THE ISLAND OF MOROTAI
Locals who still remember World War II would tell visitors that
back in 1944-145 Morotai was a hive of military activities with tens of
sorties roaring daily from aircrafts taking off and landing at airstrips
along Daruba Bay,endless stamping of thousands of military boots
marching across the island, and navy ships anchoring daily carrying
supplies and reinforcement. For Morotai back then, was the strategic
base of the Allied Forces from which they attacked posts in the
Philippines and Borneo in their fight against Japanese forces during
World War II.
On 15 September 1944, Allied Forces from the USA and Australia
under leadership of Supreme Commander for the West Pacific, General
Douglas MacArthur, landed on Morotai's south west corner, where some
time before, the Japanese had constructed an airstrip but abandoned it in
favor of the island of Halmahera to its south. In Morotai the Japanese
command left only some 500 soldiers to guard the island. With such
overwhelming odds, the advancing Allied Forces were no match for the
small number of Japanese troops. The Japanese Navy later tried to
recapture the island but also to no avail.
When the Japanese abandoned Morotai, Gen. MacArthur saw this
as the golden window of opportunity to take the island which he
considered was at the most strategic location for a counter invasion to
recapture the Philipppines from the Japanese. With over 50,000 troops
the Allied Forces settled on [Link] no time, Mac Arthur
immediately constructed a number of airstrips over the rough coral
ground. At one point, Morotai was said to house no less than 60,000
soliders, and had a large hospital with 1,900 [Link] was also a busy
naval base nearby.
Later, Australian Forces also sortied from Morotai to stage attacks
on North Borneo. This hive of activities continued until the end of World
War 11 at the surrender of the Japanese in 1945. Before leaving the
island. Allied Forces are said to have burnt down all constructions on
Morotai.
In 1974 a lone Japanese soldier called Tario Nakamura emerged
from the jungles of Morotai having hidden there for decades unaware
that the War was long over. Today, Morotai has become a vague
memory in the annals of World War II military operations in the Pacific
Theater, and its role in the fight for freedom of the Philippines almost
forgotten. The island itself with a total population of 53,000 people is
now back to its routine as sleepy tropical paradise. Nevertheless, its
decisive role in World War II is forever etched in history books.
Now the government plans to make Morotai into an economic hub
and gateway into Indonesia from the Pacific Ocean. Morotai will be
developed as a fishery, tourist, trade and services center. The island of
Morotai has now been designated as one of Indonesia's Top Priority
Tourist Destination for intense resort development. Now the government
plans to make Morotal into an economic hub and gateway into Indonesia
from the Pacific Ocean. Morotai will be developed as a fishery, tourist,
trade and services center. The island of Morotai has now been designated
as one of Indonesia's Top Priority Tourist Destination for intense resort
development.
Located north of the larger island of halmahera in the province of
North Maluku, the island of Morotai has a number of great beaches and
interesting diving spots. The largest town here is Daruba in the south. To
Morotai's north are the Philippines, to its east the Pacific Ocean. Not
much remains to be seen from those hectic World War I1 days, except
for a number ofinteresting wrecks to be explored underwater.
A lone statue of General Douglas Mac Arthur on the island of
SumSum near Daruba serves to remind following generations that this
famous general, best known for his words "I will return", once made
Morotai his military base. Nearby at Kao Bay in Halmahera a half
submerged Japanese wreck named the Tosimart can still be seen from
shore. A shack filled with memorabilia of World War II collected by a
private citizen and known as the Morotai Museum can be visited to
remind visitors of those terrible war days, which will hopefully never
occur again on this planet. Besides serving as US and Australian military
base in WW II, the island of Morotai later also served as base for
Indonesian forces in the liberation of West New Guinea from Dutch
colonization.
