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Posted on 05/20/2004 12:00:18 AM PDT by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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With the Marshall Islands campaign of early 1944, the Marine 4th Division and the Army's 7th Infantry Division moved into Japanese territory for the first time in World War II. The islands, under Japanese control since World War I, offered U.S. forces bases for reconnaissance, combat staging and logistics. They were the next step in the Allied march to the Japanese home islands. 
D-Day in the Marshalls was set for Jan. 31, 1944. On that day, Marines in northern Kwajalein Atoll planned to seize five islands in the vicinity of Roi-Namur, while the 7th Infantry Division hoped to capture four islets near Kwajalein Island. The Majuro Attack Force also targeted four small islands for takeover. All were tactically necessary to the main objectives, scheduled for assault Feb. 1. Combined Navy, Marine and Army forces successfully accomplished all of these missions on D-Day. The islands of Roi and Namur, linked by a short causeway, are so close that they counted as a single target. Roi-Namur was the primary Japanese air base in the Marshalls.  Although many ships of the Northern Task Force were combat veterans, neither the troop transport drivers nor the 4th Marine Division, newly created in August 1943, had combat experience. Additionally, participants in the assault had not been able to rehearse as a unit. This combination of factors made for confusion in the launching of the assault.  "7th Infantry Goes Ashore, Kwajalein Atoll" (1944). Official U.S. Army Signal Corps Photograph, Graflex-Made. Donated by Joseph Garofalo - 121st Seabees, 4th Marine Division. Three days of naval bombardment and air strikes preceded the 4th Marine Division to Roi-Namur. On Feb. 1, ships responsible for fire support and bombardment moved in to extremely close range, maximizing their effectiveness, killing a significant number of defenders, and earning Conolly the nickname "Close-in," along with the gratitude of the troops, who were able to come into the beaches standing up. Navy ships and pilots dropped 6,000 tons of heavy explosives before the Marines set foot on Roi-Namur. Once on the beach, the troops assigned to Roi (the Marine 23rd Regimental Combat Team) advanced rapidly. The Japanese resisted strongly near the airfield's runways, but by late afternoon on Feb. 1 equipment was being landed to repair the airfield for American use. Roi was secured the same day.  Unexploded Jap bomb in crater. There were many of these duds on the island. Picture, George Smith. Capturing Namur, the job of the Marine 24th Regimental Combat Team, proved more difficult. Over half of the assigned transport craft could not be located when it was time to launch the assault. As a result, the timing of the assault waves was off, and units went in piecemeal. Next, the leading waves were halted by tracked landing vehicles that had stopped in the water, throwing everything behind them into confusion. These problems in the water caused a mixup on the beach. Fortunately, the enemy chose not to fight at the water's edge, so the Marines could regroup.  Light tank fires at Jap position on Kwajalein Island as the 7th Division moved in during recent brilliant campaign. Bitter fighting blasted the Japs. Once ashore, the Marines advanced rapidly; at nightfall, only the north shore of the island remained to be captured. The Marines established a defensive perimeter, which the Japanese attacked several times during the night. Fire discipline among the relatively untried troops was not good, and this, rather than the Japanese attacks, posed the greatest danger to the front line. In the morning, the Marines resumed their advance, and by early afternoon held Namur. In the seizure of the northern portion of Kwajalein Atoll, Marine 4th Division casualties were 313 killed and 502 wounded. They defeated an estimated 3,563 Japanese garrison forces, taking only about 90 prisoners. Kwajalein Island was the primary Japanese naval base in the Marshalls.  Two factors combined to make the Feb. 1 landing on Kwajalein among the most perfectly executed of the Pacific theater. First, the 7th Infantry Division trained superbly before it left Hawaii. Second, task force commander Turner was determined that Navy preliminary bombardment, primarily surface, would deliver a thorough pounding to the island's defenders. Turner and his heavy cruisers, battleships and destroyers delivered throughout the engagement, as did Army artillerymen. Four days of struggle were required to subdue the Japanese, but the Army veterans of Attu and Kiska succeeded. Just after 7 p.m. on the fourth day, Corlett, the Army commander, radioed Turner that the island was secure.  What is left of fuel storage tanks. Photo taken by George Smith. In the seizure of Kwajalein Island and surrounding islets, Army casualties included 173 killed and 793 wounded in overcoming an estimated 4,823 Japanese garrison troops. Of these, most were killed or committed suicide; approximately 174 were taken prisoner. The capture of Majuro, intended for use as an air and naval base, occurred without loss of American lives. Early intelligence reports proved erroneous; when Marines from the V Amphibious Corps Reconnaissance Company landed on Jan. 31, they found no Japanese on any of the islands slated for preliminary attack.  The night of Jan. 31, a Marine platoon landed on Majuro Island itself. All but one Japanese had escaped. The 2nd Battalion, 106th Infantry Regiment did not land on Majuro until Feb. 1; then, with an influx of garrison troops, it began converting Majuro into a U.S. air and naval base. The speed with which Kwajalein Atoll fell allowed Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas, to move up the timetable for the seizure of Eniwetok Atoll, code named Operation Catchpole.  Catchpole came under the overall command of Rear Admiral Harry W. Hill. The V Amphibious Corps reserve, made up of the 22nd Marine Regiment (reinforced) under Marine Colonel John T. Walker and the 106th Infantry Regiment(reinforced) under Army Colonel Russell G. Ayers, provided the ground forces. On Feb. 18, 1944, the Marines landed on Engebi Island, supported by naval gunfire and by shore-based artillery placed the day before on three adjacent islets. Engebi, which contained the atoll's airfield, was secured that day.  On Feb. 19, the 106th Infantry faced a tougher situation on Eniwetok Island, but after two days of fighting and help from the 22nd Marines' 3rd Battalion, Eniwetok, too, was taken. The 22nd Marines also seized Parry on Feb. 21, closing the action in the atoll. In Operation Catchpole, Marine casualties were 254 killed, 555 wounded; Army casualties were 94 killed and 311 wounded. About 3,400 Japanese died and 66 were taken prisoner.  U.S. forces bypassed four remaining Japanese bases in the Marshalls (Jaluit, Maleolap, Mille and Wotje), cutting them off from reinforcement. After the war, it was learned that of approximately 13,700 Japanese left at these bases, 7,440 died from bombing, disease or starvation. The capture of the Marshall Islands moved American reconnaissance and land-based strike aircraft within range of the both the Carolines and the Marianas, and opened new bases for the U.S. Navy. It caused the Japanese navy to evacuate Truk Island in the Carolines, which was the bastion of Japanese air and naval power in the Central Pacific.  Feels real good to capture the atoll after intense fighting. The rapid victories in the Marshalls gave added momentum to the Central Pacific drive. The low number of casualties--under 3,000 combined for Marines and Army--shows that the lessons that the Marine 2nd Division paid such a high price for at Tarawa were put to good use. Surface and air bombardment and naval gunnery improved in strength and accuracy. Tactics against heavily defended atolls had been changed and improved. The Marshalls assault forces had more and better transportation to the beach as well.
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I have some threads coming up on the Naval Battles of the War of 1812. Some great paintings of the ships, too bad there weren't any photos of that period.
Roi-Namur: 3563 dead, 90 prisoners. Kwajalein: 4823 dead, 174 prisoners. Eniwetok: 3400 dead; 66 prisoners.
More journalists should be embedded, specifically all from Aljazeera, Reuters, AP, CNN. Six feet should be adequate.
Regarding the Jihadi warrior code or "bull-shido", notice is taken of the long call into Rush Limbaugh today from the Army (missed his rank) whose platoon put 200 bad guys in Abu Ghraib prison.
He noted they were beseeched an hour by a desperate Iraqi man pleading for them to come to his home, that his daughters had been stabbed and raped. The soldier fearing an ambush put him off but relented after much insistence.
They found three girls aged approximately 6, 10, 13 cut and bleeding and the perp sleeping with knife.
It is this high caliber of human being (spit) who was forced to endure the incomprehensible torture of wearing a Hanes Her Way on his head and being laughed at.
I would have done the full Putin by now, SWAT would own CNN, and sunlight would be pumped down to Ted Kennedy in that Nosenko Suite under Langley.
I did call Maggie at Pete Domenici's office and give her the long version: 1) blow Aljazeera; 2) pull the plug on the 911 commission; 3) stop the prison circus.
Interceptor Launch from Kwajalein Atoll for IFT-3
Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI): The GBI and its associated components provide the “weapon” of the NMD system. Its mission is to strike high-speed ballistic missile warheads in the midcourse or exo-atmospheric phase of their trajectories and destroy them by force of impact. The GBI consists of several components. The missile payload is called the kill vehicle (KV). This component has its own sensors, propulsion, communications, guidance, and computing functions which all work together to complete the intercept. Next, is the booster that will propel the KV toward an approximate intercept location enabling the KV to perform terminal maneuvers and impact the incoming warhead. In addition to the missile payload, there is also ground command and launch equipment that is needed to launch the interceptor. This consists of the hardware and software for interface with the BM/C3 system, human-incontrol interfaces (consoles) and interceptor storage sites (silos), in order to accomplish daily maintenance and readiness functions in addition to providing the launch of the interceptor upon command.
From drone boats mighty oak trees grow (thank an engineer as well as those Marines and NUDT guys).
The Ground Based Interceptor (GBI) is a large, land-based missile. It is designed to engage Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) and defend large areas with only a few launchers. The Exo-atmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) is the intercept component of the GBI and has its own seeker, propulsion, communications, guidance and computers to support targeting decisions and manoeuvres. GBI is the interceptor element of the US Ground-based Mid-course. A prototype GBI launched from Kwajalein Atoll has successfully intercepted, on a number of occasions, a modified Minuteman ICBM launched more than 7,500km away.
Prototype ground-based X-band radar at Kwajalein Atoll, Pacific Ocean.
Underwater Demolition Training at Eniwetok
July-August 26, 1944
Excerpts from the personal wartime journal of Sergeant Patrick L. Finelli
U.S. Marine Corps
Capt. Sweet volunteered himself, me and another Marine for a special assignment. I was a good swimmer, trained in bomb disposal and demolitions. We were dispatched to Eniwetok where we learned how to use a mask and fins along with Navy OSS personnel. Captain Sweet was relatively old at this time (late 30's), a reserve officer, and I never saw him in the water, so his role is unclear to me. At Eniwetok, we were given physicals, swim tests, cots and tents. Our trainers were introduced as being OSS. I did not know who they were, what they did or where they went when finished. We were in a small group of Marines, Fleet volunteers and Army Engineers.
We were indoctrinated to swim fins (Churchill) and face masks by Navy OSS trainers. We experimented with "Shot-loads" to destroy CB built obstacles. It was very serious, deadly and surprisingly quiet - not much conversation at all. Capt. Sweet never participated, he just observed and took notes. Although it was explained that prior demolition training was preferable, it wasn't essential and could be taught. It would be easier to teach explosives than swimming. A higher priority was placed on swimming ability (i.e. a strong swimmer comfortable in open water). Much time was spent testing for panic levels when stressed and it was surprising to see very good swimmers lose it despite clear visibility in 60 ft straight down when seen through a 5" diameter Sea Dive Mask. The best advice we got was to stay calm, slow everything down, don't get scared. We were taught to swim sidestroke, trudgeon and breast strokes, turning our heads to the side to minimize mask reflections. We used the crawl stroke for emergencies and/or extractions.
The explosives we used were a mix of what happened to be available such as 1 lb. and ½ lb. blocks of TNT, Comp. C-3, 60% dynamite, tetryl and tetrytol. We had 10, 30 & 100 cap blasting machines (called Hell Boxes). We also had Primacord, blasting caps (electric and natural), safety fuse with length formulas and calculations, delayed tetryl caps and percussion caps. We learned how to set charges in checkerboard and center patterns, how to waterproof connections and most importantly, team integrity and paired buddy dependence. We also had some very good classroom instruction in Amphibious Landing Operations; mission and organization of combat demolition units, methods and techniques. All in all, an intensive training program in eliminating man-made and natural underwater obstructions. We are now ready for whatever assignments await us.
What a marvelous addition to my Marine training. All the elements of discipline, brotherhood and preparedness are evident and expected to be employed soon. At the conclusion of training, were broke up and went different ways. Our group was assigned to the Clemson, APD-31, a converted World War I vessel. We did not know our final destination - Peleliu.
I need three volunteers to clear underwater obstacles in the bathtub.
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Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Mk 1V - LVT4
U.S. forces shot up a "wedding party" miles from nowhere way past midnight in the vicinity of the terrorist ratline.
Aljazeera and the New York Times report women, children, minorities and the pooh-er were hurt worst.
Boo hoohoo.
Have 1 color photo of USS Isherwood in her camo off Ie Shima/Okinawa.
A Destroyer website has a copy of it...links appear to stay alive from that site too.
Black,white and light grey.
yet..the blue water reflects up onto the hull..the light grey and black take on the ocean blue.
I guess the varied camo patterns used during the war did different things visually in varied climate conditions.
Anyhoo...A Japanese sub commander trying to chart/identify a U.S. destroyer doing 48 degree rolls in the Aleutians......must have been puking from the movement as much as the crew on the Tin can. LOL!
I believe solid Navy Blue was Measure 21. LEXINGTON (II) was called the "Blue Ghost", so that might your largest ship.
"bull-shido"
LOL! Best description of Islamic "warriors" I've seen.
Like the part about the Marine being "volunteered" for UDT training.
The advantage of being partially colorblind. They all look steel gray to me. :-)
BTTT!!!!!
Don't get me wrong. It wasn't all tropical paradise in the blue suit world. I spent my share of time above the Arctic Circle, in the jungles, and in Texas.
Thanks, GATOR,
I was very hazy about Halsey's chain of command at Leyte Gulf. Looking back at my reading I recollect it as never clear to me that Halsey had such contradictory orders.
Halsey should have notified Kinkaid he was leaving, though.
Evans got the Navy Cross posthumously, it took years before the received the Medal.
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