World Battlefronts: BATTLE OF THE PACIFIC: That Damn Bridge

U.S. and Australian flyers confronted a confounded, apparently indestructible, inanimate object. In their bombing and strafing attacks on the Japanese supply line over the New Guinea mountain trail, they concentrated on its most vital link: the Wairopi* Bridge on the other side of the mountains. Spanning the swift-running Kumasi River, the crude wire-rope bridge, reinforced by wooden pilings, foiled all attempts to down it.

General MacArthur’s communiqué first announced the destruction of the bridge on Sept. 23. By the next day the bridge had evidently been rebuilt, because it was reported “hit and damaged.” Wairopi stayed out of the news for three days until, “Allied fighters dive-bombed it, completely demolishing one end.” Then Flying Fortresses were brought against Wairopi and “both approaches were hit with heavy demolition bombs, leaving the bridge sagging and badly damaged” (Oct. 1 communiqué). In a series of coordinated attacks next day, fighters and heavy bombers both fell to on the 200-ft. bridge, “which had been partially repaired during the night.” Direct hits were claimed and “a large section of the span was destroyed by high explosives.” The Oct. 3 communiqué said only that a fighter formation had attacked with bombs and strafing fire, “causing further damage to the span, which is now almost completely destroyed.” Medium bombers had their first fling at Wairopi in the Oct. 4 communiqué, “scored three hits with heavy bombs, destroying the partially repaired eastern end.” New York Times Correspondent Byron Darnton forecast further attacks on the bridge because “it is gaining too great a reputation for durability.”

This week Wairopi was still being destroyed.

*Wairopi is the Papuan corruption of “wire rope.”