Comes with hand-signed C.O.A. and a full historical write-up

*From the World War II Pacific Theater Bring-Back Collection of a U.S. Fifth Air Force Veteran.

Type: Original World War II U.S. Army Air Force Combat Flight Navigation Map Specially Prepared for the U.S. 5th Air Force by South West Pacific Area Command.

Campaign/Operations: Pacific Theater - Invasion of Peleliu

From 1944 to 1945, the U.S. Fifth Air Force played a critical role in aerial operations over New Guinea and the Palau Islands, conducting extensive bombing campaigns, air superiority missions, and ground support operations that paved the way for Allied advances in the Pacific. In New Guinea, the Fifth Air Force launched sustained airstrikes against Japanese-held airfields, supply depots, and coastal defenses, with major operations centered around Hollandia, Biak, Noemfoor, and Wewak. These missions, often led by B-24 Liberators and B-25 Mitchells, ensured that Japanese air power was crippled before MacArthur’s forces conducted amphibious landings. Fighter squadrons, including P-38 Lightnings and P-47 Thunderbolts, provided escort for bombers and engaged in aggressive dogfights against Japanese aircraft attempting to defend their positions. Meanwhile, in the Palau Islands, the Fifth Air Force played a crucial role in preparing for the invasion of Peleliu in September 1944, launching a series of strategic bombing raids to destroy Japanese fortifications, ammunition dumps, and airstrips on Peleliu, Angaur, and Babelthuap. These airstrikes were vital in softening enemy defenses before the costly ground assault, which saw heavy resistance from well-entrenched Japanese forces. Throughout late 1944 and early 1945, the Fifth Air Force maintained constant pressure on remaining Japanese garrisons in the Palaus, supporting mop-up operations and preventing enemy reinforcements from reaching the islands. By mid-1945, these sustained aerial campaigns had effectively neutralized Japanese air and naval operations in New Guinea and Palau, ensuring that the Allies had full control of the region and setting the stage for the push toward the Philippines and the eventual invasion of Okinawa.

Dated: Printed in August 1944, one month before the invasion of Peleliu, this map reflects the critical role of the Fifth Air Force in preparing for the September 1944 assault. In the weeks leading up to the battle, the Fifth Air Force conducted strategic bombing raids on Peleliu, Angaur, and Babelthuap, targeting Japanese fortifications, ammunition depots, and airstrips. These airstrikes were essential in weakening enemy defenses and disrupting Japanese positions ahead of the amphibious landings, though the ground assault would still face fierce resistance from well-entrenched defenders.

Size: 21.5 × 30 inches

This exceptionally rare and museum-grade World War II artifact is an original U.S. Army Air Force combat flight navigation map, dated August 1944, specially prepared for the U.S. Fifth Air Force by the Ground Headquarters of the South West Pacific Area during the critical stages of the New Guinea Campaign and the lead-up to the invasion of Peleliu. It is one of only a handful of known original examples still in existence, making it a significant historical artifact tied directly to the aerial operations that shaped the course of the Pacific War.

This combat mission flight map played an essential role in Fifth Air Force operations, guiding strategic bombing missions, air superiority campaigns, and ground support operations against entrenched Japanese forces across New Guinea and the Palau Islands. Throughout 1944, the Fifth Air Force conducted relentless air raids on key Japanese strongholds, including Hollandia, Biak, Wewak, and Noemfoor, destroying enemy airfields, crippling supply networks, and clearing the way for Allied ground advances. These operations ensured that MacArthur’s forces could move unopposed across New Guinea, securing vital airfields for continued offensives into the Central Pacific. As the New Guinea campaign reached its final phase, this map also played a role in the preparation for the invasion of Peleliu in September 1944, where the Fifth Air Force conducted a series of strategic bombing raids targeting Japanese fortifications, ammunition depots, and airstrips on Peleliu, Angaur, and Babelthuap. These pre-invasion airstrikes were crucial in weakening enemy defenses before the costly ground assault.

What makes this map an exceptionally rare World War II artifact is its status as one of the few surviving Pacific Theater combat maps specifically prepared for the Fifth Air Force under the direction of the Chief Engineer of Ground Headquarters within the South West Pacific Area Command. Developed using aerial reconnaissance data and topographical intelligence, these maps ensured that pilots and mission planners had the most accurate and up-to-date information when executing high-risk bombing raids and fighter patrols over rugged and heavily defended enemy positions. This combat flight navigation map was the product of a close collaboration between the U.S. Fifth Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force, reflecting the joint efforts between American and Australian forces in executing aerial operations against heavily fortified Japanese positions.

The Fifth Air Force played a decisive role in securing Allied air superiority in New Guinea. In April 1944, during the Battle of Hollandia, U.S. bombers launched devastating attacks on Japanese air bases, destroying hundreds of enemy aircraft on the ground and ensuring the success of MacArthur’s amphibious landings. Throughout the summer, airstrikes against Biak and Noemfoor eliminated key Japanese garrisons and provided the Allies with strategically located airfields for long-range bombing missions. As the campaign shifted to western New Guinea in late 1944, the Fifth Air Force intensified bombing raids on Wewak, Sorong, and Timika, cutting off Japanese supply lines and isolating their remaining forces. Meanwhile, the buildup for the invasion of Peleliu required sustained air attacks, with Fifth Air Force bombers and fighters conducting precision strikes to neutralize airfields and defensive positions, setting the stage for the amphibious assault in September 1944.

This map would have been used during aerial assaults on key Japanese airfields, fortified garrisons, and logistical centers, guiding pilots through heavily defended enemy territory where anti-aircraft fire and Japanese fighter aircraft posed constant threats. As the Fifth Air Force expanded its operations, combat flight maps like this became indispensable tools for mission planning, providing essential intelligence on enemy troop movements, coastal defenses, and strategic targets across New Guinea and the Palau Islands. By mid-1945, these sustained aerial operations had neutralized Japanese air power in the region, ensuring that Allied forces could shift their focus to the Philippines and the final stages of the Pacific War.

This artifact stands as a testament to the ingenuity, precision, and strategic coordination that defined the U.S. Fifth Air Force’s aerial campaign in the Pacific War. With so few of these original combat navigation maps surviving, this piece represents a once-in-a-lifetime historical relic, directly linked to the air war that led to the successful completion of the New Guinea Campaign and the pivotal invasion of Peleliu, shaping the course of the Pacific conflict.

Condensed 1944-1945 History of U.S. Fifth Air Force in the Pacific Theater:

The U.S. Fifth Air Force served as the aerial spearhead of General Douglas MacArthur’s island-hopping campaign from 1944 to 1945, playing a critical role in securing air superiority, conducting strategic bombing, and providing close air support for ground forces across the Pacific. As MacArthur’s forces advanced toward the Philippines and ultimately Japan, the Fifth Air Force was responsible for neutralizing key Japanese strongholds, disrupting enemy supply lines, and ensuring the success of amphibious landings. Throughout 1944, the Fifth Air Force was heavily engaged in the New Guinea Campaign, supporting operations in Hollandia (April 1944), Biak (May–June 1944), Noemfoor (July 1944), and Morotai (September 1944). These battles secured critical airfields, allowing the Allies to extend their operational reach further into the Pacific. The Admiralty Islands campaign (February–May 1944)was another key operation, during which the Fifth Air Force conducted extensive bombing raids and fighter sweeps to eliminate Japanese resistance on Los Negros and Manus Island. These islands provided the Allies with forward bases to launch further operations against the Philippines. By late 1944, the Fifth Air Force was instrumental in the Philippines Campaign, beginning with the Battle of Leyte Gulf (October 1944), where it conducted bombing raids on enemy airfields and provided air cover for naval and ground forces. As the campaign progressed into Luzon (January 1945), Mindoro, and Mindanao, Fifth Air Force aircraft engaged in relentless airstrikes against Japanese defensive positions, shipping convoys, and troop concentrations. Throughout these operations, the Fifth Air Force employed a variety of aircraft, including P-38 Lightnings, B-24 Liberators, B-25 Mitchells, and A-20 Havocs, to strike Japanese airfields, infrastructure, and reinforcements across islands such as Palawan, Cebu, Panay, and Borneo. As the war neared its end in mid-1945, the Fifth Air Force continued its air campaigns against Formosa (Taiwan) and the Ryukyu Islands, ensuring that Japan’s ability to counter the Allied advance was further diminished. By securing these islands, the Fifth Air Force played a decisive role in paving the way for the final stages of the Pacific War, culminating in the liberation of the Philippines and the eventual planning for an invasion of Japan.

  19th Bombardment Group
  22nd Bombardment Group
  2d Combat Cargo Group
  312th Bombardment Group
  317th Troop Carrier Group
  345th Bombardment Group
  348th Fighter Group
  35th Fighter Group
  374th Troop Carrier Group

  375th Troop Carrier Group
  380th Bombardment Group
  38th Bombardment Group
  3rd Air Commando Group
  3rd Bombardment Group
  417th Bombardment Group
  433rd Troop Carrier Group
  43rd Bombardment Group
  475th Fighter Group

  49th Fighter Group
  54th Troop Carrier Wing
  58th Fighter Group
  6th Reconnaissance Group
  71st Reconnaissance Group
  85th Fighter Wing
  86th Fighter Wing
  8th Fighter Group
  90th Bombardment Group

  91st Reconnaissance Wing
  V Bomber Command
  V Fighter Command