WELCOME TO MAKATUR, U.S. MILITARY BASE IN INDONESIA

MacArthur Monument, photo by: www.agenmossad.wordpress.com

When the world community today begin to oppose the presence of U.S. military base in their country, in Indonesia, the U.S. military base become the main attraction for tourists. The base is even become one of the pride of the local government of Jayapura. American military base which is once very popular in the period of World War II is known by local society as Makatur, taken from the name of MacArthur, an U.S Army general who was in battle for the Allies and led his men in a military operation against Japanese troops in Jayapura, Indonesia.

MacArthur, photo by: www.forum.kafegaul.com

Makatur base has a building right on a hill that was once used as by MacArthur in order to technically monitor the effort to complete the 4-day military operation to take control of Japan 3 air base in Sentani area. The U.S and Allied military operation to take control Jayapura (then named Hollandia) and Sentani from the Japanese took place on 22-26 April 1944 and was known as Operation Reckless, and usually called simultaneously with Operation Persecution.

Lake Sentani View from Makatur, photo by: www.beritadaerah.com

MacArthur had perfectly chosen the location as a base for his troops because from the hill, he could clearly see a valley area of the airfield, completed with the beauty of the lake Sentani. From the chosen location, MacArthur and his Allied men reached some successes of the operation.

To commemorate these historic events, this time on the hill of Makatur is built a monument as a symbol that the American and Allied armed forces in Papua had once controlledJayapura under the leadership of General Douglas MacArthur in World War II. The monument was also built to commemorate the success of General MacArthur's famous vow "I shall return" carved on the foot of the monument. The monument stands on a hilltop Pelwai Mogho on 325 meters above sea level and can be reached about 39 kms from Jayapura.