Bombing of Wewak

Bombing of Wewak
Part of World War II, Pacific War
13 August 1943, a pair of B-25 Mitchells bombs the Wewak area, in the lead-up to the devastating raids of 17 and 18 August.
Date 17–21 August 1943 Location Wewak, Territory of New Guinea Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United States Australia	Japan
Commanders and leaders
George Kenney	Kumaichi Teramoto
Strength
47 heavy bombers; 53 medium bombers; 80 fighters	200 aircraft[1]
Casualties and losses
10 destroyed	174 put out of action: 54 shot down 16 blown up 57 badly damaged 47 slightly damaged

The Bombing of Wewak was a series of air raids by the USAAF Fifth Air Force, on 17–21 August 1943, against the major air base of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force on the mainland of New Guinea, at Wewak. The four raids, over a five-day period, represented a decisive victory for the Allies: the Japanese Fourth Air Army lost about 170 planes on the ground and in the air, reducing its operational strength to about 30 planes. Ten aircraft from the U.S. Fifth Air Force were lost.