bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Palau Islands, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 15 Aug 2022
The Palau Islands, 15 September - 27 November 1944
The Palau Islands, 15 September - 27 November 1944
The Palau Islands lie east of the Philippines island of Mindinao. United States forces invaded the two southern Palau Islands:
At the end of October, Peleliu operations were turned over to the 81st Infantry Division and the 1st Marine Division left to prepare for the coming Battle of Okinawa. |
Palau Islands, 1944 Order of Battle:
III Marine Amphibious Corps (Smith) Peleliu, 15 Sep – 27 Nov ’44 (1,336 Marine Corps & 208 Army dead)
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Ulithi - 23 September 1944
The atoll of Ulithi lies about 400 miles northeast of Palau, in the western part of the Japanese-occupied Caroline Islands. Ulithi was occupied by the 323rd Inf. Regt. of the 81th Inf. Div., a regiment later set to Peleliu. At the time, Ulithi was defended by about five Japanese troops.
Ulithi had little land area but provided a large deep-water anchorage. Ulithi became the main forward operating base for the Pacific Fleet. Ulithi is also about 400 miles southwest of Guam. Ulithi's position was well-suited both to support the 1944-45 Philippines campaign to the west and the 1945 Iwo Jima and Okinawa campaigns to the north. |
Plans called for also invading Yap, to the west of Ulithi, in October 1944. These planned were scrapped and the Yap invasion forces were used in the invasion of Leyte.
Sources for Big Pigeon's Central Pacific > Palau Islands webpage:
Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - Central Pacific > Palau Islands:
† Colwell, Carl Layne, SN 648-73-84, US Navy, Pott. Co.
- The Battle of Peleliu map is copied from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Peleliu.
- Ulithi Atoll North Anchorage photo courtesty of https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/hidden-ulithi-naval-base.html.
Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - Central Pacific > Palau Islands:
- Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Dead module.
† Colwell, Carl Layne, SN 648-73-84, US Navy, Pott. Co.
- Minesweeper YMS-19; KIA 24 Sep 1944, off Anguar Is., near Peleliu Is.; YMS-19 sunk by mine; nine dead, 27 survivors; Central Pacific > Palau Is.; BNR.
- Hq. Co., 1st Bn., 322nd Inf. Reg., 81st Inf. Div.; KIA 13 Oct 1944 Anguar Is., near Peleliu Is.; Battle of Anguar - Central Pacific > Palau Is.
- Co. C, 1st Marine Regt., 1st Marine Div; KIA 17 Sep 1944 Peleliu Is.; Battle of Peleliu - Central Pacific > Palau Is.
- Co. L, 7th Marine Regt., 1st Marine Div.; KIA 20 Sep 1944; Battle of Peleliu - Central Pacific > Palau Is.
- Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper YMS-385; assigned to Mine Squadron 1; KIA 1 Oct 1944 Ulithi Atoll, western Caroline Is.; YMS-385 hit a Japanese mine and exploded while sweeping Zowariau Channel; ten dead; Central Pacific > Palau Is.
- Hq. & Service Battery, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regt., 1st Marine Division; KIA 16 Sep 1944 Peleliu Is., Palau Is.; Battle of Peleliu - Central Pacific > Palau Is.