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Peleliu - A Forgotten Battle

Discussion in 'Land Warfare in the Pacific' started by Noah, Apr 18, 2016.

  1. Noah

    Noah New Member

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    ​Peleliu, just saying it fills me with sorrow. Men endured hell on the island but are hardly remembered.​
    Battle of Peleliu​
    September 15, 1944​
    ​Peleliu was one of the most brutal islands for the Marines, but it is hardly remembered. MacArthur wanted the islands airfield as a right flank to his invasion of the Philippines.

    The 1st Marines Division was the spearhead of the fighting on Peleliu, later joined by the Army's 81st Infantry Division.

    It was expected to take 3 days to take Peleliu, so hardly any reporters went along to write about it. It took over 2 months until the island was declared secure.

    Temperatures were usually around 100 degrees Fahrenheit, sometimes 115 degrees Fahrenheit​

    The Japanese used Peleliu as a test to see if their new tactic of digging in and fortifying caves would work, and it did. The Japanese made the Marine and Army men pay for every inch the took of the island.

    The 1st Battalion of the 1st Marine Division suffered 71% casualties in just 10 days of fighting at "Bloody Nose Ridge".

    Peleliu was just jagged coral rock that formed into ridges, making it difficult to move around and fight in.

    The 1st Marine Division suffered over 6,500 casualties during their month on Peleliu and the Army's 81st Infantry Division suffered nearly 3,300 casualties during their month.

    Peleliu is controversial because the island was hardly used in the invasion of the Philippines. MacArthur could of bypassed the island, like Nimitz wanted, but decided it was needed. The fleet bound to the Philippines was underway before Peleliu was even declared secure.

    Such a high price was paid for an island that could of been bypassed, and people hardly remember it.

    ​Thanks for reading,
    Noah


    View attachment 24125 September 15, 1944 1st Marine Division landing on Peleliu

    View attachment 24126

    View attachment 24127 Jagged coral ridges of Peleliu
     

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  2. USMCPrice

    USMCPrice Idiot at Large

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    They call it sand.
     
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  3. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    You can see bones just off the trail going from the landing to the town. Souvenir hunting is not recommended.

    Not recommended by EOD.
     
  4. mac_bolan00

    mac_bolan00 Member

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    this was supposed to be a lot worse for the marines than guadalcanal, right? the japanese were well-dug inside the island coral. and they had tanks. the only diff from guad is that they had a stronger navy and air cover.
     
  5. Noah

    Noah New Member

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    In some ways it was worse than Guadalcanal. For one, they weren't surrounded by the Japanese on Peleliu and malaria wasn't as bad there too. On the other hand, It was a lot hotter on Peleliu and there wasn't much shade. The fighting was much worse because the Japanese were dug inside the coral and had pillboxes all around the island. The Marines couldn't do many maneuvers on the island because it was 2 miles wide and 6 miles long. They had to fight face to face with the enemy across the entire island. The Marines were not use to fighting an enemy that was dug in so they had some difficulties at first but soon learned how to get them inside their caves.
     
  6. USMCPrice

    USMCPrice Idiot at Large

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    It is hard to quantify harder or worse. They were entirely different fights. The environment decimated the division at Guadalcanal. A number stated that the battleship bombardment at Guadalcanal was their worst experience of the war. Lack of supplies, food, being on starvation rations for an extended period was hard mentally, as was being cut off and surrounded when the Navy was forced to pull out. 1st Division Marines that were at Cape Gloucester say mentally it was the worst campaign because of the environment and weather. Edson's Ridge at Guadalcanal was the only time I have read that the Marines were on the verge of breaking and routing, a good deal of hand-to-hand fighting took place during several of the battles on the Canal. Then if you extend the parameters to the Marine Corps as a whole and not just the 1st Division, Iwo Jima and Tarawa were both very, very bad.
     
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  7. CAC

    CAC Ace of Spades

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    Perhaps could have used Australians more for this type of operation...im not sure we would have volunteered for what wasn't seen as critical...why wasn't the place just bombed back into the water? Or fire bombed? Were I sitting at the table I would have suggested chemical/biological attack...the place is isolated and small...dropping some disease or chemical would have deadened the island...
     
  8. Noah

    Noah New Member

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    They probably didn't want to do this for the same reason the Japanese didn't want to use chemical warfare on U.S. cities, it would start a another problem. Plus they wanted to use the airfield that was already built on it so didn't want to completely destroy it. The Japanese were in caves, the bombs did little to them.
     
  9. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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  10. CAC

    CAC Ace of Spades

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    yes I would agree that's it isn't forgotten...Gona and Buna...forgotten, but not Peleliu...I understand that they had caves...and great bunkers too...but im sure some bunker busters..2000 pounders and above would make short work of both the bunkers and the caves...
     
  11. Buten42

    Buten42 Member

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    It's a lot like the Huertgen Forest on the European side. Many historians say it could have been by-passed and didn't serve much purpose but it chewed up so many divisions. Then it was overshadowed by the Battle of the Bulge and nearly forgotten.
     
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  12. Carronade

    Carronade Ace

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    Or just bypass it, as Halsey among others suggested. Once the carrier force had worked it over, it was dead as far as its ability to interfere with our operations was concerned. The other thought was that we might need it as a harbor and air base; it was well placed for supporting the landings in the Philippines, but not essential IMO. About the same time, we secured Ulithi without a fight.
     
  13. USMCPrice

    USMCPrice Idiot at Large

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    [​IMG]

    And what an anchorage it was, mind boggling.

    [​IMG]

    USS Randolf with repairship at Ulithi..

    [​IMG]

    USS Iowa in floating drydock Ulithi

    [​IMG]

    "Murderer's Row" at Ulithi. Airfield, schmairfield, sea based airpower!! Only the US had this kind of power and resources.
     
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  14. Carronade

    Carronade Ace

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    The "Murderer's Row" shot is interesting. The three Essexes nearest the camera and the one to the left are the early, short-hull type, with a couple of long-hulls further back. The first ship is in nearly original condition, with a quad 40mm forward of the bridge, which was later removed/omitted in order to expand the flag bridge. That was an excellent gun position, and its sacrifice shows the importance the USN placed on command and control. That ship also lacks the 40mm gun tubs on the side at hangar deck level, and I believe that's the hangar deck catapult sponson casting a shadow at the opening in the hangar. Some of the other ships show the flag bridge and gun tubs.
     
  15. Takao

    Takao Ace

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    IIRC, the first row of carriers(front to back) are Wasp, Yorktown, Hornet, Hancock, and Ticonderoga. The second row(front to back) are San Jacinto, Lexington, and Langley.
     
  16. Takao

    Takao Ace

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    Yes, the Wasp would not have the hangar catapult and the quad 40mm forward of the bridge removed and the 40mm gun tubs added to starboard until she returned to the States, for repair and refit, in April, 1945.
     
  17. USMCPrice

    USMCPrice Idiot at Large

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    You are correct, here's a NavyHistory.org article on the ship ID's. I think it interesting that there are also 4 BB's, Washington (North Carolina class), South Dakota (South Dakota class), Iowa and New Jersey (Iowa class) in the picture. There are also three CL's (Santa Fe, Biloxi and Mobile, Cleveland class) and the pre-war cruiser New Orleans.

    http://www.navyhistory.org/2015/09/historical-murderers-row-photograph-at-ulithi-update/

    [​IMG]

    USS Santa Fe, powerful looking ships in their own right.

    Then it's incredible New Orleans was back with the fleet after the damage she suffered off Guadalcanal.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  18. bronk7

    bronk7 Well-Known Member

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    if it's still floating, they can repair it.....not the simplest task, but just some more cutting and welding......

    if it's still floating, just takes cutting and welding, attach the 'false bow', then back to the US for permanent repairs.......almost like building it from scratch.......I see it had to sail backwards....picture is of the false bow
     

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  19. ww2thebigone

    ww2thebigone Member

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    I didn't know much about Peleliu until I read "With the Old Breed" by E.B. Sledge. I'll never forget it now.
     
  20. bronk7

    bronk7 Well-Known Member

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    very good ...more of a personal story than historic statistics.....was that the book where they got the bad water from uncleaned oil? drums?...hot, physical and mental strains making you extremely thirsty--then no water!
     

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