In 1921 when the military administration ended after World War I, a gold prospector named Cecil John Levien was appointed District Officer of Morobe.

On 1 January 1923 Levien acquired a mining right for the area and shortly after formed a syndicate called Guinea Gold (No Liability).

[4] In February 1942 Nadzab was a mission station with a small landing strip which was quickly neglected when war broke out.

The 503rd Bomber Group historian wrote: Lyndon B. Johnson was appointed Lieutenant Commander in the United States Naval Reserve on 21 June 1940.

The mission was called "TOW 9" and Lieutenant Commander Lyndon Baines Johnson, the future 36th President of the United States, went on this raid as an observer on the aircraft, the Heckling Hare.

The first Junkers W34 B, VH-UGZ (c/n 2601 CoR 195-crashed Wau 6 March 1930[11]), was bought disassembled in big crates to New Guinea and made its test flight on 10 April 1928.

Guinea Airways eventually purchased five of these simple, rugged and honest Junkers machines unmatched at the time by any other manufacturer.

[12] The Lae airport is probably best remembered for being the point of departure in July 1937 for Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan on their flight to Howland Island.