The Battle of Mount Tambu was a series of actions fought in the Salamaua area of the Territory of New Guinea between Allied and Japanese forces, which took place between 16 July and 18 August 1943, during World War II.

[5] The highest feature on the route between Mubo and Salamaua, Mount Tambu consisted of a series of steep razorback ridges that were covered in dense jungle.

[4] On 28 July, the several companies—consisting of about 400 men—from the 1st Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, which had landed at Nassau Bay earlier in the month, arrived and relieved some of the Australian forces in the forward positions around Mount Tambu.

[12] For his efforts in rescuing 12 wounded US soldiers during the attack while under fire, an Australian stretcher bearer from the 2/5th Infantry Battalion, Corporal Leslie Allen, was awarded the US Silver Star;[13] his actions were captured in a photograph by Gordon Short.

[4] Operations in the area continued for the rest of August and into September as the Japanese fought to hold the Allied advance on their final defensive line in front of Salamaua.

Bad weather hampered their efforts but the airfield and vicinity were eventually secured on 11 September by Australian forces from the 15th and 29th Brigades, after a brief engagement with the Japanese rearguard.