The attack on Manus got underway on 15 March. Before dawn, two troops of the 8th Cavalry, six cargo carrying LVTs and the combat LVT were loaded on board an LST for the trip across Seeadler Harbour from Salami. Beaches at Lugos, about west of Lorengau were chosen in preference to those nearer Lorengau, which were known to be heavily defended. The destroyers , , , and bombarded the area with their 5-inch guns; the two rocket LCVPs, the LCM (flak), and the combat LVT raked the shoreline with rockets; the artillery on Hauwei and Butjo Luo engaged targets; and 18 B-25s of the 499th and 500th Bombardment Squadrons dropped 81  bombs and strafed the area.