History of U.S. Marine Corps
Operations in World War II

Volume IV:
Western Pacific Operations

by
George W. Garand
Truman R. Strobridge

Historical Branch, G-3 Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps
1971

Contents

• Forward
• Preface

PART I: Background
Chapter		Page
1.	Introduction	3
PART II: Fleet Marine Force, Pacific
1.	The Development of FMFPac	13
2.	Administration and Aviation	33
PART III: The Palaus: Gateway to the Philippines
1.	Strategic Situation	51
2.	Pre-Assault Preparations	77
3.	D-Day on Peleliu	106
4.	The Drive Inland: 16-22 September	132
5.	Angaur and Ulithi	162
6.	Securing the North: 23-30 September	185
7.	The Umurbrogol Pocket: 29 September-15 October	219
8.	To the Bitter End	254
PART IV: Marines in the Philippines
1.	Background and Planning	291
2.	The Leyte Landings	309
3.	The Luzon Campaign	334
4.	Southern Philippines Operations	358
PART V: Marine Aviation in the Western Pacific
1.	Mounting the Offensive	393
2.	Marine Aviation in the Marianas, Carolines, and at Iwo Jima	422
PART VI: Iwo Jima
1.	Background to DETACHMENT	443
2.	Offensive Plans and Preparations	462
3.	The Preliminaries	482
4.	D-Day on Iwo Jima	502
5.	The Struggle for Suribachi	528
6.	Drive to the North	547
7.	3d Marine Division Operations on Iwo Jima	571
8.	Airfield Development and Activities Behind the Lines	594
9.	The 5th Marine Division Drive on the Left	616
10.	The 4th Marine Division Drive on the Right	645
11.	Final Operations on Iwo Jima	684
12.	Summary	713
13.	Conclusions	729
APPENDICES
A.	Bibliographical Notes	739
B.	Guide to Abbreviations	752
C.	Military Map Symbols	758
D.	Chronology	759
E.	Fleet Marine Force Status--31 August 1944	765
F.	Table of Organization F-100 Marine Division	780
G.	Marine Task Organization and Command List	782
H.	Marine Casualties	797
I.	Unit COmmendations	798
Index		813
ILLUSTRATIONS
Amphibious Exercises, Puerto Rico		18
Testing Higgins Boat		18
Landing Exercise, New River, N.C.		37
Change of Command, FMFPac, 1945		37
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
1.	Strategic Situation, Central and Western Pacific	53
2.	Palau Islands	56
3.	Japanese Defense Plan, Peleliu	75
4.	D-Day, Peleliu	111
5.	Peleliu, Second Operational Phase	133
6.	Angaur Island	164
7.	Ulithi Atoll	182
8.	Commitment of the U.S. Army 321st Infantry Regiment, Peleliu	191
9.	Isolation of Umurbrogol	196
10.	North Peleliu and Ngesebus	203
11.	Securing the North	215
12.	Umurbrogol Pocket	220
13.	Drive from the North	239
14.	Final Marine Action, Peleliu	247
15.	Final 81st Infantry Division Operations, Peleliu	255
16.	Philippine Islands	295
17.	Sixth Army Area of Operations	311
18.	Lingayen Gulf Landing	338
19.	Luzon	341
20.	Route to Manila and XI Corps Landings
21.	Main U.S. Drives in the VICTOR V Operation
22.	Area of Responsibility, Commander Aircraft, Northern Solomons
23.	Marshall Islands--MAG-22 Operations, 1944
24.	Iwo Jima--Sulphur Island	446
25.	Japanese Defense Sectors	460
26.	Landing Plan, Iwo Jima	470
27.	Naval Gunfire Areas of Responsibility, D-3 and D-2	494
28.	VAC Front Lines D-Day, 19 February 1945	524
I.	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
V.	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
X.	4th Marine Division, Final Operations	Map Section
XI.	5th Marine Division, Final Operations	Map Section
CHARTS
1.	Genealogy of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific	22
2.	Japanese Command Organization-of the Philippines	299
3.	Organization of Air Command, Southwest Pacific Area	302