Operation Stalemate: 1944 Battle for Peleliu (WW2 Pacific Military History Series Book 7)
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The Allied position on Peleliu contributed to neutralizing 25,000 enemy troops in northern Palau. The Peleliu landing did not contribute to the RLT 323’s (regimental landing team) unopposed seizure of Ulithi. Admiral Halsey had earlier believed his forces could seize Ulithi without first taking Peleliu.
The most significant visible benefit of a subdued Peleliu was its use as a link in the flight path and communication lines from Hawaii to the Philippines. It was convenient but not a necessity.
Survivors of the Indianapolis during the July 29, 1945 sinking were saved indirectly by the seizure of Peleliu. After delivering atomic bomb parts to Tinian, the ship was heading for the Philippines when it was torpedoed. The Indianapolis sunk in twelve minutes. There was no received report of the contact or the sinking. Four days after it sunk, the 316 survivors (from a crew of 1,197) were spotted by a Navy patrol bomber flying out of Peleliu. This sighting directly led to the rescue and most likely would not have happened but for the Allied occupation of Peleliu.
Price of Peleliu
Marine Casualties were 6,526. This included Navy doctors and corpsmen with 1,252 killed. The Army’s 81st Division had 3,088 casualties, 404 were killed in action. Total US troop casualties were 9,616 (1,657 killed) on Peleliu, Angaur, and Ngesebus
The Japanese were successful in implementing their bleed and delay strategy. Their actions cost them an estimated 11,000 casualties (all but a small portion killed). Only 202 prisoners of war were captured, and of them, only nineteen were Japanese military (twelve Navy and seven Army). The rest were Korean laborers. Statistically, less than two out of every thousand Japanese military defenders were captured.
The bloody battle at Peleliu was a warning for the remaining Allied operations being conducted across the Pacific. Even with total naval and air superiority and a four to one troop advantage—the conquest of Peleliu cost one Allied casualty and 1,590 rounds of ammunition per Japanese soldier killed or driven from his position. A couple of months later, the attacks on Iwo Jima and Okinawa would confirm this grim calculation.
On September 13, 1944, two days before D-Day, Admiral Halsey recommended to Admiral Nimitz that the Peleliu landing should be canceled. But by that time, it was too late: Peleliu would be added to the long list of brutal battles in which Allied forces fought, suffered, and ultimately prevailed.
Seventy-seven years later, the question of whether Operation Stalemate was necessary remains debatable. The heroism and commendable conduct of the 1st Marine Division, its Navy corpsmen, and soldiers of the 81st Infantry on that miserable island will forever be written in blood.
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Referrences
Anderson, Charles R. Western Pacific. The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II. U.S. Army Center of Military History, 1994. CMH Pub 72-29.
Burbeck, James. “Invasion of Peleliu”. Animated Combat Map. The War Times Journal, 2008
Chen, C. Peter “Palau Islands and Ulithi Islands Campaign”. World War II Database. Archived from the original on October 6, 2007.
Gayle, Gordon D., BGen USMC. Bloody Beaches: the Marines at Peleliu. Washington, D.C.: Marine Corp Historical Center, 1996.
Gypton, Jeremy. “Bloody Peleliu”. MilitaryHistoryOnline, 2008.
Hallas, James H. The Devil’s Anvil: The Assault on Peleliu. Praeger Publishers, 1994
Hastings, Max. Retribution: the Battle for Japan, 1944-45. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009.
Hough, Frank O. The Assault on Peleliu. Washington, D.C.: Historical Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1950.
Kier, Mike. “PELELIU”. Archived from the original on December 19, 2006.
Moran, Jim, and Gordon L. Rottman. Peleliu 1944: the Forgotten Corner of Hell. Oxford: Osprey, 2002.
Morison, Samuel Eliot. Leyte: June 1944-January 1945, vol. 12. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1958.
Ross, Bill D. Peleliu: Tragic Triumph: the Untold Story of the Pacific War’s Forgotten Battle. New York: Random House, 1991.
Shread, Paul. “The Battle of Peleliu and the scars of war”. The Concord Monitor. Archived from the original on September 19, 2014.
Sledge, E. B. With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.
Sloan, Bill. Brotherhood of Heroes: the Marines at Peleliu, 1944: the Bloodiest Battle of the Pacific War. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2005.
Wright, Derrick. To the Far Side of Hell: the Battle for Peleliu, 1944. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 2005.
ALSO BY DANIEL WRINN
Bullets and Barbed Wire : From Guadalcanal to Cape Gloucester
“A thoughtful and gripping account of the beginnings of the War in the Pacific.” – Reviewer
Discover a newfound appreciation for the war in the Pacific.
From the shores of Cape Gloucester to the quiet atolls and islands of the Solomon Sea, the Second World War left a profound mark on this sheltered corner of the globe, which would be felt for decades to come. Caught in the center of a vicious struggle between two superpowers, these islands would form an unconventional battleground for the US Marines and the Japanese Navy.
This book offers you a new look at the WWII Pacific Theater, providing an enlightening glimpse into the battles and campaigns during the Allied offensive. With a breakdown of three significant US campaigns:
•Operation Watchtower, a riveting exploration of the spark that set off the Allied offensive in the Pacific islands, detailing the gruelling struggle for the island of Guadalcanal and its vital strategic position
•Operation Galvanic, an incredible account of the battle for the Tarawa Atoll and base that would give them a stepping stone into the heart of Japanese-controlled waters
•And Operation Backhander, which offers a gripping retelling of the war for Cape Gloucester, New Guinea, and the Bismarck Sea
Each of these momentous operations are fascinating feats of strategy, planning, and bravery, handing the Allies what would eventually become a victory over the Pacific Theater and an end to Imperialist Japanese expansion. This brilliant book sheds light on this often-overlooked facet of WWII, providing students, history fans, and World War II buffs alike with a captivating breakdown of history and combat that defined the beginning of the US offensive in the Pacific.
Operation Forager: 1944 Battle for Saipan, Invasion of Tinian, and Recapture of Guam
“History buffs and newbie history buffs alike will love this book.” —Reviewer
A gripping account of one of the most daring—and disturbing—operations in the Pacific war.
From the heavy fighting in Saipan to the securing of Tinian and Guam, the Pacific war left its profound mark in this sheltered corner of the world, which would be felt for several decades to come. Caught in the center of a vicious struggle between two superpowers, these islands would form an unconventional battleground for US forces and the Japanese Navy.
This book offers you a new look at the WWII Pacific Theater, providing an enlightening glimpse into the battles and campaigns during the Allied offensive. With a breakdown of three significant US campaigns:
● Battle for Saipan, since the fall of the Marshall Islands a few months earlier, both sides prepared for an American onslaught against the Marianas and Saipan in particular.
● Invasion of Tinian, is the incredible account of the assault on Tinian. Located just under six miles southwest of Saipan. This was the first use of napalm and the “shore to shore” concept.
● Recapture of Guam, offers a gripping retelling of the recapture of the Japanese-held island of Guam, captured by the Japanese in 1941 during one of the first Pacific campaigns of the War.
Each of these momentous operations are fascinating feats of strategy, planning, and br
avery, handing the Allies what would eventually become a victory over the Pacific Theater and an end to Imperialist Japanese expansion.
This brilliant book sheds light on this often-overlooked facet of WWII, providing students, history fans, and World War II buffs alike with a captivating breakdown of history and combat that defined the US offensive in the Pacific.
World War II Pacific: Battles and Campaigns from Guadalcanal to Okinawa 1942-1945
"A brisk and compelling game changer for the historiography of the Pacific Theater in World War II." – Reviewer
An enlightening glimpse into nine battles and campaigns during the Pacific War Allied offensive.
Each of these momentous operations were fascinating feats of strategy, planning, and bravery, handing the Allies what would eventually become a victory over the Pacific Theater and an end to Imperialist Japanese expansion.
Operation Watchtower, a riveting exploration of the spark that set off the Allied offensive in the Pacific islands, detailing the grueling struggle for the island of Guadalcanal and its vital strategic position.
Operation Galvanic, an incredible account of the battle for the Tarawa Atoll and base that would give them a steppingstone into the heart of Japanese-controlled waters.
Operation Backhander, a gripping retelling of the war for Cape Gloucester, New Guinea, and the Bismarck Sea.
Battle for Saipan, Marines stormed the beaches with a goal of gaining a crucial air base from which the US could launch its new long-range B-29 bombers directly at Japan’s home islands.
Invasion of Tinian, is the incredible account of the assault on Tinian. Located just under six miles southwest of Saipan. This was the first use of napalm and the “shore to shore” concept.
Recapture of Guam, a gripping narrative about the liberation of the Japanese-held island of Guam, captured by the Japanese in 1941 during one of the first Pacific campaigns of the War.
Operation Stalemate, Marines landed on the island of Peleliu, one of the Palau Islands in the Pacific, as part of a larger operation to provide support for General MacArthur, who was preparing to invade the Philippines.
Operation Detachment, the battle of Iwo Jima was a major offensive in World War II. The Marine invasion was tasked with the mission of capturing airfields on the island for use by P-51 fighters.
Operation Iceberg, the invasion and ultimate victory on Okinawa was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific Theater. It was also one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific, lasting ninety-eight days.
This gripping narrative sheds light on these often-overlooked facets of WWII, providing students, history fans, and World War II buffs alike with a captivating breakdown of the history and combat that defined the ultimate victory of US forces in the Pacific.
About the Author
Daniel Wrinn writes Military History & War Stories. A US Navy veteran and avid history buff, Daniel lives in the Utah Wasatch Mountains. He writes every day with a view of the snow capped peaks of Park City to keep him company. You can join his readers group and get notified of new releases, special offers, and free books here:
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