| 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 |