Battle of Driniumor River

Battle of Driniumor River
Part of the New Guinea Campaign
Brig. Gen. Julian Cunningham (right), the CO of the 112th Cavalry Regiment, reviews a map at a command post near Driniumor River on 9 August 1944.
Date 10 July – 25 August 1944 Location Near Aitape, Territory of New Guinea 3°7′59.999″S 142°21′0.000″E / 3.13333306°S 142.35000000°E / -3.13333306; 142.35000000 Result American victory
Belligerents
United States  Australia	Japan
Commanders and leaders
Walter Krueger Charles P. Hall William H. Gill Clarence A. Martin Julian W. Cunningham	Hatazō Adachi
Units involved
XI Corps 31st Infantry Division (incomplete) 32nd Infantry Division 43rd Infantry Division	18th Army 20th Division 41st Division
Strength
	~ 20,000
Casualties and losses
440 killed 2,550 wounded 10 missing	8,000–10,000

The Battle of Driniumor River, also known as the Battle of Aitape, 10 July – 25 August 1944, was part of the Western New Guinea campaign of World War II. During the fighting, Japanese forces launched several attacks on United States forces on the Driniumor River, near Aitape in New Guinea, over the course of several weeks with the intention of retaking Aitape. After making some initial gains, the Japanese attack was contained and eventually turned back having suffered heavy casualties. The battle should not be confused with Operation Persecution, which included amphibious landings near Aitape in April 1944, or the Aitape–Wewak campaign, which began in November that year.