Operation Alamo: 503rd Landing At Nadzab

As the first American airborne unit to operate in the Pacific, Operation Alamo was carried out by a team nicknamed "The Rock."
As a successfully unopposed mission near Nadzab, New Guinea, the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment opened the floodgates to allow the Australian infantry forces to seize the necessary airfields for the New Guinea campaign.
Planned as a pincer attack, the mission hoped to seize the port of Lae and gain control of the airfield at Nadzab in order to be able to successfully run allied operations in Papa New Guinea.
Kicking off on September 4, 1943, the 9th Australian Division commenced an amphibious landing just east of the port of Lae. In order to back up this initial action, the 7th Australian Airborne Division then joined forces with the US 503rd to aim for Nadzab.
Since the Japanese forces' efforts were centralized on a smaller base under the attack of the allies in Salamua, the landing of Nadzab came with an element of surprise.
After a quick practice jump at the end of August, the allies patrolled the area to affirm that the jump would be welcomed and unopposed. Then, after establishing a landing zone, the allied personnel prepared a crossing for easy access to the city.
With an entire fleet of aircraft at 1,000 feet, In the Mitchell bombers at 500 feet, weather aircraft, B-17 Fortress bombers, and a whole array of Dakotas carrying paratroopers, supplies, and artillery, the 146 US fighters were called upon to protect the in-air transport.
After the airfield was secure, ten Beauforts, five Bostons, and seven P-40 Kittyhawk fighters teamed up in order to attack the Japanese, not only neutralizing their defense but distracting them from the drop of the paratroopers.
The team of the US Army’s 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment with other elements of the Australian Army’s 2/4th Field Regiment carried out the jump at Nadzab.
Over the following days after the jump, the 25th Infantry Brigade advanced forward on the ground. Then, after meeting the Japanese at Jensen's Plantation on September 11—and thoroughly defeating them—they went on to Heath's Plantation, hoping to win the battle there.
The Japanese Army withdrew and left Lae and Salamaua, leaving it wide open to be taken and used as an Allied airbase in New Guinea.
This team-led paratrooper jump allowed the combined forces to drive out the Japanese from the area. The capture of Lae and Salamaua not only were major steps forward in their progress but also opened the door to other airborne operation ideas for the future.
As for the 503rd? After successfully teaming up with the Australians for the jump, they went on to serve throughout World War II and the Korean War, later earning the Presidential Unit Citation. Other elements of the unit also served in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Recent Articles
-
160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment - The Night Stalkers
They were born out of a doomed operation, but their role has become irreplaceable. Their brothers in arms count on them in the most difficult of times while they remain the enemy’s worst nightmare. Battle-proven, always resilient, and lethal, they are highly respected among all the services and have often...
-
Operation Hump: 173rd’s Legendary Operation in Vietnam
Soldiers take cover in a crater during the Vietnam War (Courtesy Photo/U.S. Army) Operation Hump is a legendary operation conducted jointly by Australian and American Airborne forces in Vietnam. The Friendly composition consisted of the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, as well as a battalion from...
-
The Elusive Blue Air Assault Beret
Blue Air Assault Berets: A Brief Chapter in Military History In the accounts of military tradition, berets have often stood out as symbols of honor and excellence, providing soldiers with an extra element of pride. They adorn soldiers' heads, signifying their commitment to a unique calling. While everyone in the...
-
Wisdom from the Community: Top Five Pieces of Advice for New Paratroopers
Wisdom from the Community: Top Five Pieces of Advice for New Paratroopers Hear ye, hear ye! Young paratroopers, we believe you deserve some valuable advice because you are at a stage where you need it to shape your military career. Because we care, we reached out to our community to...
-
Operation Restore Democracy: The Landing that Never Happened
Operation Restore Democracy: The Landing that Never Happened In the early 1990s, Haiti's democracy was in constant crisis, and the island was being governed by unconstitutional leadership. The regimes kept changing but lacked national and international legitimacy, leading to U.N. sanctions. The United States created a multinational force (MNF) to...
-
The Evolution of Airborne Operations: From World War II to Present Day
They called it "The Iron Rain." On the fateful day of June 6, 1944, as part of Operation Overlord, more than 13,000 paratroopers from the American 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions leaped into the night sky, their hearts racing, their minds set on one goal: the liberation of Europe from...
-
Boots On Ground: The 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq
Transporting you from your favorite reading nook literally into the boots of the 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq, Boots on the Ground by Karl Zinsmeister details the story of the frontline in a way that often isn't covered in the headline news story. A frontline reporter traveling with the 82nd,...
-
The Essentials: The C-17 Globemaster
"The Essentials" Series is a monthly blog related to Airborne culture. We target fundamental topics such as Airborne equipment, culture, traditions, trivia, etc. While we have a semi-annual plan on the topics, we remain open to ideas from paratroopers like yourself. So, feel free to reach out and propose a...
-
The Filthy Thirteen: The True Story of the Dirty Dozen
Tightly bound to one another in times of war, unforgiving in the way they approach a battle, and legendary in their bravery, the story is told of the US paratroopers of the US 101st Airborne Division in The Filthy Thirteen. Finding the courage to parachute behind enemy lines in the...
-
Battle of Yongju: The Battle of the Apple Orchard
Also known as the Battle of the Apple Orchard, the UN orchestrated the Battle of Yongju to fight back against the North Korean forces during the Korean war. In this offensive maneuver, the US 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team—or the US 187 RCT was called on to move in front...
-
The Chosen Few: US Paratrooper's Battle in Eastern Afghanistan
Bringing you to a more recent battle in a different part of the world, The Chosen Few by Gregg Zoroya is a detailed account of how a U.S. Paratroopers company fought in eastern Afghanistan in 2007. In hopes to go in on a single, swift mission in order to befriend the isolated...
-
No Better Place To Day: The Battle For La Fiere Bridge
In this first-person narrative, Robert M. Murphy transports you right into the battle at La Fiere in the early morning hours of D-Day. Taking you through a firsthand account of close-quarters combat in the industrial war of the 20th century, Murphy covers all sides of the war, from the paratroopers...
-
Airborne Equipment: The Waco CG-4A Glider
During World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces utilized military gliders as a method of delivery to battle. These one-time use, engineless aircraft were towed in pairs near to the front lines of battle, typically by a Douglas C-47 military transport aircraft, carrying troops or supplies to bolster advancing...
-
Over 100 years of bravey: The 173rd Airborne Brigade
The 173rd Airborne Brigade is a United States Army airborne infantry brigade formed on 12 June 1917 at Camp Devens, Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest airborne units in the United States Army and has a rich history of service and combat operations. A WORLD AT WAR During World...
-
War: Through the eyes of the 173rd Airborne in Afghanistan
"Brotherhood has nothing to do with feelings; it has to do with how you define your relationship to others. It has to do with the rather profound decision to put the welfare of the group above your personal welfare. In such a system, feelings are meaningless. In such a system,...
-
Into The Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle Of The Afghan War
"I set out then to report this story from many points of view - American and British, from soldier to general, from diplomat to president. It seemed to me that only by getting behind the scenes could anyone pretend to understand what was happening. And it seemed far better to...
-
You can Jump from a plane. How about jumping into a book?
As paratroopers, we know you've got discipline and are always on the lookout for that new book title that will leave a lasting impression. The global library has never been more diverse, yet you want something you can relate to. The good news is that we've reached out to our...