5th Air Force B-25 Gunships attacking Cape Gloucester at low level in December 1943

This was part of the extensive air campaign preceding the Battle of Cape Gloucester on the island of New Britain, Territory of New Guinea, between December 26th 1943 and January 16th 1944. Codenamed Operation Backhander, the US landing formed part of the wider Operation Cartwheel, the main Allied strategy in the South West Pacific Area and Pacific Ocean Areas during 1943–1944. It was the second landing the US 1st Marine Division had conducted during the war thus far, after Guadalcanal. The objective of the operation was to capture the two Japanese airfields near Cape Gloucester that were defended by elements of the Japanese 17th Division.