GPA & DUKW at Lake Boga

[motto (RIP)]

Aitape (pronounced 'ita pee' but as one word) is on the north coast of PNG to the west of Wewak.
The DUKW was the perfect vehicle for servicing the flying boats. I remember speaking with a fellow who spent his time in the army as a DUKW operator. He told me they used to refuel the Catalinas at Morotai or Balikpapan from 44 gallon drums on board the DUKW by pressurising the drums using the vehicle compressed air system.
DUKW - Doubly Useful Kind of Wagon.

David

[Mike K]

Looking at the beachhead at Aitape, the sheer amount of equipment they had was amazing . All of this effort was to fight the starving cut off Japs at Wewak ... many of the soldiers involved later said it was a waste of life , the casualties , deaths . The Japs were basically starving and done for , pockets of them held out in the jungle til August 1945 . McArthur ordered these operations . Was it politically motivated ?

[Mike K]

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F07250/

Must have been a large base .....
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F02077/