Atlas of Battles

battle, interwar and Second World War

Battle of Wakde

Battle of Wakde was a battle fought on 21 May 1944 at Wakde, in what is now Indonesia. It was part of the Pacific War, which ran from 1941 to 1945. The recorded result: American victory; Major staging point and air-base gained. Recorded strength: ~1,500 men; 4 Sherman tanks against ~800 men.

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United States troops on the coconut palm shattered foreshore of Wakde Island.
United States troops on the coconut palm shattered foreshore of Wakde Island.. Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought21 May 1944
WhereWakde, Indonesia1.933S, 139.017E
OutcomeAmerican victory; Major staging point and air-base gained
BelligerentsUnited States; Australia (naval)againstEmpire of Japan
Casualties and losses40 killed; 107 wounded; 2 tanks lostand759 killed; 4 captured
Part ofPacific War1941 to 1945

Where it sits in the Pacific War

Bombing of Tokyo, 1940Bombing of South-East Asia, 1940Japanese invasion of French Indochina, 1940Battle of Guam, 1941Bombing of Bangkok in World War II, 1941Shelling of Johnston and Palmyra, 1941Axis and Soviet air operations during Operation Barbarossa, 1941Attack on Pearl Harbor, 1941Philippines Campaign, 1941Battle of Hong Kong, 1941Battle of Wake Island, 1941Dutch East Indies campaign, 1941Bombing of Singapore, 1941Battle of Prachuap Khiri Khan, 1941Japanese invasion of Batan Island, 1941Attack on Clark Field, 1941Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse, 1941Japanese invasion of Aparri, 1941Japanese invasion of Vigan, 1941Battle of Jitra, 1941Japanese invasion of Legazpi, 1941Battle of Gurun, 1941Battle of Borneo, 1941Japanese Invasion of Davao, 1941Battle of Piis, 1941Battle of Kampar, 1941Solomon Islands Campaign, 1942Burma Campaign, 1942Battle of Savo Island, 1942Battle of Rabaul, 1942Battle of Corregidor, 1942Invasion of Tulagi, 1942Battle of Java, 1942Battle of Tarakan, 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Hodojima, 1945Bombing of Shimada, 1945Bombing of Matsuyama, 1945Bombing of Kure, 1945Bombing of Aomori in World War II, 1945Oyamaguchi train air raid incident, 1945Bombing of Hamada, 1945Bombing of Yonago, 1945Bombing of Ōgaki, 1945Nakagawa iron bridge air raid, 1945Bombing of Nagaoka in World War II, 1945Bombing of Toyama, 1945Bombing of Hachiōji, 1945Bombing of Mito, 1945Bombing of Maebashi, 1945Bombing of Saga during World War II, 1945atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 1945atomic bombing of Hiroshima, 1945Battle of the Sittang Bend, 1945Bombing of Toyokawa in World War II, 1945Bombing of Fukuyama, 1945Chikushi Station Train Air Raid Incident, 1945Soviet–Japanese War, 1945atomic bombing of Nagasaki, 1945Bombing of Ōminato, 1945Bombing of Hanamaki, 1945Bombing of Tosu during World War II, 1945Bombing of Kurume during World War II, 1945Bombing of Kajiki, 1945Bombing of Nagano, 1945Bombing of Ōtsuki, 1945Bombing of Akita in World War II, 1945Bombing of Kumagaya in World War II, 1945Bombing of Odawara, 1945Bombing of Isesaki, 1945Seishin Operation, 1945Philippines campaign of 1944–1945, 1945Operation Jurist, 1945Operation Tiderace, 1945Operation Agas, 1945UN Offensive Campaign, 195019401950Battle of Wakde, 1944
415 placed engagements of the Pacific War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date21 May 1944
PlaceWakde, Indonesia
1.933S, 139.017E
KindBattle, interwar and Second World War
Strength~1,500 men; 4 Sherman tanks~800 men
Casualties and losses40 killed; 107 wounded; 2 tanks lost759 killed; 4 captured
Commanders
  • Jens A. Doe
Battle of WakdeBattle of WakdeBattle of Lone Tree HillBattle of HollandiaBattle of Lone Tree Hill100 km1.933S, 139.017E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1944

Battle of Wakde is one of 4,429 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 106 in present-day Indonesia.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q4872707, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Wakde, revision 1370276644, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.