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

Volume III:
Central Pacific Drive

by
Henry I. Shaw, Jr.
Bernard C. Nalty
Edwin T. Turnbladh

Historical Branch, G-3 Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps
1966


. . . For Those Who Served


Contents

PART I: Launching the Central Pacific Offensive
Chapter Page
1. Early Plans for a War with Japan 8
2. The Central Pacific in Global Strategy 8
3. The Central Pacific Battleground 14
PART II: The Gilberts Operation
1. Preparing to Take the Offensive 23
2. The Assault on Betio 53
3. Amphibious Victory 72
4. Completing the Capture 92
5. The Importance of GALVANIC 103
PART III: The Marshalls: Quickening the Pace
1. FLINTLOCK Plans and Preparations 117
2. D-Day in the Marshalls 142
3. FLINTLOCK: Completing the Conquest 155
4. Westward to Eniwetok 181
5. The CATCHPOLE Operation 196
6. The Fruits of Victory 220
PART IV: Saipan: The Decisive Battle
1. Background to FORAGER 231
2. American and Japanese Preparations 231
3. Saipan: The First Day 263
4. The Conquest of Southern Saipan 280
5. The Fight for Central Saipan 305
6. Northern Saipan: End of the Campaign 332
PART V: Assault on Tinian
1. The Inevitable Campaign 355
2. J-Day and Night 377
3. Southward on Tinian 393
4. The Island Secured 411
PART VI: The Return to Guam
1. Preparing for Guam 431
2. W-Day 457
3. Consolidating a Foothold 479
4. Continuing the Offensive 503
5. Seizure of Northern Guam 535
6. Finish in the Marianas 568
 
Appendices
A. Bibliographical Notes 587
B. Guide to Abbreviations 597
C. Military Map Symbols 601
D. Chronology 602
E. Fleet Marine Force Status--30 October 1943 607
F. Table of Organization F-100--Marine Division 618
G. Marine Task Organization and Command List 620
H. Marine Casualties 636
I. Unit Commendations 638
 
Index 650

Illustrations

  Page
Betio Island Two Weeks After the Battle 41
Assault Troops on Betio 41
Damaged LVTs at Betio 58
Rubber Raft Carrying Wounded Marines 58
Squad Leader Points Out the Enemy 82
Reinforcements Wade Ashore at Betio 82
Machine Gun Ammunition Bearers 88
Flamethrower Smoke Over a Japanese Bombproof 88
Light Tanks and Artillery Leave Betio 96
Soldiers of 2/165 Assault Makin 96
Roi-Namur Under Bombing Attack 138
105mm Ammunition Being Unloaded At Menu Island 146
24th Marines at Namur 146
Marine Light Tank on Namur 164
Japanese Prisoners on Roi-Namur 164
Army 37mm Antitank Gun on Kwajalein 178
Marine 105mm Howitzers Set Up to Fire on Engebi 178
22d Marines Assault Waves Approach Engebi 202
Navy Fighter Attacks at Eniwetok Atoll 202
Marine Heavy Machine Guns on Eniwetok Island 212
Navy Corpsmen on Eniwetok Island 212
Riflemen of 22d Marines on Parry Island 223
Marianas Invasion Force at Eniwetok 223
Fire Team on Saipan 272
Japanese Medium Tanks Knocked Out at Saipan 272
Hand Grenades Tossed by Marines on Saipan 296
Skirmish Line of 27th Division Infantrymen 296
Marines Dig In on Saipan 324
Company CP in Garapan 324
Truck-Mounted Rocket Launchers 344
Flame Tank Hits Enemy Cave on Saipan 344
Observation Plane Over Northern Saipan 349
Supporting Cruiser Fires on Tinian 349
Medium Tanks Land on Tinian 386
2d Division Marines Advance on Tinian 386
Machine Gun on a Half-Track Lays Down Searching Fire 416
Pack Howitzer Fires on Enemy Caves on Tinian 416
3d Division Assault Troops on the Asan Beaches 464
Flamethrower Blasts Enemy Dugout on Guam 464
Shermans and Riflemen of the 1st Brigade Advance 513
Firing Line of 3d Division Riflemen 513
Pontoon Barge Off Guam 532
Guamanian Women in Refugee Camp 532
Column of 305th Infantry Moves Cross-Island 536
Jungle Trail Scouted by Marine Tanks and Infantry 536
Army Tanks Hit and Aflame At Yigo 558
Jungle Patrol Near Tarague 558
Corsairs of MAG-21 on Orote Airfield 581
B-29s Approach North Field on Guam 581

Maps

No.   Page
1. Gilbert Islands 24
2. Tarawa Atoll, November 1943 33
3. Betio Island, 21-22 November 1943 69
4. Makin Island, Showing Landings 20 November 1943 94
5. Conquest of Tarawa Atoll 99
6. Apamama Atoll 101
7. Marshall Islands 119
8. Kwajalein (Carillon) Atoll 126
9. Capture of Roi, 1 February 1944 162
10. Capture of Namur, 1-2 February 1944 168
11. Kwajalein Island, 14 February 1944 176
12. Eniwetok (Downside) Atoll 184
13. Seizure of Eniwetok Atoll, 18-22 February 1944 198
14. Southern Marianas 236
15. Saipan, Showing Japanese Defense Sectors 259
16. D-Day at Saipan 265
17. Saipan, 16-22 June 1944 287
18. Saipan, 23-30 June 1944 310
19. Saipan, 2-4 July 1944 334
20. Saipan, 5-8 July 1944 338
21. Tinian and Southern Saipan, Showing Japanese Defense Sectors and American Artillery Groupments 357
22. Tinian, 24-26 July 1944 382
23. Tinian, 27 July-1 August 1944 400
24. Guam, Showing Terrain Relief 438
25. Guam, Showing Japanese Dispositions, 21 July 1944 445
26. Southern Beachhead, 22-24 July 1944 481
27. 3d Marine Division Progress, 22-26 July 1944 490
28. Capture of Orote Peninsula, 25-30 July 1944 519
29. Guam, 28 July-4 August 1944 527
30. Guam, 5-10 August 1944 551
31. Schematic Sketch of Japanese Tank Action in 3d Marines Zone, 8-10 August 563
 
I. Scene of Battle 1943-1944 Map Section
II. Betio Island, Showing Main Japanese Defenses Map Section
III. Betio Island, Landing and Situation 1800, 20 November Map Section
IV. Betio Island, Situation 1800 D+3 Map Section
V. Roi and Namur Islands, Japanese Defenses Based on Post-Battle Study Map Section
VI. Banzai Attack Map Section
VII. W-Day on Guam, 21 July 1944 Map Section
VIII. Japanese Counterattack Plan, 25-26 July 1944 Map Section

Transcribed and formatted for HTML by Jerry Holden for the HyperWar Foundation