Landings at Peleliu

By the summer of 1944, victories in the Southwest and Central Pacific put American bombers within striking distance of the Japanese mainland. General MacArthur turned his attention to recapturing the Philippines. But first he had to capture the Palau islands, …

1944-09-15

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By the summer of 1944, victories in the Southwest and Central Pacific put American bombers within striking distance of the Japanese mainland. General MacArthur turned his attention to recapturing the Philippines. But first he had to capture the Palau islands, including Peleliu, to secure his right flank. The 1st Marine Division was chosen to make the assault. At 05.30 15 September 1944, naval support ships began the pre-landing bombardment of Peleliu's landing sites. Next, armored amphibious tanks went in, to suppress the beach defenses, preceding the infantry of the 1st, 5th and 7th Marines. But Colonel Nakagawa's soldiers and artillery Resistance were far fiercer than expected on all the landing sites. On the far left the 1st Marines were pinned down by Japanese strong points firing all along the coral shoreline. In the center, 5th Marines met scattered Resistance, managing to move inland toward the airfield. But the lack of progress on their left soon forced them to stop. On the far right, 7th Marines, facing heavy fire, veered off left, causing confusion in the center landing beaches. Around 16.30, a Japanese counter attack of tanks and infantry across the airfield was repulsed, as was a second attack later in the day. What had been planned as a quick 4 day battle would soon turn into a 2 months long nightmare...

Peleliu, Palau

The Battle of Peleliu, codenamed Operation Stalemate II by the United States military, was fought between the U.S. and Japan during the Mariana and Palau Campaign of World War II, from September to November 1944, on the island of Peleliu. U.S. Marines of theist Marine Division, and later soldiers of the U.S. Army's 8ist Infantry Division, fought to capture an airstrip on the small coral island of Peleliu. This battle was part of a larger offensive campaign known as Operation Forager, which ran from June to November 1944, in the Pacific Theater. Major General William Rupertus, commander of theist Marine Division, predicted the island would be secured within four days. However, after repeated Imperial Army defeats in previous island campaigns, Japan had developed new island-defense tactics and well-crafted fortifications that allowed stiff Resistance, extending the battle through more than two months. The heavily outnumbered Japanese defenders put up such stiff Resistance, often fighting to the death in the Emperor's name, that the island became known in Japanese as the "Emperor's Island." In the U.S., this was a controversial battle because of the island's negligible strategic value and the high casualty rate, which exceeded that of all other amphibious operations during the Pacific War. The National Museum of the Marine Corps called it "the bitterest battle of the war for the Marines".

Wikipedia: Battle of Peleliu

Japanese

American

Game Type: Standard

Board Type: Beach

Website Access: Classified