Word: lae
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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Papua is only one-fourth of the island of New Guinea, but it is the most important part of that eerie, partially explored island. For the first time since they landed there last February, it seemed that the Japs might have to look to the defense of their bases, Lae and Salamaua, 150-odd miles northwest of Buna. If MacArthur could take Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea would be lost to the Japs. Already Australian Commandos were harassing the two bases, working in the dead of night with their knives and tommy guns...
...task force approached the Solomons, Douglas MacArthur's airmen began smashing at Jap air bases. The purpose was obvious: to hamstring the Jap in the employment of the best weapon he had against sea attack. Army bombers raided the old familiar targets at Lae and Salamaua on the northeast coast of New Guinea by day and by night. On Friday, Aug. 7 (Thursday in the U.S.), when Ghormley's force had its first contact with the Japs, the Army was raiding Rabaul in New Britain, probably the Jap's strongest position east of Amboina...
...first step was to move a landing force from his ill-selected, oft-bombed positions at Lae and Salamaua (see map), barred from Port Moresby by great mountains. He would set the force down at Buna, near the head of a mountain road, primitive but passable, that led across to Port Moresby. Thus he could get at the thorn. Once he got rid of the thorn, he could launch his attack at thinly held northern Australia or spread east through the flanking island chain as his restless, never-idle sense of movement dictated...
...shipping and air installations. The dingdong raiding across the wilds of New Guinea went on daily, with the Jap pounding at the U.S. airdromes at Port Moresby while American and Australian crews smashed the Jap's docks, sheds and ships at Salamaua and Lae...
Watching Tojo. But from the north more menacing news sifted down into Sydney's bars and restaurants. Back of his screen of islands the Jap was massing again, at Rabaul in New Britain, at Lae and Salamaua on the east coast of New Guinea, and at more remote points in the Indies. Douglas MacArthur's airmen, after a full share with the Navy in the Battle of the Coral Sea, went back to work on the Jap's hideouts. They fired buildings and planes at Lae, hit heavily at Rabaul, ranged 700 miles north...