HyperWar: USMC Operations in WWII: Vol IV--Western Pacific Operations (original) (raw)

PART I: Background

Chapter

Page

Introduction

PART II: Fleet Marine Force, Pacific

The Development of FMFPac

Administration and Aviation

PART III: The Palaus: Gateway to the Philippines

Strategic Situation

Pre-Assault Preparations

D-Day on Peleliu

106

The Drive Inland: 16-22 September

132

Angaur and Ulithi

162

Securing the North: 23-30 September

185

The Umurbrogol Pocket: 29 September-15 October

219

To the Bitter End

254

PART IV: Marines in the Philippines

Background and Planning

291

The Leyte Landings

309

The Luzon Campaign

334

Southern Philippines Operations

358

PART V: Marine Aviation in the Western Pacific

Mounting the Offensive

393

Marine Aviation in the Marianas, Carolines, and at Iwo Jima

422

PART VI: Iwo Jima

Background to DETACHMENT

443

Offensive Plans and Preparations

462

The Preliminaries

482

D-Day on Iwo Jima

502

The Struggle for Suribachi

528

Drive to the North

547

3d Marine Division Operations on Iwo Jima

571

Airfield Development and Activities Behind the Lines

594

The 5th Marine Division Drive on the Left

616

The 4th Marine Division Drive on the Right

645

Final Operations on Iwo Jima

684

Summary

713

Conclusions

729

APPENDICES

Bibliographical Notes

739

Guide to Abbreviations

752

Military Map Symbols

758

Chronology

759

Fleet Marine Force Status--31 August 1944

765

Table of Organization F-100 Marine Division

780

Marine Task Organization and Command List

782

Marine Casualties

797

Unit COmmendations

798

Index

813

ILLUSTRATIONS

Amphibious Exercises, Puerto Rico

Testing Higgins Boat

Landing Exercise, New River, N.C.

Change of Command, FMFPac, 1945

Assault Troops off Peleliu

107

Peleliu Beach on D-Day

107

Abortive Enemy Tank Attack, Peleliu

125

Machine Gun In Action, Peleliu

125

Artillery in Firing Position

140

Marine Tanks at Peleliu Airfield

140

Close Fighting Near Airfield

149

Casualty Evacuation

149

U.S. Army Troops Assault Angaur

167

Closing in on the Enemy, Angaur

167

Men and Supplies Crossing Peleliu Reef

188

U.S. Army Troops Arrive at Peleliu

188

Marine Aircraft Preparing for Napalm Attack

194

Bombing of Japanese Ridge Positions, Peleliu

194

Assault on Ngesebus

213

Advance Inland, Ngesebus

213

Battle of the Ridges, Peleliu

243

Final Operations on Peleliu

243

Navy Planes at Dulag Airfield, Leyte

313

Marine Night Fighters, Leyte

313

Close Air Support for U.S. Army Troops, Luzon

355

Marine Dive Bombers on Luzon Returning from Mission

355

New Dive Bombers for Marine Aviation in the Philippines

360

Filipino Guerrillas On Mindanao

360

LSTs Unloading at Zamboanga

369

U.S. Army Ceremony Honors Marine Aviation

369

Marine Dive Bombers En Route to Bypassed Islands

419

U.S. Personnel Touring Mille Island, Marshalls

419

Bombs Away at Iwo Jima

488

Amphibious Assault, Iwo Jima

488

4th Marine Division Troops on Iwo Beach

507

Landing of 2/27, Iwo Jima

507

Japanese Painting of Iwo Invasion

511

War Dog and Handler Approach Enemy Cave

511

37mm Gun in Action

529

Debris of Battle, D+2

529

Flamethrowers in Action

532

Marine on Mt. Suribachi and View of Landing Beaches

532

First Flag Raising on Iwo Jima

541

Second Flag Goes Up on Suribachi

544

Marines at Mass

596

First "Grasshopper" Lands on Iwo

596

B-29 Superfortress After Emergency Landing

599

4th Marine Division Observation Post

599

155mm Gun in Action

606

Rocket Fire Support

606

Birdseye View of Iwo Beachhead

609

Shore Parties Hauling Supplies

609

Captured Japanese Tank

619

Combat Patrol in Northern Iwo

619

Enemy Positions near Nishi Village

696

Japanese Prisoner and Escort

696

Air Force Bivouac Area on Iwo After Banzai

709

Motoyama Airfield No. 1 After Restoration

709

MAPS

Strategic Situation, Central and Western Pacific

Palau Islands

Japanese Defense Plan, Peleliu

D-Day, Peleliu

111

Peleliu, Second Operational Phase

133

Angaur Island

164

Ulithi Atoll

182

Commitment of the U.S. Army 321st Infantry Regiment, Peleliu

191

Isolation of Umurbrogol

196

North Peleliu and Ngesebus

203

Securing the North

215

Umurbrogol Pocket

220

Drive from the North

239

Final Marine Action, Peleliu

247

Final 81st Infantry Division Operations, Peleliu

255

Philippine Islands

295

Sixth Army Area of Operations

311

Lingayen Gulf Landing

338

Luzon

341

Route to Manila and XI Corps Landings

Main U.S. Drives in the VICTOR V Operation

Area of Responsibility, Commander Aircraft, Northern Solomons

Marshall Islands--MAG-22 Operations, 1944

Iwo Jima--Sulphur Island

446

Japanese Defense Sectors

460

Landing Plan, Iwo Jima

470

Naval Gunfire Areas of Responsibility, D-3 and D-2

494

VAC Front Lines D-Day, 19 February 1945

524

Scene of Battle, 1944-1945

Map
Section

II.

Progress of the Attack, VAC Front Lines, D-Day--D+5

Map
Section

III.

3d Marine Division Zone of Action, Iwo Jima, 25 February-1 March 1945

Map
Section

IV.

3d Marine Division Zone of Action, Iwo Jima, 1-10 March 1945

Map
Section

5th Marine Division Zone of Action, Iwo Jima, 24 February-2 March 1945

Map
Section

VI.

5th Marine Division Zone of Action, Iwo Jima, 2-10 March 1945

Map
Section

VII.

4th Marine Division Zone of Action, Iwo Jima, 24-28 February 1945

Map
Section

VIII.

4th Marine Division Zone of Action, Iwo Jima, 5-7 March 1945

Map
Section

IX.

3d Marine Division, Final Operations

Map
Section

4th Marine Division, Final Operations

Map
Section

XI.

5th Marine Division, Final Operations

Map
Section

CHARTS

Genealogy of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific

Japanese Command Organization-of the Philippines

299

Organization of Air Command, Southwest Pacific Area

302