Operation Reckless, known as the Landing at Hollandia and Operation Persecution

Operation Persecution

The Landing at Aitape was a battle of the Western New Guinea campaign of World War II. American and Allied forces undertook an amphibious landing on 22 April 1944 at Aitape on northern coast of Papua New Guinea...

known as the Aitape landing, were Allied

Allies of World War II

The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...

 amphibious landings which commenced the Western New Guinea campaign

Western New Guinea campaign

The Western New Guinea campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. United States and Australian forces assaulted Japanese bases and positions in the northwest coastal areas of Netherlands New Guinea and adjoining parts of the Australian Territory of New Guinea...

. Both operations commenced on 22 April 1944.

In Operation Reckless the U.S. 24th and the 41st Infantry Division

U.S. 41st Infantry Division

The 41st Infantry Division was composed of National Guard units from Idaho, Montana, Oregon, North Dakota and Washington that saw active service in World War I and World War II. It was one of the first to engage in offensive ground combat operations during the last months of 1942...

s—under Lieutenant General Robert L. Eichelberger

Robert L. Eichelberger

Robert Lawrence Eichelberger was a general in the United States Army, who commanded the US Eighth Army in the South West Pacific Area during World War II. His Army was among the very first to engage the Japanese in the Pacific Theater of Operations.-Pre-World War II service:Eichelberger was born...

—landed at Tanahmerah

Tanahmerah Bay

Tanahmerah Bay, or Tanah Merah Bay, is a bay on the north coast of New Guinea, in the Indonesian province of Papua, about 50 km northwest of the provincial capital of Jayapura ....

 and Humboldt bays near Hollandia

Jayapura

Jayapura City is the capital of Papua province, Indonesia, on the island of New Guinea. It is situated on Yos Sudarso Bay . Its approximate population in 2002 was 200,000....

 in Dutch New Guinea (later known as Jayapura, Indonesia).

In Operation Persecution, the 163rd Regimental Combat Team—detached from the U.S.