United States Army in World War II: The War in the Pacific
The Approach to the Philippines
by Robert Ross Smith
1953
. . . to Those Who Served
Table of Contents
The Author
Chapter 1: The Strategic Background
Determining the Strategy of the Approach—Acceleration of Pacific Operations in Early 1944—The New Directive for 1944
Chapter 2: Planning and Preparation for the Hollandia–Aitape Operation
Theater Organization—The Hollandia Area—The Decision to Take Aitape—The Forces and Their Missions—Logistics—The Hollandia Tactical Plan—Preliminary Operations and the Approach
Chapter 3: The Hollandia Operations
The Landings at Tanahmerah Bay—The 24th Division’s Drive to the Airfields—The Seizure of Hollandia Town—The Drive Inland from Humboldt Bay—Logistic Problems of the RECKLESS Task Force—The End of the Operation
Chapter 4: The Japanese: Pearl Harbor Through Hollandia
Strategy and Dispositions to April 1944—The Japanese at Hollandia
Chapter 5: Prelude to the Battle of the Driniumor
Securing the Airfield Area—Contact with the 18th Army on the East Flank
Chapter 6: Deployment for Battle
Reinforcement and Reorganization of the PERSECUTION Task Force—Gathering Combat Intelligence—The 18th Army Moves West
Chapter 7: The Battle of the Driniumor, Phase I: The 18th Army Attacks
Withdrawal of the PERSECUTION Covering Force—Restoration of the Driniumor Line—Operations West of the Driniumor—The Japanese Attack on the South Flank
Chapter 8: The Battle of the Driniumor, Phase II: The 18th Army Retreats
Securing the Afua Area—Envelopment to the East—The End of the Aitape Operation
Chapter 9: The Seizure of Wakde Island
The Sarmi–Biak Plan—The Wakde Plan—Preparations for the Capture of Wakde Island—Small-Island Warfare, Southwest Pacific Style
Chapter 10: Lone Tree Hill: The Initial Attacks
The Japanese at Wakde–Sarmi—The 158th Infantry Against Lone Tree Hill—Final Operations of the 158th Infantry
Chapter 11: Lone Tree Hill and Beyond
The 6th Division Against Lone Tree Hill—Final Operations in the Wakde–Sarmi Area—The Results of the Wakde–Sarmi Operation
Chapter 12: Biak: The Plan, the Landing, and the Enemy
The Biak Plan—The Landing—The Japanese on Biak
Chapter 13: West to Mokmer Drome
An Initial Reverse—Preparations for a New Attack—The Seizure of Mokmer Drome
Chapter 14: Frustration at Mokmer Drome
Reinforcements for the 186th Infantry—Operations North of Mokmer Drome—Allied Command at Biak
Chapter 15: The Japanese Reinforce Biak
Biak and Japanese Naval Plans—The KON Operation—Results of the KON Operation
Chapter 16: Biak: The Reduction of the Japanese Pockets
The Reduction of the West Caves—Securing the Western Area—The Reduction of the East Caves—The Reduction of the Ibdi Pocket—The End of the Operation
Chapter 17: Operations on Noemfoor Island
The Noemfoor Plan—The Landing—The Occupation of Noemfoor Island—Base Development on Noemfoor
Chapter 18: Airfields on the Vogelkop Peninsula
Early Plans for the Vogelkop—The Sansapor–Mar Plan—Operations in the Sansapor–Mar Area
Chapter 19: The Palaus and Morotai: Strategic and Tactical Planning
The Strategic Setting—The Objectives—Organization, Tactics, and Logistics
Chapter 20: The Morotai Operation
The Landing—Securing and Developing Morotai
Chapter 21: The Landings on Peleliu and Angaur
Preliminary Air and Naval Bombardment—The Peleliu Beachhead—The Decision to Land on Angaur—The Assault on Angaur—Securing Southern Angaur
Chapter 22: The Reduction of Northwestern Angaur
Into the Main Defenses—Overcoming the Last Resistance—Results of Operations on Angaur
Chapter 23: Securing Peleliu Island
Marine Operations in Southern Peleliu to 22 September—Dividing the Island—Northern Peleliu and the Offshore Islands
Chapter 24: Peleliu: The Last Resistance
Compressing the Umurbrogol Pocket—Entr’acte: The Relief of the 1st Marine Division—Overcoming the Final Resistance—Results of Operations in the Palaus—Conclusion: The Results and the Costs
Appendix A: Conclusion: The Results and the Costs
Appendix B: Bibliographical Note
Appendix C: List of Abbreviations
I. New Guinea
II. The Hollandia Operations, 22–26 April 1944
III. Securing the Beachhead, 23 April–4 May 1944
IV. Lone Tree Hill
V. Biak Landings and Seizure of Mokmer Drome, 27 May–7 June 1944
VI. Assault on Peleliu, 15–23 September 1944
VII. Assault on Angaur, 17–20 September 1944
VIII. Reduction of Northwestern Angaur, 21 September–1 October 1944
IX. Dividing the Island, 24–26 September 1944
Inline Maps
1. Situation in the Pacific, 12 March 1944
2. Hollandia Operation Area
3. Aitape Landings, 22 April 1944
4. Yakamul Area
5. Situation Along the Driniumor, Evening, 10 July 1944
6. Japanese Plan of Attack, 10 July 1944
7. Japanese Attack on Driniumor Line, Night, 10–11 July 1944
8. The TED Force Action, 31 July–10 August 1944
9. Wakde–Sarmi Area
10. Capture of Wakde Islands, 17–19 May 1944
11. Advance to Lone Tree Hill, 23–26 May 1944
12. TORNADO Task Force, Night, 30–31 May 1944
13. Schouten Islands
14. Bosnek–Sorido Coast
15. Attack North of Mokmer Drome, 11–15 June 1944
16. Securing the Airfields, 18–24 June 1944
17. Capture of Noemfoor, 2 July–31 August 1944
18. Vogelkop Operation, 30 July–31 August 1944
19. Palau Islands
20. Morotai Landings, 15 September 1944
21. Terrain of Umurbrogol Pocket
22. Marines at Umurbrogol Pocket, 30 September–15 October 1944
23. 321st Infantry at Umurbrogol Pocket, 16–25 October 1944
24. 323rd Infantry at Umurbrogol Pocket, 26 October–27 November 1944
Tables
1. American Casualties During the Approach to the Philippines: April–December 1944
2. Japanese Casualties, Defending the Approaches to the Philippines: April–December 1944
Charts
1. Operational Organization of the Southwest Pacific Area: April 1944
2. Air Organization for the Hollandia–Aitape Operations (Amphibious Phase)
3. Naval Organization for the Hollandia–Aitape Operations (Amphibious Phase)
4. Ground Organization for the Hollandia–Aitape Operations (Amphibious Phase)
5. Japanese Army Operational Organization in the Southwest Pacific Area: April 1944
6. Japanese Naval Operational Organization in the Central and Southwest Pacific Area: April 1944
7. The PERSECUTION Task Force: 22 April–4 May 1944
8. The PERSECUTION Task Force: 4 May–28 June 1944
9. The PERSECUTION Task Force: 28 June–11 July 1944
10. The PERSECUTION Task Force: 11 July–21 July 1944
11. The PERSECUTION Task Force: 22 July–30 July 1944
12. The PERSECUTION Task Force: 31 July–11 August 1944
13. The PERSECUTION Task Force: 11 August–25 August 1944
14. Organization for the Palau Operation
Illustrations
Lake Sentani Plain, Showing Airfields—Hollandia–Aitape Planners—Humboldt Bay—Tanahmerah Bay—Damaged Japanese Airplanes—Landings at Tanahmerah Bay—Unloading LSTs—Hand-Carrying Supplies—General Douglas MacArthur—LVTs Crossing Lake Sentani—Troops Unloading Supplies at Aitape—Yakamul Area—Tadji Fighter Strip—Driniumor River—Lt. Gen. Hatazo Adachi—The Afua Area—Artillery Supporting TED Force—Native Litter Bearers—Brig. Gen. Jens A. Doe—The Assault on Wakde Island—Enemy Defensive Positions on Wakde—LCM Ferry—Mokmer Drome, Biak—Biak Coast Line—Unloading at Biak—East Caves Area—Scene of Tank Battle—The Parai Defile—Men of the 162nd Infantry Seeking Cover—Disabled Japanese Tank—Infantrymen Moving Up to Attack—Entrances to the West Caves—Entrance to the East Caves—Dock Area, Biak—Base H and Hospital Areas on Biak—DUKW Burning on the Beach at Noemfoor—Paratroopers Landing on Noemfoor—Sansapor Planners—Bulldozer Clearing Jungle Undergrowth—Maj. Gen. Paul J. Mueller—LCIs at Morotai—Unloading at Morotai—RED Beach Unloading Operations—Saipan Town Area—Entrance to Lake Salome Bowl—Interior of Lake Salome Bowl—Mopping Up in Northwest Angaur—Southeast Corner of Umurbrogol Pocket—LVT Flame Thrower in Action—Moving into Mortimer Valley—Peleliu
The illustration on p. 146 is an Australian War Memorial photograph. All other illustrations in this volume are from the files of the Department of Defense.
Center Of Military History
United States Army: Washington, D.C.,
U.S. Army Center of Military History
Brig. Gen. Douglas Kinnard, USA (Ret.), Chief of Military History
Chief Historian, David F. Trask
Chief, Histories Division, Col. James W. Dunn
Editor in Chief, John Elsberg