The Generals, Australians and Borneo (2)
From: “General Kenney Reports”
[continued from the previous post where the Generals were on the island of Labaun after the Australian troops had landed to take it back from the Japanese.]
We got to the USS Boise and the next morning we all went over to the beach near Brooketon. Gen. Wooten joined us. We waded through a half mile of swamp to a road where 6 jeeps picked us up and drove into the town of Brooketon itself. The place was completely wrecked by bombing.
Wooten said they encountered very little opposition until they got about 10 miles inland, where they were in contact with about 500 Japs who were dug in on a hill commanding the road. He had radioed for some airplanes from Palawan to blast their artillery out of the hills so he could use the road.
MacArthur, of course, wanted to see what as going on, so we climbed in the jeeps and headed off for more trouble. About 5 miles down the road we came to an overturned Jap truck. It seemed that about 2 hours before, the truck with 12 Nips on board, had dashed along the road with the lights turned on, the horns blowing, and the fools all yelling “Banzai”, heading for the Aussies who were marching toward them. The Aussie machine-gunners had taken care of the truck and all the Japs.
***** ***** *****
From: “The Australian Experience”
The decision to bring forward the OBOE VI operation, on the western side of Borneo, was a strategic surprise to the Japanese. The area around Brunei Bay facilitated rapid deployments and operational maneuver from the sea. General MacArthur set Z-Day as 10 June 1945. Naval and landing force command for the Brunei Bay amphibious assault, landing 33,500 personnel and 49,500 tons of supplies and equipment was delegated to Rear Admiral Royal, and Major General George Wootten, commander of the Australian 9th Division.
The Brunei Bay operation was, according to MacArthur, ‘flawlessly executed’. Between 10 June 1945 and the end of the war, the fighting at Brunei Bay and Labuan led to the loss of 119 Australians killed and a further 221 wounded. At least eight Americans lost their lives and 55 were wounded. The Japanese lost 1,375 and 130 captured during this operation, although guerillas probably killed another 1,800 throughout British Borneo.
The order of battle for the ground forces for the OBOE II is indicative of the Australian Army’s approach. Australians made up 94 per cent of the invasion force. It was built around the Australian 7th Infantry Division. The major Australian contribution, its nine infantry battalions (in three brigades) were central to the activities of the ground force. The Australian artillery and armored units were allocated an infantry support role, and were not well versed in the application of combined arms teams.
The US Army provided the specialist amphibious ship-to-shore units for the Australian division. While the Australian Army was responsible for beach operations, the Navy provided a Beachmaster and the RAN Beach Commandos. The NEI troops did fight but were also employed as interpreters and as security for the Netherland Indies civil affairs organization. The RAAF airfield construction squadrons, which were attached to the ground force commander, were to land early and have an airbase ready for Allied aircraft in just four days.
Click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Atilano ‘Al’ David – Angeles, P.I. & NM; WWII, PTO, Sgt. 31st Regiment Philippine Division, (Bataan Death March survivor)
Harold P. DeMoss – Nashville, TN; US Navy, WWII, PTO, Ensign, Fighting Squadron 100, KIA
Hubert Fuller – Huntington, WV; US Army, WWII, PTO, 147th Signal/7th Armored/3rd Army
Frank Guerrieri Sr. – Garfield, NJ; US Navy, WWII, PTO, USS St. Louis
John Hickman – Auckland, NZ; RNZ Navy # 14321
Kathy Meinsen – Bastrop, TX; US Army
Gerald Nehring – Hinckley, IL; US Army, WWII, CBI
Thomas Reilly – Scituate, MA; US Coast Guard, Chief Boatswain’s Mate (Ret. 24 y.)
Norman Summers – Auckland, NZ; Royal Navy # MX801257 / RNZ Navy # 12177
Julian Waldman – Oceanside, NY; US Army, WWII
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Personal Note – I have having a little computer trouble. If I do not answer comments or visit your site, I will do so as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.
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Posted on September 13, 2018, in First-hand Accounts, Uncategorized, WWII and tagged 1940's, Army, Australia, Borneo, History, Military, Military History, Pacific War, veterans, WW2, WWII. Bookmark the permalink. 71 Comments.
Thanks for your like of my post, ” Schneider Children’s Hospital Israel;” you are very kind.
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I like what I like.
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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What a great general. He was so thorough and so was General Patton.
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Agreed. There were many that go unnoticed despite their expertise. I would put Gen. Swing on that list as well.
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Great post!
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Thank you.
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A time to remember those who suffered and gave so much. They live with honour in our memories and always will. Thank you for enriching our powers of recall.
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That is certainly all MY pleasure, Maureen!!
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It always amazes me how determined the Japanese were to die rather than being captured.
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They felt it was a disgrace to their Emperor, their family and themselves to give up and surrender. That was also a reason why so many Allied soldiers were treated badly. They were considered disgraceful.
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Fithing the japones soldiers was a hall.Hope your computers will be oke vet
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I try again.Fyting the jaonase soldies is the hell.Hope your computer wil be fixting very quick.Sorry my comment was away to soon
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Thank you, Mary Lou. I am still having a little trouble with the Google translate, but I think it’ll be alright.
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Reblogged this on Truth Troubles.
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Thank you.
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Hell in the Pacific. They don’t seem to make many (any?) films depicting the Pacific War anymore do they? Are we forgetting about this already? I know there’s a lot of literature and stories out there that would be more than worthy to work from.
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I know what you mean!! Hollywood seems to be stagnant – hovering with sequels and remakes!!
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A lot of my dad’s family from Australia fought there.
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May God Bless them – I know I thank them!
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“were to land early and have an airbase ready for Allied aircraft in just four days”. That s amazing. I knew the RAAF were hard working but an airfield in 4 days?
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Engineers and soldiers of that era were outstanding. No PC rules, no mandatory breaks and time-outs. When something needed to get done, they found a way to do it.
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I hadn’t realized until I read this post that General MacArthur is one person from the war that I recognize immediately, Even though I don’t remember studying him, he must have been quite a hero during my very early childhood in the late 1940s. I know that we always saw black and white newsreels when we went to the movies, and television programs like “You Are There” often provided looks back at the war. I suspect I simply absorbed some knowledge of him that way.
I do like that you’re able to bring troops from other nations to life in these posts. People like me who don’t have military in our backgrounds have missed a lot of stories about them we might have heard had we had uncles, fathers, and so on who had fought with them during those years.
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MacArthur was quite a figure in our youth, many wanted him to run for President. He also loved the camera and being in charge. Truman, who failed at most everything he attempted in life, did not have Mac’s respect at all, but it was him that took the General down when he fired him from leadership in Korea. Without being aware, you most likely heard his name quite often.
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Reblogged this on John Cowgill's Literature Site.
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Thank you very much, John!
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You are welcome very much.
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Great posts as usual. I posted a link on my Facebook page – I hope you don’t mind. My father, Sgt. Allen Noel O’Brien, was with the 2nd/31st battalion 7th Div at Balikpapan on July 1st. Dad always spoke highly of American soldiers – (as did my brother in Vietnam) Dad had encountered American Paratroopers at Nadzab in New Guinea.I wrote a poem about the Balikpapan landing and may send it to you when I can find it if you wish.
Cheers
Dennis O’Brien
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Please accept my thanks to your father for serving, the Australians deserve so much more recognition than they’ve received. The paratroopers your father met on New Guinea would have been the 11th Airborne Division. Depending on the date, it was probably the 503rd Regiment. It seems the soldiers had a mutual admiration going, I’ve heard the same from my father and from many who served in Vietnam.
I would really like to have the poem. Please send it when you have the time!!
Thank you, Dennis for contributing. That’s the spirit that helps make this website, not only everyone’s site, but everyone’s history!!
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I know you are just quoting what others wrote, but I can’t help wincing every time I read the word “Jap.” I realize they were our enemy during WW2, but somehow it seems so harsh whereas calling the Germans “Jerry” does not. Is it just me?
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Despite being the enemy, ‘Jap’ was merely a shortening of Japanese ( or ‘Nip’ short for Nipponese), just as ‘Jerry’ was easier to say when you writing or saying it so much. It has only been since WWII that the PC or politically correctness made it a slur.
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I guess it’s that it brings the connotation that they were the enemy (which they were). I recall back in the 1950s when I wanted a doll and my grandmother told me I didn’t want it because it was made by the “Japs.” My parents were visibly and memorably horrified that she’d said that. So I think that has stuck with me all these years later.
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I understand.
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Enjoyed the read.
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Thank you, Carl.
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Good luck with the computer. Another super view of the operation, GP. Thanks.
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My pleasure. The guy just left. Turns out we had problems he never saw before in 19 years! Leave it to me!!
Thank you for reading the post, John. The Australians deserve even more recognition than I’ve given them.
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I have family there and they are certainly tough, big hearted folks.
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The Australians and New Zealanders deserve a lot more recognition than they receive.
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I agree.
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Roaring “along the road with the lights turned on, the horns blowing, and the fools all yelling “. I’m sure we did that at university once, but the circumstances were very different.
As always, an excellent account, thanks for sharing it with us all!
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I can well picture it happening at the university to get attention, but these guys had to have a death wish. If I get an ‘excellent’ from you, that means a great deal! Thank you, John.
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Reblogged this on Dave Loves History.
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Thank you for sharing this post, Dave!
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As always thank you for a great historical read that is so close to lil red dot😊
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If you happen to know anything about your area that I’ve missed (and I’m certain I have), feel free to speak up!!
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I don’t think you ever miss anything GP! You are just good at being such a detailed historian. But if you ever write about lil red dot or during the Japanese Occupation, we were called Synonan To – I will be most happy to chip in as a local here. Thanks as always for an invaluable history lesson for me 😀
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If not here at this blog, I’ll be sure to dig up further data when I do Missed Stories.
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And I hope to read more of your works. Happy weekend ahead GP😀
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You too!
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Sorry I have not been able to comment on all your great posts. Been ill for a period of time, but I kept all your work and will “like” them for you. Hope you are keeping well, all the best – Anna
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Not to worry about commenting, Anne. Your health is the priority!!
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Seems the Australians provided a significant contribution to the fighting in this part of the Pacific Theater. I’m glad you’re giving them recognition.
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They were a tough bunch and they certainly had their hands full in New Guinea!! I love to include the other Allies.
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Another good post. While I am writing, I want to say I like the “How to fold the flag” in the side bar of your posts.
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I was hoping it would come in handy for someone, thank you for telling me.
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Hope you get your computer fixed soon. Maybe it’s just the storm. My computer was acting up too yesterday. It was so slow. I kept on turning it off and on to get it going.
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The computer guy is here right now and I asked what it was that happened. He said in 19 years he never saw anything like my problem before – but I think he fixed it. (finger crossed, I’m on a little notebook right now)
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So well written, thanks. Boy, those Japs were not known for their humility.
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They were desperate at this point.
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MacArthur seemed to have a good grasp of the whole theater, and how to use geography, air and water in an operation. Strategically, I think he was ahead of the curve. Emotionally, not so sure.
I hope the computer problem turns out to be minor.
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MacArthur understood the Oriental way of thinking, he had lived in the area for so long!
I have a pro coming today to check the computer, I’m tired of trying what I know – anymore tinkering on my part will create a crash!!
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Sounds like the best way to go. Good luck.
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More hard fighting for the brave Aussies. Always good to read about them, GP.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks, Pete. They’re a brave group!
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Good luck with the computer, GP … we tend to take ’em for granted when things are going well (a bit like the armed forces …).
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Oh so TRUE!!!!!!
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Fantastic stuff, GP. And timely, I might add – I have just finished reading ‘Sandakan’ by the Australian war historian Paul Ham and I highly recommend it.
The very name Borneo conjures collective memories of the Sandakan POW camp death marches, one of the saddest and most brutal experiences of Aussie soldiers at war. Out of more than 1,600 boys captured after the fall of Singapore, only a mere SIX survived the inhuman cruelty of the Borneo camps. The period of captivity from 1942 to 1945 saw our men beaten, starved, tortured and murdered during some of the worst POW conditions ever seen.
As tough as it is to learn about, I encourage you and your readers to read more about Sandakan. Unfortunately, it continues to be a forgotten story of our past. This is why these sites and their stories are so important. Great work GP!
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Oh, I have researched Sandakan and it was horrendous. Talk of POWs usually concerns the ‘Death Railway’, but this camp was far worse!
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Thank you, Ian.
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