Purchased by the Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College on August 12, 2020 from Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York.

First Enemy Dead: A group of Marine fighters stops briefly in their advance through the jungles of New Britain to examine the first Japanese soldier killed by their outfit in the invasion. Late reports from New Britain indicate that the total of enemy dead in the fighting at Cape Gloucester alone has reached 2400, against about 400 American casualties, New Guinea.

The Battle of Cape Gloucester was fought in the Pacific Theater of World War II between Japanese and Allied forces on the island of New Britain, Territory of New Guinea, from December 26, 1943 - January 16, 1944. Codenamed Operation Backhander, the U.S. landing formed part of the wider Operation Cartwheel, the main Allied strategy in the South West Pacific Area and Pacific Ocean Areas. It was the second landing the U.S. 1st Marine Division had conducted during the war thus far, after Guadalcanal. The objective of the operation was to capture the two Japanese airfields near Cape Gloucester. Fighting continued into early January 1944 as the U.S. troops extended their perimeter south from the airfields towards Borgen Bay. Organized resistance ceased on January 16, 1944, when U.S. troops captured Hill 660.

Ferrotyped prints are processed in such a way that they are shiny. The print has a sensitive surface, usually thinner, because it was put through a press while still wet.

On recto: Label in bottom right corner, "DISPATCH / PHOTO NEWS / SERVICE / INC. / NEW YORK".

On verso: Typewritten label attached in center, "FIRST ENEMY DEAD / A group of Marine fighters stop briefly in their advance through the jungles of New / Britain to examine the first Japanese soldier killed by their outfit in invasion. Late / reports from New Britain indicate that the total of enemy dead in the fighting at Cape / Gloucester alone has reached 2400, against about 400 American casualties. / Produced Exclusively by Dispatch Photo News Service, New York City". Handwritten in graphite in top left corner, "DP-WW2-058".

Ferrotyped prints have a sensitive surface, usually shiny and thinner, because they are put through a press while still wet. Ferrotyping makes the surface of the photograph smoother. Light does not scatter as much on a smoother surface, so this increases contrast. That makes ferrotyped images better for press photography.

This object has the following keywords:

• Corpses
• Death
• Invasions
• Japan
• Jungles
• Killed in action
• Marines
• New Britain
• Soldiers
• U.S. First Marine Division
• World War II

This object is a member of the following portfolios: