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Peleliu Landings Overlord

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Title
Peleliu Landings Overlord
Description
At 05.30 the morning of September 15, 1944, naval support ships began a massive pre-landing bombardment of Peleliu, in the Palau islands. Armored amphibious tanks came ashore ahead of the infantry waves of the 1st, 5th and 7th Marines. But …
Subject
Publisher
Date
1944-09-15
Scenario#
1517
Scenario Description
At 05.30 the morning of September 15, 1944, naval support ships began a massive pre-landing bombardment of Peleliu, in the Palau islands. Armored amphibious tanks came ashore ahead of the infantry waves of the 1st, 5th and 7th Marines. But the bombardment had failed to destroy Colonel Kunio Nakagawa's soldiers and artillery Resistance on the island. Soon, their enfilading artillery and anti-boat gun fire inflicted severe vehicle losses on the LVTs. On the far left, the 1st Marines, led by Guadalcanal veteran, Captain George P. Hunt, flushed out the Japanese troops holed up in the caves of the 'Point'. In the center the 5th Marines met scattered Resistance and moved inland toward the airfield. Their advance, however, was soon halted because of the lack of progress on their left. On the far right, the 7th Marines drew heavy fire from nearby islands, before veering off to their left and causing confusion on the center landing beaches. Around 16.30, a Japanese counter-attack of tanks and infantry across the airfield was repulsed and a second attack later in the day also thrown back.
Location
Peleliu, Palau
Battle Name
Battle Narrative
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".
Narrative Source
Combatants
Japanese
American
Additional Information
Game Type: Overlord
Board Type: Beach
Website Access: Available

Geolocation