Mios Woendi ( Biak )

Mios Woendi is an island off the north coast of the western end of New Guinea .

The Japanese controlled Biak until the middle of 1944.  On May 29, 1944 the first tank battle of the Pacific took place on Biak .  The Sherman tank was just too powerful for the Japanese tanks and completely overpowered them.

On June 07^th US Forces captured an airfield.  On June 08^th the Japanese Fleet tried to supply the Garrison but was repelled by the US Forces.

US Forces tried several times to dislodge the Japanese from the many caves on Biak . On June 28, 1944 US Forces cleared the caves, destroyed the Japanese defenses and gained control of the island.

On August 29, 1944 US Forces took complete control of the island, but not without a high cost.  The Japanese lost 4700 of their troops and the US had 2550 casualties.

In November 1944, while on the 5^th War Patrol, REDFIN was ordered to Mios Woendi for a torpedo reload.  While there, LT. Rene TAYLOR talked a skipper of a PT Boat into taking him and some REDFIN Crew to one of the cave sites.