country landing at lae
Salamaua was a small town situated on the northeastern coastline of ___MASK10___ , part of Morobe province . The settlement was built on a minor isthmus between the coast with mountains on the inland side and a headland . The closest city is Lae , which can be reached only via boat across the gulf . Morobe Province is a province on the northern coast of ___MASK10___ . The provincial capital , and largest city , is Lae . The province covers 33 , 705 km² , with a population of 674 , 810 ( 2011 census ), and since the division of Southern Highlands Province in May 2012 it is the most populous province . It includes the Huon Peninsula , the Markham River , and delta , and coastal territories along the Huon Gulf . The province has nine administrative districts , and 101 languages are spoken , including Kâte and Yabim . English and Tok Pisin are common languages in the urban areas , and in some areas forms of Pidgin German are mixed with the native language . ___MASK10___ ( PNG Hiri Motu : " Papua Niu Gini "), officially the Independent State of ___MASK10___ , is an Oceanian country that occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and its offshore islands in Melanesia , a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean north of Australia . Its capital , located along its southeastern coast , is Port Moresby . The western half of New Guinea forms the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua . The Markham River is a river in eastern ___MASK10___ . It originates in the Finisterre Range and flows for to empty into the Huon Gulf at Lae . The Landing at Lae was an amphibious landing to the east of Lae during the Salamaua -- Lae campaign of World War II which took place between 4 and 6 September 1943 . Part of Operation Postern , which was undertaken to capture the Japanese base at Lae , the landing was undertaken by Australian troops from the 9th Division , supported by US naval forces from the VII Amphibious Force . It was carried out in conjunction with the airborne landing at Nadzab , and was followed by a drive on Lae by the 7th Division from Nadzab and the 9th from the landing beaches . Hampered by bad weather , logistical difficulties , and stiff resistance by the Japanese defenders , the 9th Division ' s advance stalled and ultimately troops from the 7th Division entered Lae first . Lae () is the capital of Morobe Province and is the second - largest city in ___MASK10___ . It is located near the delta of the Markham River and at the start of the Highlands Highway , which is the main land transport corridor between the Highlands region and the coast . Lae is the largest cargo port of the country and is the industrial hub of ___MASK10___ . The city is known as the " Garden City " and home of the University of Technology . The Highlands Highway , sometimes known as the Okuk Highway , is the main land highway in ___MASK10___ . It connects several major cities and is vital for the movement of people and goods between the populous Highlands region and the coast .