| Operation codename: Stalemate |
Americans gathered a massive force for the attack on the Palau Islands, operation prepared carefully and it seemed that would not entail a serious problem. Everything was precisely calculated, planned and secured. Only one remained a weak point - lack of knowledge of the terrain and layout of Japanese defense. This concerned mainly Peleliu. Still U.S. commanders have considered that the vast superiority in weapons of war and number of troops will ensruse quick success ...
... And very underrated defensive potential of the island meant that the battle for Peleliu had became one of the toughest and bloodiest in the whole war in the Pacific. (Miloš Hubáček - Boj o Filipíny, Panorama, 1990)
Article on Czech Wikipedia
Article on English Wikipedia| Scenario in dates: |
| January 26, 1943: |
The Palau Islands - The USS Wahoo (SS-238) submarine sinks one of the so-called "Hell ships", the Japanese transport ship Buyo Maru carrying under terrible conditions the Allied prisoner. Every such case, when the US Armed Forces inadvertently killed allied soldiers, was tragic, but this deviates. Initiative and aggressive captain Dudley "Mush" Morton orders the machine gunning of the shipwrecked survivors in the water and, as it turns out, most of the dead are prisoners from the Commonwealth. The US captain will never be tried for this war crime, however, thanks to this incident, he will not be awarded the Medal of Honor despite the fact that with 19 Japanese sunk ships will be the most successful submarine commander in the US Navy. |
| December 29, 1943: |
Palau Islands - US submarine USS Silversides (SS-236) predates a Japanese convoy of cargo ships and sinks three of them, Tenposan Maru, Shichisei Maru and Ryto Maru. The submarine will survive the war as one of the most successful US submarines and will become a floating museum, but not at sea, but in the waters of the Great Lakes, specifically on Lake Michigan. |
| March 29, 1944: |
In the Caroline Islands - The Japanese battleship Musashi is hit and demaged by a submarine torpedo of USS Tunny (SS-282) while withdrawing from Palau Islands. |
| March 30, 1944: |
In the Caroline Islands - Admiral Spruance leads three groups from Task Force 58 (including 11 carriers) in attacks on Palau Islands. |
| July 25, 1944: |
In the Caroline Islands - Two carrier groups from Task Force 58 (Admiral Mitscher) attack Palau while a third attacks Yap, Ulithi, Ngulu, Fais and Sorol. |
| September 6, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - All four carrier groups of US Task Force 38 (Admiral Mitscher), 16 aircraft carriers, begin air strikes on Japanese positions on the islands. The commander of the US 3rd Fleet, Admiral Halsey, is present on board the battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62). |
| September 13, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - American naval forces begin a preliminary bombardment of Peleliu and Angaur. Admiral Oldendorf is in command of the operation which involves 5 battleships, 9 cruisers and numerous destroyers. An escort carrier forces provides air support and minesweeping is carried out to clear the approach route to the islands. |
| September 14, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - US naval forces, commanded by Admiral Oldendorf, continue to bombard Peleliu and Angaur islands as well as conducting minesweeping operations offshore. |
| September 15, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - Elements of the US 1st Marine Division (Rupertus), part of III Amphibious Corps (Geiger), land on the southwest coast of Peleliu. The naval force commanded by Admiral Oldendorf remains in support. The Japanese garrison is consists of a regiment of 14th Division under the command of Colonel Nakagawa. There is strong resistance on the beaches. American attempts to advance inland, however, meet much more furious resistance. By the end of the day, the beachhead is only a few hundred yards wide. |
| September 16, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - The US marine forces consolidate their beachhead on Peleliu and are engaged in a battle for control of the airfield on the island. |
| September 17, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - US 81th Infantry Division (General Mueller) lands on Angaur. There is limited resistance by the Japanese garrison, numbering about 1600 men. On Pelelieu, American forces have consolidated their hold on the south side of the island and begin attacks on the well developed Japanese positions on Mount Umurbrogol. Despite naval bombardment supporting the advance, only limited progress is achieved by the attacks. Damien Parer, an Australian war photographer and cinematographer for Australia s first Oscar-winning film Kokoda Front Line!, is killed by Japanese machine-gun fire at Peleliu. |
| September 18, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - On Peleliu, American marines attempt to expand their attacks on Mount Umurbrogol. Japanese forces repulse the marines with heavy losses. Lewis K. Bausell, a veteran of Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester, dies in the fierce fighting. He will be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for sacrificing his own body by covering the explosion of a hand grenade during a sudden attack by the Japanese from a besieged cave. On Angaur, US forces advance toward the center of the island. Japanese forces harass the movement. |
| September 19, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - On Peleliu there is heavy fighting around Mount Umurbrogol. Japanese forces are continuing to hold against the US marine attacks. On Angaur, there is intensive fighting between American troops and the small Japanese garrison. |
| September 22, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - On Peleliu, US III Amphibious Corps (Geiger) deploys a regiment of US 81st Infantry Division to replace depleted elements of the US 1st Marine Division. The marines have suffered heavy casualties in attacks on Mount Umurbrogol. |
| Septmeber 23, 1944: |
In the Yap Islands - To the north of Palau Islands, part of the US 81st Division occupies Ulithi Atoll after naval reconnaissance suggests it is not in use by the Japanese. Work begins on converting the atoll into a major American naval base. |
| September 24, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands... On Peleliu, American naval bombardment and air strikes support new US attacks which fail to break Japanese resistance. |
| September 25, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - On Peleliu, US forces employing flamethrowers and tanks advance in the north of the island toward Mount Amiangal. On Angaur, pockets of Japanese resistance persist near Lake Salome. |
| September 28, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - Elements of the US forces deployed on Peleliu land on the small islands Negesbus and Kongauru. There is little resistance. On Peleliu, fighting is localized around Mount Umurbrogol where US forces attempt to eliminate individual Japanese strong points. |
| September 30, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - Admiral Fort takes command of US operations in this island group. He announces that Peleliu, Angaur, Ngesebus and Kongauru have been completely occupied. Japanese resistance continues, however. |
| October 2, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - On Peleliu, pockets of Japanese resistance on Mount Amiangal are cleared. Fighting around Mount Umurbrogol continues. |
| October 3, 1944: |
Palau Islands - The Japanese submarine I-177 is shelled and sunk by the destroyer escort USS Samuel S. Miles (DE-183). |
| October 12, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - The US 1st Marine Division on Peleliu remains engaged against Japanese defenders on Mount Umurgbrogol. After a hit from a Japanese sniper dier Andrew "Ack-Ack" Haldane, a veteran of the fighting on Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester, one of the most prominent and most respected officers who served in the ranks of the US Marines. |
| October 14, 1944: |
In the Palau Islands - On Peleliu, the US 81st Infantry Division replaces the US 1st Marine Division in the front line on the island. American authorities announce that the occupation of Angaur has been completed but Japanese remnant forces continue to resist in the north of the island. |
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| Literature sources: |  | Hubáček, Miloš: Boj o Filipíny (Fight for Philippines), Paseka, 2005, Praha, Litomyšl |  | Moskin, J. Robert: The U.S. marine corps story, Laser - books, 1997, Plzeň |  . | Leckie, Robert: Helmet for My Pillow | | . | Swanston, Alexander & Malcolm: The Historical Atlas of World War II, Columbus, 2007, Praha |  | Sledge, Eugene B.: With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa, Universum, 2011, Praha |  | Hrbek, Jaroslav, Hrbek Ivan: Vítězství přichází z moře (Victory comes from sea), Naše vojsko, 1999, Praha | Pejčoch, Ivo: Lehký tank Typ 95 Ha-Go (Light tank Type 95 Ha-Go), HPM No. 1/1994
Cidlinský, Karel, Ing.: Ostrov zaplacený krví (The island payed by blood), Extra válka - II. světová No. 01-02/2012
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