 In March 1944 , MacArthur met with Curtin and detailed his plans for the Western New Guinea campaign , explaining that he would assume direct command of land forces when he reached the Philippines , and suggesting that Blamey could either go with him as an army commander , or remain in Australia as Commander in Chief . The new organisation went into effect in September 1944 , with Lieutenant General Walter Krueger 's Sixth US Army , Lieutenant General Robert Eichelberger 's Eighth United States Army , Lieutenant General Vernon Sturdee 's First Australian Army , Lieutenant General Leslie Morshead 's I Australian Corps and Major General Oscar Griswold 's XIV Corps reporting directly to GHQ . Allied Land Forces remained as an important administrative and logistical command , until it was abolished , along with SWPA , on 2 September 1945 . 
