Landing on Wake Island

On December 11th, 1941, the Japanese attempted to capture Wake Island but failed and two of their destroyers were sunk. They launched another attack during the night of December 23rd when troops of Special Naval Landing Force landed in the …

1941-12-23

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On December 11th, 1941, the Japanese attempted to capture Wake Island but failed and two of their destroyers were sunk. They launched another attack during the night of December 23rd when troops of Special Naval Landing Force landed in the darkness. However, the US defenders under the command of Major Devereux reacted quickly and the Japanese Patrol Boat n°33 was destroyed by a 3 Inch gun. Despite their valiant defense, the Marines could not prevent the Japanese from landing and disappearing into the brush covering the island. On the small island of Wilkes, at the western end of the atoll of Wake, Japanese company Takano made a second landing at the same time. Japanese troops quickly captured Battery F but they were stopped in their advance towards Battery L by a machine gun nest. An American counterattack launched by Cpt Platt and Lt McAllistair reduced the Japanese bridgehead on Wilkes. In the morning, however, the US situation was desperate on Wake: the defenders were either isolated or surrounded and communications were broken. The US Command on Wake, assuming that Wilkes Island had fallen, finally decided to call a cease fire and surrender.

Wake Island, Pacific

The Battle of Wake Island began simultaneously with the attack on Pearl Harbor naval and air bases in Hawaii on the morning of 8 December 1941, and ended on 23 December, with the surrender of the American forces to the Empire of Japan. It was fought on and around the atoll formed by Wake Island and its minor islets of Peale and Wilkes Islands by the air, land, and naval forces of the Japanese Empire against those of the United States, with Marines playing a prominent role on both sides.

Wikipedia: Battle of Wake Island

American

Japanese

Game Type: Overlord

Board Type: Beach

Website Access: Available