Naval Base Peleliu Explained

Peleliu Naval Base
Coordinates:7°N 149°W
Subdivision Type:Administration
Subdivision Name:
(1944 to 1947)
Area Total Km2:13

Peleliu Naval Base was a major United States Navy sea and airbase base on Peleliu island, one of sixteen states of Palau. The United States Marine Corps took the island in the Battle of Peleliu during World War II. Battle of Peleliu was a costly conflict that started September 15, 1944, and ended November 27, 1944.[1] On September 30, 1944, Peleliu is declared occupied. The taking of Peleliu and Morotai gave the sea and air protection needed for the later invasion of the Philippines. US Navy Seabee built a number of facilities at Peleliu Naval Base.[2] [3]

History

Empire of Japan had built up a very strong force on Palau and Truk. Japan had built two runways in an X pattern on the southern part of the island, now the Peleliu Airfield. The runways were about 3,900 feet long. Peleliu island is 5 1/2 half miles long and 2 1/2 miles wide. The coast is mostly rocky and has about 2 miles of sandy beaches.[4] On October 12, 1944, Peleliu becomes the Marine island command center. October 20, 1944, the 1st Marine Division on Peleliu was relieved by the United States Army 81st Infantry Division. Three US Navy Seabee groups were part of the US Marine's landing on Peleliu on September 15, 1944. The 33rd Seabee Battalions and 73rd Seabee Battalions, with Construction Battaltion Detachment 1054 helped get supplies on the beaches. The nature of the reefs around the island made getting supplies ashore difficult. Seabees used 24 self-propelled pontoon barges to shuttle cargo ashore.[5] Three days after the landing Seabees built a pontoon floating pier to get out past the reef. On the four days after landing LST ships started to unload large cargo on the beach. With the airfield secured, Seabees removed debris and mines. On the fifth day after landing Seabees brought the Seabees' construction equipment to the airfield and started repair work. The eighth day after landing, September 23, the 4,000-foot airfield was opened and three squadrons of fighter planes landed and provided ground support for the troops still fighting. VMO-1 a Marine Observation Squadron also started operation from the Airfield. Seabees 33rd Battalion started construction of a runway that long-range bombers could use, 6,000 feet long, on September 23. On September 23, the bomber runway was opened and in used 24/7. During this time Seabees also built vast support facilities. At Blue Beach, a pontoon causeway was built for unloading and loading landing craft tank (LCT), completed on November 1, 1944. On November 16, 1944, Marine Vought F4U Corsair from Peleliu and Grumman TBF Avenger from Ulithi launch an attack on Empire of Japan troops on Yap Island. Because the captured Peleliu dock was small and not yet a deep enough, amphibious operations continued. LST-19 and LST-225 were some of the amphibious ships used to shuttle cargo ashore.[6] Between November 4 and 9, 1944 a typhoon hit Peleliu. Some ships and some facilities were damaged but was quickly repaired.[7] November 27, 1944 VMF-541, a night fighter squadron with Grumman F6F Hellcat of the United States Marine Corps. move to Leyte, they had been on Peleliu for four months. Peleliu Naval Base lacked a large protected fleet anchorage, thus Naval Base Ulithi became the US Navy's primary fleet support base in the western Pacific. The Army air base was abandoned in June 1945. Seabees dismantled and boxed up usable structures and goods, shipping them out starting July 11, 1945. The last Marines departed Peleliu Naval Base on July 1, 1947. Naval Base Peleliu did not have a port for fleet anchorage, the US Navy used Naval Base Kossol Roads at the north tip of Palau.[8] [9]

thumb|American World War II Tank at Peleliu

Facilities

Naval Base Angaur

Angaur is a small island 9 miles south of Peleliu, taken over after the Battle of Angaur. The US Army and Seabee built some facilities on the island:[3] [10]

Troops

Some Troop stationed at Peleliu:[3]

Post War

In 1947, Peleliu was officially put under United States control, with United Nations approval. It became a part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. In 1978 Palau became an independent Nation, and Peleliu a state in the nation.[11]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/wars-conflicts-and-operations/world-war-ii/1944/peleliu.html US Navy, Battle of Peleliu
  2. http://www.microworks.net/pacific/bases/btnb_online/palau.htm microworks.net, Palau Group, in The Caroline Islands
  3. Web site: Pacific Wrecks. pacificwrecks.com.
  4. Web site: Pacific Wrecks – Republic of Palau (Belau, Pelew). pacificwrecks.com.
  5. Web site: BLOODY BEACHES: The Marines at Peleliu. www.ibiblio.org.
  6. Web site: Tank Landing Ship LST-19. www.navsource.org.
  7. Web site: Peleliu Appendis. www.botany.hawaii.edu.
  8. http://www.marines.mil/portals/1/Publications/History%20of%20U.S.%20Marine%20Corps%20Operations%20in%20WWII%20Vol%20IV_Western%20Pacific%20Operations%20%20PCN%201900026270.pdf – Marines.mil, Western Pacific Operations PCN
  9. Web site: Peleliu 1944 and Today. www.botany.hawaii.edu.
  10. Web site: Pacific Wrecks – Angaur Airfield, Angaur State, Palau. pacificwrecks.com.
  11. http://www.palaupif.com/annex.html Calendar of Events
  12. Web site: Profiles of Known Japanese Holdouts Lt Ei Yamaguchi, Surrendered – April 1947 . Wanpela . July 14, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120830213748/http://www.wanpela.com/holdouts/profiles/yamaguchi.html . 2012-08-30 . live .
  13. Web site: HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Peleliu Marine Connects Past to Present. www.marforres.marines.mil.
  14. Web site: U.S., Japan Commemorate World War II Battle of Peleliu. U.S. Department of Defense.
  15. Web site: US, Japan Commemorate Battle of Peleliu at Wreath-Laying Ceremony. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
  16. Web site: Site Details. www.uswarmemorials.org.
  17. Web site: US Army 323rd Infantry Monument & Lookout | | Sights. www.lonelyplanet.com.
  18. Web site: Monument Details. www.uswarmemorials.org.
  19. Web site: Exploring Peleliu. www.thomas5.com.
  20. Web site: Pacific Wrecks – Type 95 Ha Go Light Tank at Peleliu Airfield. pacificwrecks.com.
  21. Web site: Pacific Wrecks – Hill 100 (Higashiyama, Pope's Ridge) Peleliu Island, Palau. pacificwrecks.com.
  22. Web site: Peleliu Report. www.botany.hawaii.edu.

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