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In February 1944, General Douglas MacArthur took a risky gamble on the Japanese-controlled island of Los Negros, where they outnumbered American landing forces. Despite initial success, the Americans faced counterattack fire from the Japanese. MacArthur met with Brig. Gen. William C. Chase, the senior Army commander on Los Negros, and ordered him to hold the airstrip at any cost. The Japanese launched their first attacks, and the Americans faced a long day ahead. MacArthur's forces continued to push for control of strategically important airfields, including the crucial airfield at Saidor, New Guinea.
Operation Cartwheel aimed to overpower Japanese naval and aviation facilities in Rabaul, New Britain, which had been the hub of enemy action in eastern New Guinea and the Solomon Islands since the Pacific War. American medium bombers and fighter escorts began to stifle the garrison, leading to the establishment of the Admiralty Islands in the Bismarck Archipelago. The main goal of the Allied effort was to close the final air and sea routes linking Rabaul to Japanese outposts and develop the area's harbor into a staging ground for MacArthur's return to the Philippines. Seeadler Harbor, formed by the arc of two large islands, was a natural anchorage for the invasion fleet.
Colonel Yoshio Ezaki led Imperial Japanese Army and Navy units to occupy the Admiralty Islands, resulting in the evacuation of Manus and Los Negros. The Japanese had built two airdromes on the islands, but they had allowed their runways to deteriorate. Colonel Ezaki instructed his men to hide their numbers and actions from American reconnaissance aircraft. General Kenney, a commander at the SWPA headquarters, suggested dispatching 800 soldiers to occupy Los Negros for an extended period to determine the enemy's strength and disposition. Lt. Gen. Walter Krueger of the Sixth U.S. Army, who also oversaw Alamo Force, was astonished by this directive. MacArthur's plan to send 1,000 men against the 300 defenders SWPA thought were still occupying Los Negros and Manus came with a great deal of risk, as four Japanese were assigned to the perilous invasion for every American.
In 1944, General Chase led the 2nd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment, in the Los Negros mission. The unit was equipped with machine guns, fire support, and medical assistance. Task Force Brewer arrived off Jamandilai Point, and the Americans were greeted by naval shellfire and bombs. Despite initial resistance, the Americans managed to gain some ground in Los Negros. The Japanese had a heavy presence in the area, with up to 200 antiaircraft gunners assigned to guard it. General MacArthur decided to continue the assault, establishing a small, 1,500-yard night perimeter around the Momote airport. The Japanese had a chance to drive their "arrogant enemy" back into the sea if they could mount a counterattack before American reinforcements could arrive. However, the Japanese troops followed American communication wires, leading to terrifying moments. The American forces managed to hold their positions and shoot or grenade anything that moved, ultimately destroying the enemy.
On March 1, the Fifth Air Force replenished the beachhead with ammunition and blood plasma, decimating enemy staging locations, particularly a small spit of land to the north of the airfield. The Japanese raiding team broke through and killed Captain Baba. On March 2, soldiers from TF Brewer saw a dramatic increase in morale, and the First Cavalry Division was en route to Los Negros. However, victory was still a long way off, and Colonel Ezaki had planned for the American invasion. The Japanese forces advanced with great force, focusing on Troop G, which was heavily fortified with artillery, machine guns, and mortars. Automatic firearms proved crucial in the conflict, and the Seabees from the 40th Naval Construction Battalion persevered. The last enemy thrust occurred shortly before daybreak, and General Chase radioed to Sixth Army headquarters, "We hold entire perimeter." The Japanese and American forces continued to fight for control in Los Negros.
The Japanese forces in the Los Negros campaign in 1944 faced heavy losses, with 244 Americans injured and 61 Americans killed. The American forces, led by Maj. Gen. Swift, continued to fight, capturing Manus and capturing Pityilu. The Japanese defenders in the Admiralty Islands, including Colonel Ezaki, were eventually defeated. The First Cavalry Division suffered 1,189 American casualties and 326 combat deaths, and the Allies received excellent naval anchorage and airfields in exchange. The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, D.C., eventually granted General MacArthur's army permission to invade Mindanao, fulfilling his promise to millions of Filipinos.
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