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The FReeper Foxhole Revisits - The Defense of Wake Island - December 20th, 2003
various

Posted on 12/20/2003 12:03:24 AM PST by snippy_about_it



Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.



...................................................................................... ...........................................

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

Where Duty, Honor and Country
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The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans.

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A Magnificent Fight:
The Battle for Wake Island




As of 6 December 1941, the defensive status of Wake was far from ideal. Intended primarily as a patrol-plane base for Catalina clippers, the island had no scouting aircraft yet, and only the most primitive facilities for any type of aircraft operations. Its squadron of 12 Grumman Wildcat aircrafts, VMF-211, was learning on the job how to operate wholly new aircraft which had no armor and on which the bomb racks did not match the local supply of bombs.




On the entire atoll, there were 449 marines of all ranks, detachment of the 1st Defense Battalion, therefore equipped and trained for combat. The ground defenses, embodying the complete artillery of a defense battalion (5-inch seacoast batteries and 3-inch antiaircraft guns), had by dint of unceasing 12-hour working days been emplaced, and some protective sandbagging and camouflage accomplished. To man all these weapons, 43 officers and 939 enlisted were required, but only 15 officers and 373 enlisted were available. Furthermore, there were 1,200 unarmed civilian contract employees on the island.

The first strikes and the failed landing

Word of war came around 7am on 8 December 1941. At 11am, several planes drop through the clouds : this was the Japanese Air Attack Force of 34 Nell bombers, based at Roi, 720 miles to the south. The fortuitous rain squall masked the enemy let-down and approach, but the complete lack of any type of early warning was a matter which pointed squarely at Wake's most critical shortage: the want of radar. The results of the Japanese attack were devastating. Using 100-pound bombs and 20 mm cannon, the air strike destroyed seven F4F fighters on ground. The island's main aviation gas tank took a direct hit, exploded and set everything ablaze, including the squadron's tentage, tools and spare parts. VMF-211 suffered nearly 60-percent casualties and there were 84 dead or dying on Wake.





Across the Pacific it was a similar story : in Pearl Harbor, Guam, Philippines, North China. In his first message after the Pearl Harbor disaster, President Roosevelt had warned the American people to be prepared for word of the fall of Wake. With the core of the fleet on the bottom of the seas, there could be little question, for the time being, of a sustained and aggressive fleet defense. Wake would stand or fall largely by its own strength.



By next morning, the Japanese bombers returned, methodical almost to a fault : the hour, altitude and pattern did not vary. The air combat patrol (or what was left of it) flanked them, opened fire and sent one bomber careening down in flames. The antiaircraft batteries opened up : five bombers were belching smoke, one burst into flames and exploded.



Over the next two days, they would shoot down at least two more planes and score damaging hits on numerous others that disappeared over the horizon in a trail of smoke. The second raid hit hard the camp and the naval air station. They destroyed the hospital, the Navy's radio station, and the civilian and naval barracks, killing 55 civilians and four Marines.

The aerial raids had been directed at the airstrip and the various supporting establishments. But, as events would shortly prove, the three days' bombing, while inflicting considerable damage on Wake, had been insufficient.


Admiral Inouye, commanding the Imperial Japanese Fourth Fleet, was charged by current war plans with capture of Wake, but, more important, that of Guam, Makin and Tarawa. By dark on 10 December, Guam had fallen. Earlier that same day, Makin and Tarawa had surrendered. Wake alone remained : conduct of this last operation was delegated to Rear Admiral Kajioka. His naval force comprised one flagship light cruiser, the Yubari, two other light cruisers (Tatsuta and Tenryu), six destroyers (Mutsuki, Kisaragi, Yayoi, Mochizuki, Oite, and Hayate), two destroyer-transports, two transports, and two submarines.

The plan was to have 150 men land on Wilkes Island, and 300 men on the south side of Wake Island to capture the airfield, covered by the guns of the naval force. If those numbers proved insufficient, supporting destroyers were to provide men to augment the landing force.

At 3am, on 11 December, lookouts reported ships in sight. At 5am, Kajioka's ships began their final run. Because of the unfavorable weather and heavy seas, boating progressed slowly and unsatisfactorily, with some landing craft being overturned. Soon after, the boats opened fire at area targets along the south shore of Wake. The coastal guns, however, remained silent and hidden behind a brush camouflage. At 6am, as the boats were closer, the Marines commenced firing. Although they had unavoidably revealed their location, the ships' counterfire proved woefully inaccurate.



A battery sent two shells into Yubari at the waterline and two more shells caught her slightly aft. Badly hurt, Yubari retired over the horizon. Another battery fired and caused a violent explosion in the destroyer Hayate : she broke in two and sank.

The Oite was next and took a direct hit : she threw up a smoke screen and limped away. Then, the gunners shifted fire to the Japanese transports Kongo Maru and Konryu Maru : one shell hit the leading transport, causing both to flee. Next they turned their efforts to a cruiser off the west end of the island : she took one shell in the stern and retreated out of range.

The destroyer Yayoi take a shell in the stern and be set afire. Then went a smoke screen, and the ships made their escape. Kajioka ordered a withdrawal : plans for a landing were forgotten and damage control on burning and smoking ships became priority.

The fleet had no air cover and the remaining Wildcats found it little more than an hour's sail from Wake : the destroyer Kisaragi, suffering from an earlier hit, just blew up, and another destroyer suffered heavy damage. The defeat was total : two ships were lost, seven were damaged, and probably about 500 japanese died while four Marines were wounded in action.




FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links




TOPICS: VetsCoR
KEYWORDS: freeperfoxhole; marines; pacific; samsdayoff; veterans; wakeisland; wwii
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To: SAMWolf

US plane over wake 1943

81 posted on 12/20/2003 5:24:31 PM PST by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: Darksheare
Of course, you do understand that denying knowledge is cause for all sorts of troubles to come as a consequence of your denial. On the other hand, accepting responsibility for something you've done is a good thing but, the best course is to run as fast as you can and don't look back, LOL!!!
82 posted on 12/20/2003 5:24:51 PM PST by Victoria Delsoul (Freedom isn't won by soundbites but by the unyielding determination and sacrifice given in its cause)
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To: snippy_about_it

This is a typical "propaganda" film put out in the 1940's but it's still a good flick.

83 posted on 12/20/2003 5:26:33 PM PST by SAMWolf (Support your local medical examiner: die strangely!)
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To: snippy_about_it
US Plane = Douglas SBD Dauntless ;-)
84 posted on 12/20/2003 5:27:57 PM PST by SAMWolf (Support your local medical examiner: die strangely!)
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To: snippy_about_it
Hmm..
Like the pic, wish they were our ships doing that.
85 posted on 12/20/2003 5:48:11 PM PST by Darksheare (I wanted to put a "Run! Hillary, Run!" bumper sticker on my car, but it'd cover my headlights.)
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To: Victoria Delsoul

86 posted on 12/20/2003 6:14:16 PM PST by Darksheare (I wanted to put a "Run! Hillary, Run!" bumper sticker on my car, but it'd cover my headlights.)
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To: SAMWolf
Grrr. Thank you.
87 posted on 12/20/2003 6:15:39 PM PST by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: SAMWolf; Light Speed
For some reason too many people fail to see the threat.

They think that if we can just be more "tolerant" and "diverse" that they won't keep trying to destroy our way of life.

By the time they see the threat it'll be too late.

Feed the alligator in hopes he'll eat you last.


88 posted on 12/20/2003 6:41:46 PM PST by PhilDragoo (Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald)
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To: PhilDragoo
That's Neville Chamberlain isn't it.
89 posted on 12/20/2003 7:00:28 PM PST by Darksheare (I wanted to put a "Run! Hillary, Run!" bumper sticker on my car, but it'd cover my headlights.)
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To: SAMWolf; snippy_about_it; E.G.C.; Victoria Delsoul; Light Speed; Darksheare; colorado tanker

The XF4F-3 first production contract was awarded just before the outbreak of war in Europe. Above is the production line for the F4F Wildcat in Bethpage, Long Island.

The F4F Wildcat was used very successfully in the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, as well as in the operations of Guadalcanal.

Mitsubishi G3M Nell

On 24 August 1942, as the Japanese made their first major attempt to recapture Guadalcanal, Mutuski briefly bombarded U.S. Marine Corps' positions at Henderson Field. The next day, she went alongside the disabled transport Kinryu Maru to rescue that ship's crew and troops. While so immobilized, a formation of U.S. B-17 bombers appeared. Aware of the poor accuracy of high-level bombing, the destroyer's captain elected to continue his rescue efforts. However, in a rare event, the bombers scored well and Mutuski was sunk. Her captain, hauled from the water with his ship's other surviving crewmen, is said to have remarked "even the B-17s could make a hit once in a while!".

Destroyer Hayate

Kawanishi H6K "Mavis"

Val Dive Bomber

Soryu

Hiryu, a 20,250-ton aircraft carrier built at Yokosuka, Japan, was completed in July 1939. Active throughout the first six months of the Pacific War, she took part in the December 1941 Pearl Harbor attack as well as operations in the East Indies and Indian Ocean area. On 4 June 1942, during the Battle of Midway, Hiryu's aircraft inflicted serious bomb and torpedo damage to USS Yorktown (CV-5), causing her abandonment. Later that day, Hiryu was hit by U.S. carrier dive bombers. Though she remained underway for a time, she had been fatally damaged. Abandoned early the following morning, Hiryu sank at about 0900 on 5 June, the last of four Japanese aircraft carriers to be lost in the battle.

Surrender of Wake Island Aboard USS LEVY DE 162 4 September 1945

Left to right, sitting at table:

Japanese Army Colonel Shigeharu Chikamori, Sakaibara, Japanese Paymaster Lieutenant P. Hisao Napasato, Marine Brigadier General Lawson H. M. Sanderson, of Santa Barbara, Cal., Commander of the Fourth Marine Air Wing who accepted the surrender in the name of Rear Admiral W. K. Harrill, Army Sergeant Larry Watanabe of Honolulu, official interpreter at the surrender, and Colonel T. J. Walker Jr., Sanderson's Chief of Staff.

Standing, center back, holding pipe, is Colonel Walter L. J. Baylor, last man to leave and first to return to Wake Island.

The Wake Island POWs

An example of a war crimes trial for mass murder was the trial for the mass execution of 98 Allied POWs on Wake Island in October, 1943.[4] The story of the siege of Wake Island is well known as U. S. military personnel held out against overwhelming odds. When Wake Island finally fell 1,603 Americans (both military and civilian) were captured. Most were sent by ship to a prison camp in Shanghai, China. 98 prisoners of war remained on Wake Island, kept alive to run heavy equipment to build fortifications. In October, 1943, Wake Island was under siege by an Allied carrier force. On October 7, 1943, Rear Admiral Shigematsu Sakaibara, then a captain and commander of Japanese forces on Wake Island, ordered the execution of the 98 prisoners of war without trial. The POWs were marched to a northern beach, blindfolded, and shot. [One POW managed to elude execution, was hunted down, and was executed with a sword by Sakaibara himself.] In 1947 Rear Admiral Sakaibara and a subordinate, Lieutenant Commander Tachibana, were tried, found guilty, and sentenced to death. [Tachibana's sentence was later reduced to life in prison.] Rear Admiral Sakaibara was executed on 18 June 1947 on Guam. At the end he maintained: "I think my trial was entirely unfair and the proceeding unfair, and the sentence too harsh, but I obey with pleasure."


90 posted on 12/20/2003 7:25:38 PM PST by PhilDragoo (Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald)
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To: Darksheare
That's from 1943 when we took the island back. Those are our ships. :)
91 posted on 12/20/2003 7:48:50 PM PST by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: PhilDragoo
Good evening and thank you Phil.
92 posted on 12/20/2003 7:49:33 PM PST by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: Darksheare; PhilDragoo
Yep, Mr "Peace in our time" himself.

Just like Maddie Halfbright, he had a piece of paper from a murdering dictator promising not to build weapons and attack his neighbors. The Liberals never learn from history.
93 posted on 12/20/2003 7:51:15 PM PST by SAMWolf (Support your local medical examiner: die strangely!)
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To: PhilDragoo

"My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time...

"My good friends, for the second time in our history, an American Secretary of State has returned from North Korea bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time...

94 posted on 12/20/2003 7:57:24 PM PST by SAMWolf (Support your local medical examiner: die strangely!)
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To: PhilDragoo
Evevning Phil Dragoo.

Rear Admiral Sakaibara was executed on 18 June 1947 on Guam. At the end he maintained: "I think my trial was entirely unfair and the proceeding unfair, and the sentence too harsh,..."

That's what they all say.

95 posted on 12/20/2003 8:00:31 PM PST by SAMWolf (Support your local medical examiner: die strangely!)
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To: PhilDragoo
BTTT!!!!!!
96 posted on 12/21/2003 3:10:46 AM PST by E.G.C.
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To: snippy_about_it
No sweat, Snippy. You are very patient with my old fashioned writing style combined with my severely elliptical phrase construction. I guess I have read too much seventeenth and eighteenth century material!

Iwo was something else, though. Relatively untouched by time.

Okinawa was a more severe battle, but Okinawa is all built up, (been there too) and the echos of war are dim. Tokyo is the same way. Tokyo and Yokohama had rubble fields you could drive by for forty five minutes without a break when I was there in 1956 and '57. All gone.

Reminds me of my visit to Chattanooga, the turning point of that other war. Buildings cover everything. Lookout Mountain is the place to go if you want to view the battle scenes with the mind's eye.
97 posted on 12/21/2003 4:46:00 AM PST by Iris7 ("Duty, Honor, Country". The first of these is Duty, and is known only through His Grace)
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To: Iris7
I guess I have read too much seventeenth and eighteenth century material!

Oh no dear, it's not you, it's me. I was up too late and hadn't had my coffee yet and misread you post.

On the contrary, I find our Foxhole "family" very patient of their hostess while she learns history right along with others. ;-)

98 posted on 12/21/2003 5:25:10 AM PST by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: SAMWolf
Everywhere and way you turn you see fields of fire giving a huge advantage to the defense. Walked the ground as I had time to do so. You wouldn't believe it if you haven't seen it.

Worse than attacking up a mountain. On a mountain there is way more cover and the defense can't really dig in (unless you count the Swiss). Iwo is an amazing place.

If the Japanese had even a little material, say a hundred German 57mm antitank guns, two hundred 4.2" mortars, and a few field telephones, or even a few truckloads of Panzerfausts, who knows what would have happened.
99 posted on 12/21/2003 5:48:40 AM PST by Iris7 ("Duty, Honor, Country". The first of these is Duty, and is known only through His Grace)
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To: snippy_about_it
OH.
*Chuckle*
100 posted on 12/21/2003 6:04:00 AM PST by Darksheare (I wanted to put a "Run! Hillary, Run!" bumper sticker on my car, but it'd cover my headlights.)
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