The Big Gabsohnkie Firefight

5th September 1943: The US 503 Parachute Infantry Regiment make the first airborne assault in the Pacific theatre and believe themselves surrounded

American paratroopers of the 17th Airborne Division drop on the town of Nadzab in the Markham Valley, New Guinea

Australian soldiers disembark from landing craft in a seaborne assault on Lae.

In the Pacific the Americans and the Australians continued with the re-occupation of New Guinea. The final goal was the port of Lae. Approaching the objective indirectly were an Australian seaborne force and an American airborne infiltration.

Man, I figured this was it. Japs were everywhere and the continuous firing and explosion of hand grenades convinced me I was absolutely right. Before daylight came I had about 20 clips of M-1 ammo stacked on the lip of my foxhole, a machete, a knuckle type trench knife for hand to hand combat, a bayonet and several hand grenades all in position in front of me and I was ready and scared as hell!

The 503rd PIR during a practice drop in Australia, August 1943.