empire of Japan → United States of America →
date	December 1943 → January 1944 →
endDate	1944-04-22 →
environment	dense jungle → heavy rainfall → swampy terrain →
followedBy	Admiralty Islands campaign →
front	Allied advance along New Britain →
location	Cape Gloucester → New Britain → Territory of New Guinea →
militaryUnit	112th Cavalry Regiment → 1st Marine Division → 32nd Infantry Division →
notableFeature	difficult logistical conditions for U.S. Marines → use of close air support and naval gunfire →
objective	seizure of Japanese airfields at Cape Gloucester → seizure of western tip of New Britain →
operation	Operation Backhander →
partOf	New Britain campaign → Operation Cartwheel → Pacific War →
precededBy	Landing at Arawe →
result	Allied victory → capture of Cape Gloucester airfield → isolation of Rabaul →
startDate	1943-12-26 →
strategicPurpose	to secure airfields for Allied operations in New Britain → to support the encirclement of Rabaul →
supportedBy	United States Army Air Forces → United States Navy →
theater	South West Pacific Area →

Referenced by (8)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
1st Marine Division (United States) → The Old Breed →	notableBattle
1st Battalion, 7th Marines → 7th Marine Regiment →	notableEngagement
Battle of Cape Gloucester ("Cape Gloucester campaign") →	alsoKnownAs
The Pacific →	featuresBattle
Battle of Cape Gloucester ("Cape Gloucester") →	location
Merriel "Snafu" Shelton ("Cape Gloucester") →	setting