Atlas of Battles

battle, notable, interwar and Second World War

Operation Cartwheel

Operation Cartwheel was a battle fought on 30 June 1943 at Melanesia, in what is now Papua New Guinea; it lasted 9 months. It was part of the South West Pacific theater of World War II. The recorded result: Allied victory. Recorded strength: 250,000 against 200,000.

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Original caption: "Marines hit three feet of rough water as they leave their LST to take the beach at Cape Gloucester, New Britain."
Original caption: "Marines hit three feet of rough water as they leave their LST to take the beach at Cape Gloucester, New Britain.". Sergeant Robert M. Howard (Photo identification number 127-G-68998)(https://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/photos/images/, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought30 June 1943lasted 9 months
WhereMelanesia, Papua New Guinea4.196S, 152.173E
OutcomeAllied victory
BelligerentsUnited States; Australia; New ZealandagainstEmpire of Japan
Casualties and losses2,000 killed; 6,800 woundedand35,300 killed
Part ofSouth West Pacific theater of World War II

Where it sits in the South West Pacific theater of World War II

Bombing of Darwin, 1942Battle of the Coral Sea, 1942Battle of Milne Bay, 1942Battle of Buna–Gona, 1942Battle of Wau, 1943Operation Cartwheel, 1943Battle of Hollandia, 1944Battle of Driniumor River, 194419421944Operation Cartwheel, 1943
8 placed engagements of the South West Pacific theater of World War II in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date30 June 1943
to 20 March 1944
PlaceMelanesia, Papua New Guinea
4.196S, 152.173E
KindBattle, interwar and Second World War
Strength250,000200,000
Casualties and losses2,000 killed; 6,800 wounded35,300 killed
Commanders
Operation CartwheelOperation CartwheelBattle of RabaulBattle of Karavia BaySiege of TomaBattle of Bita PakaBattle of Open BaySiege of TomaBattle of Bita PakaBattle of Open Bay100 km4.196S, 152.173E
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 1943

Operation Cartwheel is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 54 in present-day Papua New Guinea.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2026016, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Operation Cartwheel, revision 1385572220, 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.