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Sgt Duane Kimbrow (Skip)
to remember
Chapman, Elma Clinton, Sgt.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Sledge
Casualty Date Jul 06, 1944
Cause KIA-Died of Wounds
Reason Multiple Fragmentation Wounds
Location Papua New Guinea
Conflict World War II/Asian-Pacific Theater
Location of Interment Memphis National Cemetery (VA) - Memphis, Tennessee
WWII - Pacific Theater of Operations/New Guinea Campaign (1943-44)
From Month/Year
January / 1943
To Month/Year
December / 1944
Description (New Guinea Campaign 24 January 1943 to 31 December 1944) After the loss of Buna and Gona in New Guinea, the Japanese fell back on their stronghold at Lae. Their attempt to reinforce Lae by sea in March 1943 met with disaster when American and Australian planes sank most of the convoy in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea. Salamaua and Lae then became the objectives for an Allied advance along the northern coast of New Guinea. Fifth Air Force bombers attacked airfields at Wewak, 300 miles west of Lae, to neutralize them. The Allies dropped paratroops at Nadzab, just beyond Lae. Enemy resistance at Salamaua broke on 14 September 1943; Lae fell two days later. In the months that followed, MacArthur’s forces pushed westward, capturing some Japanese strongholds and bypassing others. After taking Hollandia in April 1944, the Allies attacked islands off the northern coast of New Guinea, taking Wakde and Biak in May, Owi in June, and Noemfoor in July. Sansapor on New Guinea also was gained in July. Aerial attacks on the Philippines began in August, and Morotai was seized in October to provide air bases for the invasion of the Philippines. Allied planes also bombed the oil center at Balikpapan and other targets in Borneo and Celebes.
