U.S. Troops evacuate casualties from conquered wakde islands. U.S.

U.S. Troops evacuate casualties from conquered wakde islands. U.S. soldiers, serving as strecher-bearers, carry American casualties from the jungle battlefield on one of the Wakde Islands, to a landing craft (lower right) for removal to nearby New Guinea. U.S. troops who landed on the Wakdes on May 17, 1944 in the face of heavy Japanese machine gun fire, overwhelmed the enemy and in three days gained complete control of the strategic bases off the northern coast of New Guinea. U.S. troops who landed on the Wakdes on May 17, 1944 in the face of heavy Japanese machine gun fire, overwhelmed the enemy and in three days gaine complete control of the strategic bases off the northern coast of New Guinea. U.S. planes immediately utilized captured airstrips on the Wakdes which lie 1,000 miles southeast of the Philipines.