Operation Dexterity

Operation Dexterity
Part of World War II, Pacific War
U.S. Marines in the jungle at Cape Gloucester
Date December 15, 1943 – March 9, 1944 Location Arawe and Cape Gloucester, New Britain, and Saidor, Territory of New Guinea Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United States  Australia	Japan
Commanders and leaders
Douglas MacArthur Walter Krueger	Yasushi Sakai Iwao Matsuda
Strength
~19,000	~10,500
Casualties and losses
~500 killed	~4,500 killed

Operation Dexterity was a military operation, part of Operation Cartwheel in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) for the Allies in the Pacific theater of World War II. The operation was directed by the Supreme Allied Commander in the SWPA, General Douglas MacArthur. Dexterity included amphibious landings at Arawe on 15 December 1943, and Cape Gloucester on 26 December 1943 in the northwest of New Britain, the capture of the Imperial Japanese held Tuluvu aerodrome on the 30 December 1943 and the amphibious landing at Saidor on 2 January 1944. The final battle was the landing at Talasea in March. The operation ended on 9 March 1944.