Wikipedia:Today's featured article/requests/Landing at Nadzab

Landing at Nadzab
This nomination predates the introduction in April 2014 of article-specific subpages for nominations and has been created from the edit history of Today's featured article/requests. 
 * This is the archived discussion of the TFAR nomination for the article below. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as Wikipedia talk:Today's featured article/requests). Please do not modify this page. 

The result was: scheduled for Today's featured article/September 5, 2013 by BencherliteTalk 22:35, 26 August 2013‎ (UTC)



The Landing at Nadzab was an airborne landing on 5 September 1943 during the New Guinea campaign of World War II that began with a parachute drop at Nadzab (pictured) in conjunction with the seaborne Landing at Lae. The parachute drop was carried out by the US Army's 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment and elements of the Australian Army into Nadzab, New Guinea in the Markham Valley. It was observed by General Douglas MacArthur, circling overhead in a B-17. Australian and Papuan troops reached Nadzab that same day after an overland and river trek. The first transport aircraft carrying troops of the Australian 7th Division landed the next morning, but a terrible air crash at Jackson's Field caused half the Allied casualties of the battle. The 7th Division advanced on Lae from Nadzab. On 11 September, it defeated a Japanese force at Heath's Plantation. During this engagement, Private Richard Kelliher won the Victoria Cross, Australia's highest award for gallantry. The Japanese Army elected not to fight for Lae, preferring instead to withdraw over the rugged Saruwaged Range. This proved to be a gruelling test of endurance for the Japanese soldiers who had to struggle over the mountains. Troops of the 7th Division reached Lae shortly before those of the 9th Division that had been advancing on Lae from the opposite direction. Nadzab became the major Allied air base in New Guinea.
 * 2 points = Promoted two or more years ago
 * 2 points = Date relevance
 * 4 points = Total

As far as battles go, this one is straight out of Boy's Own, featuring a parachute drop and white water rafting, plus incredible heroism on both sides. There's also some nifty video behind the external link at the bottom of the page. Hawkeye7 (talk) 01:42, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
 * 1 point as there's a three-point penalty for being within a fortnight of another US&mdash;Japan WW2 battle, Battle of the Eastern Solomons (24th August). BencherliteTalk 07:08, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
 * Support Significant anniversary this complex and important operation. Nick-D (talk) 08:12, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
 * Support per Nick-D Cas Liber (talk · contribs) 12:35, 25 August 2013 (UTC)