Jayapura, Jubi – The United States Embassy and Consulates in Indonesia, working with several agencies including the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) and the Indonesian military, have carried out a humanitarian mission in Biak Island, Papua Province, to locate and identify US service members who went missing during World War II.
In recognition of its support for the mission, the Indonesian Air Force Regional Command III (Kodau III) received an award from the US Department of Defense’s Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) for facilitating the search, recovery, and identification of American personnel declared missing during the war in Biak Numfor Regency.
The award was presented to Kodau III Commander Air Vice Marshal Azhar Aditama in Biak on Thursday, 23 July 2026. It was based on an official DPAA letter dated 16 July 2026 and signed by the agency’s director, Kelly McKeague.
According to Portal Komando, cited by Jubi on Tuesday, the award included a commemorative plaque acknowledging Kodau III’s assistance in securing permits, coordinating transportation, and providing security throughout the humanitarian operation.
Kodau III’s support enabled the Joint Forensic Review (JFR) to proceed smoothly before recovered remains and other findings were transferred to DPAA’s forensic laboratory for further identification.
The mission forms part of a long-running effort to provide answers and closure to the families of US service members who have remained missing since World War II.
The recognition also reflects the close cooperation between the Indonesian Air Force and the United States in carrying out humanitarian operations based on shared humanitarian principles.
At the same time, the award highlights Kodau III’s commitment to supporting international cooperation in accordance with applicable laws while respecting Indonesia’s sovereignty.
According to Jubi’s records, US forces landed near Bosnik in Biak Numfor on 27 May 1944. Initial Japanese resistance appeared minimal, leading many American officers to believe that Japanese troops had withdrawn from the island.
In reality, Japanese forces deliberately held their fire, regrouped their positions, and waited for the right moment to launch a counterattack.
“Strategically, Biak had to be captured. The Japanese had built three airfields on the island—Mokmer, Sorido, and Borokoe. Securing these airfields would not only deny their use to the enemy but also enable American bombers to strike the Philippines, just 800 miles away,” historian David Alan Johnson wrote in his article The Battle of Biak: A Terrifying Glimpse into the Soul of Mankind.
However, US military planners underestimated the strength of Japanese forces on the island. They believed only about 4,400 Japanese troops were stationed in Biak, when in fact there were more than 11,400. They also expected the campaign to last only a week, a prediction that proved to be far off the mark.
According to WV History On View, the Battle of Biak took place between 27 May and 17 August 1944 during World War II.
The battle is remembered as the first time Japanese forces allowed US troops to land without resistance, drawing them into a carefully prepared defensive trap in the island’s interior.
The campaign claimed 474 American lives, with another 2,428 troops wounded. Japanese forces fought until the end, suffering approximately 6,100 fatalities.
Japanese troops used Biak’s extensive cave networks as fortified strongholds, stockpiling ammunition, food, and water sufficient to sustain prolonged resistance for months. (*)
