The Battle of Peleliu

[Ultradog MN]

Yesterday, 70 years ago, the Marines landed on the island of Peleliu. American forces, continuing their island hopping campaign as they close in on the Phillipines (the landings on Leyte are only a month away) begin one of the bitterest fights of the entire war in the Pacific.
This tiny scrap of land in the Palau Islands was a terrible killing ground.
For a good read, follow the link below.
Battle of Peleliu

 

[Bret4207]

Semper fi! The Corps made it's mark and set their standard in WW2.

Cpl. Bret USMC 79-83

 

[Rich Iowa]

That was a good read, thanks for sharing Ultradog.

 

[Dean]

Peleliu was a horrendous battle.

Unlike most of the earlier island battles, the Japanese had by now realized the folly of futile banzai charges and changed tactics forcing the Marines to root them out from tunnels, bill boxes, etc.

The fighting generally became more prolonged and deadly for the Marines.

Dean

 

[oldtanker]

There is a lot of controversy over that battle. Some claim it was totally unnecessary. One thing for sure it marked a turn for the worse in the fighting.

Rick

 

[olddog]

My uncle carried a leg full of shrapnel the rest of his life;
that came from there.
RIP John Dreste, USMC.

 

[CGID]

After ten years of work and research, in 2011, Blair and DeCioccio published their book on this terrible battle, "Victory at Peleliu". They interviewed the men still alive and I knew one of them, Captain Ross Hadfield, US Army, of Meridian, Idaho. He was a good guy, 53 years managing a youth marksmanship program, a locally acknowledged master gardener, adopted four kids. In conversation it would become clear he never got very far away from his time at Peleiu. He died two years ago.

 

[dr sportster]

In the words of James Web it makes you proud to be associated with that insane animosity known as the United Staes Marine Corps.

 

[Wild Bill]

God bless those marines and soldiers.

For those that are interested, EB Sledge's book With the Old Breed is a breath-taking account of Peleliu and Okinawa

 

[C Kain]

Yes, very rough battle. My Dad was in the Army
at Philippines. Lucky for us, he made it home too.
I was already born, but not by much. I have always wondered why
the U.S. didn't just bypass those smaller islands
and make sure no support or supplies got in to them.
Why lose so many soldiers when our Navy could
'block-aide' them.

 

[Tim Barnes]

CKain, My father was a career soldier who served 25 years. He was a 22 year buck sgt. rifle squad leader with the 31st Infantry AKA The Dixie Division or as they called themselves The Double D. He served in New Guinea, Borneo, The Dutch East Indies and The Philippines. He always questioned what you stated about the island hopping. He thought MacArthur's leadership early on in the campaign was poor. His unit, The 124th Regimental Combat Team had been in The P.I. long before Doug made his famous landing on the beach. He was slightly wounded but refused a Purple Heart because the home town news paper would publish those killed or injured and he didn't want to worry my mother or his. I am a Viet Nam vet and the soldiers, sailors and Marines of WWll have always been my heroes. I don't think we will look upon their like again. I post this in their honor. RIP M/Sgt. John C. Barnes, USA, USAAF & USAF

 

[EricInSEI]

Actually we did bypass 100's of islands. Most of the islands we attacked we wanted for bomber or fighter bases. The fighter bases had to be closer to Japan than the bomber bases because the fighters had shorter ranges. Iwo Jima we wanted as an emergency landing field for damaged bombers returning from Japan. Also, if we had eventually invaded Japan as was planned, we needed to base the invasion forces (and their supplies) much closer to Japan than Hawaii.

The Philippines were different. There we wanted to retake the islands.

 

[Dean]

Bingo, Eric.

Dean

 

[Hanky]

Nothing short of amazing, sad how so much of this is forgotten, a couple years ago I made the trip to red beach in Palo Leyte, looked over Palo cathedral, and explored Corrigidor, those in the family that were there went to their graves and never spoke a word about any of it, hard to imagine what they went thru, in that part of the world you don't have to look hard to find reminders of the war, would like to take a metal detector with and see if anything is left on the beaches, and have good lights to get video in the bunkers and tunnels on Corrigidor.

 

[Texasmark1]

On taking the Philippines, my history lessons said that when the enemy ran Gen Mc out of the place, he vowed "I Shall Return" and that was the basis. As stated, we could have easily by passed it and cut it it's supply lines.

However, there were a lot of POWs there including the Bataan death march survivors and his return cut short their grief. So there is some closure hopefully for the families of those who sacrificed the ultimate on their behalf.

My daddy was boarding the boat in California for there when at the last minute he received orders to participate in the defense of the Aleutian Island chain (Capt. USA Coast Artillery, AA). As long as I knew him every morning and evening he got on one knee at the foot of his bed and gave thanks for missing that assignment.

Mark