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On September 15, 1944, one of the charismatic General of the United States, Douglas MacArthur, gave orders to seize the island of Morotai from the Imperial Japanese Army deployed about 61,000 personnel including from 31st Infantry Division, 126th and 32nd Infantry Division led by Major General John C. . Persons. On the island of 1,800 square kilometers it is only 500-1000 Japanese army, while the larger Japanese force on the island of Halmahera, which is located in the south of the island of Morotai. The landing was very chaotic day, many vehicles ally hampered by thick mud in the southern part of the island of Morotai.
However, Japan also weak resistance and uncoordinated. After successfully mastering the island, Commander of Division VII of the United States General MacArthur with Rear Admiral Barbey arrived at Morotai in the raid for inspection. MacArthur ordered built air base to strengthen cengkamannya through water superiority. The engineer unit of the United States took two weeks to find a suitable field to be built runway.
Japan did not remain silent. An officer of the Japanese infantry colonel sent to organize the defense with reinforcements of Halmahera. In December 1944, the 211th Infantry Regiment of the Imperial Japanese successfully placed in Morotai, precisely on a hill known as Hill 40 The position and composition of the regiment, was made a Japanese patrol troops overwhelmed. Japanese air attack of pangakalan in Halmahera also could damage some bombers stationed at Morotai, as a number of B-24 Liberator. Battle through artillery fire, sniper and air strikes continued until January 14, 1945.
But like most of the battles in the Pacific by the year 1945, the United States gave a crushing defeat to Jepng. A total of 870 Japanese soldiers were killed and 10 others taken prisoner. On the other hand, the United States claimed 46 soldiers were killed and 104 others were injured. With this victory, Morotai Island plays an important role against the invasion of Borneo to Australia and the United States carried out the operation to seize Leyte in the Philippines.
Morotai airbase is a silent witness to lunge USAAF in the Pacific theater during World War II raged also be a part of history Permesta revolt in 1958 in which the Air Force bomber B-25 Mitchell transit at this air base when they want to do the mission center attack insurgent forces in Manado, North Sulawesi.
While Permesta air power alone has obtained and supplied from the CIA. Air Force Permesta named AUREV attacked Morotai on 21 and 26 April. Even the amphibious force had landed and master Permesta Morotai Island followed the landing of a C-47 Skytrain which brings Permesta officials and two Americans. However Troop speedily (PGT) plunge to reclaim Morotai Island on May 20th. Permesta military forces then surrendered a month after they seized the island of Morotai was returned to the bosom of Mother Earth.
Decades have passed since the two events above, the air base is now located on the island of Morotai, North Halmahera, North Maluku, it has become the Air Force base, the airport name Leo Wattimena (wamr / ITO). Air Force airfield runways Morotai already extended to have a length of 2.4 km and a width of 30 m. Of the seven airstrip built by the Allies in the south of the island, there are only about two runways were still viable landed by small-bodied commercial jet class Boeing 737-300, McDonnell Douglas MD-82 or such with it.
There were still many relics remnants of the Allied logistical equipment such as the resting place of General MacArthur, military aircraft debris, tableware and war equipment such as guns, ammunition and explosives, including shipwrecks and aircraft which are under the ocean in the waters around it. Local people themselves are making use of the iron from the remnants of war tools for various purposes, such as fencing houses, souvenirs and household utensil tool.
Unfortunately, the legacy of war assets such as tanks, shipwrecks, plane and jeep has almost disappeared entirely because the locals take it in large quantities for sale. Old irons were reportedly accommodated by a company to then fused into iron and steel processing, as reported nationalgeographic.co.id.
With a rich history of this district Morotai, North Maluku (Maluku) has established cooperation with the Directorate of Cultural Heritage Preservation and Museum, the Ministry of Education and Culture to build two buildings in the historical museum of the island territory of the former Kingdom of Moro (Morotai) ruling on century 15 in the region.
Quoting from Kompas.com ("travel" Sunday, April 27, 2013), the second museum was built TRIKORA Museum and Museum of World War II, as dituturkam by Kasubid Exploration and Documentation, Preservation Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museum, the Ministry of Education and Culture, Sri Patmisari Ternate. Both physical development budget of the building, according to Sri, estimated at roughly $ 30 billion, which is sourced from the state budget for fiscal year 2013. To determine the collection that will be utilized to the museum later, the government still requires the study of a collection of types of goods, whether to be supplied from outside the area or taken from the Air Force.
In addition to the construction of the museum, the birthplace of Melky Goeslaw Island, father of a musician and songwriter Joey Ayala, also a venue for international maritime activities in collaboration Sail Indonesia, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia, Indonesian marine Council and other Indonesian government agencies diiikuti by more than 100 participants from various countries around the world.
In the event of Sail Morotai 2012 held on 11-15 September 2012, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the ambassadors of diplomats from a number of countries and the World War II veteran of the United States and Australia attended the opening ceremony were colored by dancing, parachuting to parade warships and yachts from various countries.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transportation launched a program of construction of service in the District Leo Wattimena Morotai, North Maluku, into an international airport to support the development of the area as a tourist destination as well as the Special Economic Zones, as reported by Reuters Online, on the date of 30 April 2013.
Leo Wattimena Airport development program into an international airport with a budget of USD 20-30 billion is expected to encourage the airline to open a route service international flights so as to boost the flow of tourists as well as encouraging investment from within and outside the country. The cost of 20-30 billion rupiah was used on them to build the passenger terminal and navigation facilities.
Various development plans ranging from the construction of the museum and the construction of an international airport facilities provide a bright future not only for Leo Wattimena airfield formerly called Pitu Airfield, but also for the province. On the contrary, the future is bleak shade record history through relics remnants of World War II who vanished almost without a trace. Relic of history itself is an attraction and a priceless treasure. Like it or not, a lively discourse Morotai Island development, especially the development of Leo Wattimena service, can not get out of the 61,000 American troops liberating the island is rich in these spices from the clutches of the Empire of Japan.
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