Battle of the Palau Islands

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Location of the Palau Islands

The Battle of the Palau Islands (code name: Operation Stalemate II ) was a battle of the Pacific War that was fought between US and Japanese troops around the southern Palau Islands from September to November 1944 . The battle was intended to prepare and support the operations for the liberation of the Philippines , which began in October 1944 with the Battle of Leyte .

background

The original order to plan an operation against the Palau Islands under the name Operation Stalemate was issued on May 29, 1944 by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz , Commander in Chief of the Pacific Ocean Areas (POA). This should take place after the end of the Battle of the Mariana Islands ( Operation Forager ) and begin in early September 1944. The Palau Islands had a strategic importance as the "outpost" of the defense of the Philippines , located slightly north of the line connecting them and New Guinea . They were also within flight range of the Ulithi Atoll , which was to become an important anchorage for the US fleet after its capture in September 1944. In between were the Yap Islands , which the Japanese held until the end of the war. Although the Palaus were in the geographical area of ​​responsibility of CinCPOA Admiral Nimitz, the success of the operation was also of great importance for the retaking of the Philippines planned by General Douglas MacArthur , the Commander in Chief in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) .

The original plans included taking possession of the main island of Babelthuap and the smaller islands of Peleliu and Angaur to the south . A previous reconnaissance by airplanes and submarines, however, found Japanese forces in considerable strength on Babelthuap, which was also not suitable for the construction of airfields. On Peleliu, on the other hand, there was already a completed airfield and another could be built on Angaur in a short time.

During the capture of Saipan in June 1944, the Americans then came across documents that allowed an accurate assessment of the distribution of the Japanese troops stationed on the Palau Islands. Nimitz then ordered the discontinuation of the plans against Babelthuap and the continuation of the other plans under the name Stalemate II . In the second phase of Stalemate II , the Yap Islands, about 245 nautical miles (450 km) to the northeast, and the Ulithi Atoll 100 nautical miles further away should be occupied at the beginning of October . The plans against Yap, where up to 10,000 Japanese were suspected, were later dropped, but those against Ulithi were retained.

course

The US land forces involved were the III. Amphibious Corps of USMC Major General Roy S. Geiger and comprised the 1st Marine Division and the 81st Infantry Division . The overall operation was headed by Vice Adm. Theodore S. Wilkinson as commander of the Joint Expeditionary Task Force (Task Force 31), which was part of the 3rd Fleet under Adm. William F. Halsey . The Palau Islands were defended by the Japanese 14th Division under the command of Lieutenant General Inoue Sadae .

The following battles took place during the operation:

In connection with the operation, a regiment of the 81st Division occupied Ulithi Atoll without a fight at the end of September , which served as one of the most important naval bases of the US Navy during the further course of the war .

literature

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