| Original caption: “Australian troops storm ashore in the first assault wave to hit Balikpapan on the southeast coast of oil-rich Borneo. Coast Guard Combat Photographer James L. Lonergan stands in the landing craft.” A Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) from the United States Coast Guard-manned USS LST-168 deposits Australian troops of the 7th Royal Australian Army Infantry Division ashore during the landings on the southeast coast. The landings, slightly north of Balikpapan itself, formed the final stage of Operation OBOE-2 and had been preceded by heavy shelling and aerial bombing by both the Australian and United States Army Air Forces, and Royal Australian and United States Navies. Like many similar Pacific battles at this late stage of the war, the Japanese forces were outnumbered and outgunned, but many chose to fight to the death. It was a sizable operation with more 33,000 Army, Air Force and Navy personnel landed, starting July 1, 1945, in what would be the largest ever amphibious assault by Australian forces. An oil port before the war, Balikpapan had 7 piers, a refinery and a large number of warehouses around the docks which were quickly set alight during the initial bombardment. The smoke in the background is the result of the burning oil refinery. Standing on the LCVP is United States Coast Guard Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class James L. Lonergan (September 9, 1924 – May 6, 1986), filming the action. The image itself was taken by another Coast Guard photographer, Gerald C. Anker (December 25, 1923 – October 18, 2003). As 2nd generation Coast Guard Photographer, James survived the battle to show his father Chief Photographer’s Mate Thomas L. Lonergan (July 3, 1901 – August 1987) this photograph at the Library of Congress after the war. | |
| Image Filename | wwii2180.jpg |
| Image Size | 869.02 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2812 x 2304 |
| Photographer | Gerald C. Anker |
| Photographer Title | United States Coast Guard |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | July 1, 1945 |
| Location | |
| City | Balikpapan |
| State or Province | East Kalimantan |
| Country | Borneo |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-26-G-4718 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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