7075 - Douglas MacArthur War-Dated Autograph Letter Signed to Admiral Kinkaid, Praising PT Boat Crews in the New Guinea Campaign

Douglas MacArthur War-Dated Autograph Letter Signed to Admiral Kinkaid, Praising PT Boat Crews in the New Guinea Campaign World War II-era ALS in pencil signed “MacA,” one page, 8 x 10, undated [1944]. Handwritten letter to Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid, praising the officers and men of the motor torpedo boats serving in the New Guinea campaign. In part: “Please accept for yourself and express to all officers and men of the squadron of the motor torpedo [craft] concerned my appreciation of the splendid service they are so consistently rendering in the New Guinea Campaign. It is creating high tradi[ti]ons for this branch of our Navy.” MacArthur strikes through several words of the text. In fine condition, with toning to borders, paperclip impressions, and a repaired right edge. Accompanied by a period photo of MacArthur released by the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Before the Allies could push northward to the Philippines, they had to subdue Japanese-held northern New Guinea. American troops landed at Saidor on January 2, 1944, and established an air base there; Australian forces reached Sio in mid-January. American reinforcements then landed at Yalau Plantation, near Mindiri, on March 5, and Australian troops advanced westward to take Bogadjim, Madang, and Alexishafen in April. On April 22, the Allies made two simultaneous landings at Hollandia, at Humboldt Bay and Tanahmerah Bay, along with a third landing at Aitape, and captured the Hollandia airfields within four days. In the following months, Hollandia was converted into a major base and the headquarters for the Southwest Pacific Area. The Allies then captured other Japanese strongholds in western New Guinea, including Wakde, Biak, Noemfoor, and Sansapor. Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid held important commands throughout the Pacific War. He commanded cruiser forces at the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, led carrier task forces during the Guadalcanal campaign, and, as commander of the North Pacific Force, directed the 1943 recapture of Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians. In November 1943 he took command of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, which supported General MacArthur's advance along New Guinea. In the invasion of the Philippines, Kinkaid commanded the naval forces responsible for moving the landing force ashore at Leyte and later at Lingayen Gulf, and his fleet fought the battles of Surigao Strait and Samar during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.