For Operation Stalemate II the Americans had assembled an impressive force as part of the Third Fleet expeditionary troops under the command of MajGen Julian C. Smith. Direct command of Western Task Force (Southern Palaus) was exercised by III Amphibious Corps under MajGen Roy S. Geiger. Both Smith and Geiger were aboard the amphibious command ship USS Mount McKinley (AGC-7). Main assault troops for IIIAC consisted of the 1st Mar. Div. (Reinforced) and the 81st Infantry Division.
Pre-invasion bombardment would be provided by the 14in. guns of the battleships USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), Maryland (BB-46), Mississippi (BB-41), Tennessee (BB-43), and Idaho (BB-42), the heavy cruisers USS Columbus (CA-74), Indianapolis (CA-35), Louisville (CA-28), Minneapolis (CA-36), and Portland (CA-33), and the light cruisers USS Cleveland (CL-55), Denver (CL-58), and Honolulu (CL-48), all supported by planes from three fleet carriers, five light carriers, and 11 escort carriers. This “softening up” of Peleliu was to commence on D–3 (12 September 1944) and continue up to and including D-Day (15 September 1944). Nevertheless, Admiral Oldendorf declared on D–1 (14 September) that he had “run out of targets” and aborted his bombardment, sending the majority of naval support ships to the Philippines to support the forthcoming landings there.
This view of the beaches, as seen from a Navy spotter plane, shows dozens of amtracs on or approaching beaches White 1 and 2, targets of 1/1 and 3/1 on the extreme left, just inland was “The Point,” uncharted high ground bristling with Japanese defense positions, which held up 3/1 for most of D-Day, finally taken after many casualties by George Hunt’s K/3/1.
There were two elements to Stalemate II assault on the Palau Islands. First was the island of Peleliu which was to be assaulted by 1st Mar. Div. (Reinforced). Second was to be the assault on Angaur Island, to the southwest of Peleliu; this was the target of the 81st Infantry Division.
The 1st Mar. Div. had been raised in February 1941 from the 1st Marine Brigade at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. It had fought on Guadalcanal, America’s first amphibious landing in World War II, from August to December 1942. The “Old Breed” then secured a lodgment on Cape Gloucester, New Britain, fighting there from December 1943 to February 1944. To avoid being over-tasked with work details and guard duty at the new base on Guadalcanal, the 1st Mar. Div. established camp on Pavuvu Island in the Russell Islands, a small, inhospitable island 35 miles northeast of Guadalcanal. Rotting coconuts, rats, crabs, heat, humidity, rain, mud, and inadequate training areas made it a miserable experience for the Marines. They would reluctantly return there after Peleliu to prepare for Okinawa.
LCVPs and amtracs race for the beaches of Peleliu on D-Day, the island almost obscured from the assault waves’ view. Smoke shells had been fired inland to conceal the approach of the assault waves from the Japanese defenders. Much of the smoke drifted down across the beaches, however, proving more of a hindrance than a help to the attacking troops.
Many of the Division’s Guadalcanal veterans had rotated back to the States, but some were still present and most of the troops had fought on New Britain. These men were in less than ideal condition having endured one of the wettest campaigns of the war. Most were suffering from weight loss and fungus infections, but would recover by the time of the Peleliu attack. The Division had received 4,860 replacements by June. Some 80 per cent of the Division was aged between 18 and 25.
While on Pavuvu the 1st Mar. Div. reorganized under the May 1944 tables of organization. This saw the detachment of the 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion to Fleet Marine Force (FMF) control, but it remained attached to the Division, and the deactivation of the 1st Special Weapons Battalion with its antitank weapons reassigned to the infantry regiments. Company D (Scout) was detached from the 1st Tank Battalion, redesignated 1st Reconnaissance Company, and reassigned to Headquarters Battalion, 1st Mar. Div. At the same time “Light” was dropped from the tank battalion’s designation and it received 75mm gun-armed M4A2 Sherman medium tanks to replace its M3A1 light tanks although its Company A had had Shermans since late 1943. The tank companies underwent reorganization too. Rather than three five-tank platoons as previously assigned, the medium companies had four three-tank platoons plus three in the company headquarters. This allowed for more flexible attachment of platoons to infantry battalions, but with too few tanks per platoon. A single combat loss or malfunction reduced the platoon to a relatively ineffective two tanks.
To support the assault the Division was directed to form the 3d Armored Amphibian Tractor and 6th Amphibian Tractor Battalions (Provisional) by splitting the 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion three ways. The three battalions were manned by personnel drawn from the rear echelons of other amtrac battalions, directly from the Tracked Vehicle School in the States, and Company C, 1st Motor Transport Battalion. Few LVTs were available to train the three units, but sufficient LVT(2)s and new LVT(4)s had arrived in time to take part in the assault. The 3d Armored Amtrac Battalion had mostly new 75mm howitzer-armed LVT(A)4s and a few old 37mm gun-armed LVT(A)1s.
Support waves huddle down in Higgins boats awaiting their turn to transfer to amtracs for the trip into the beaches on D-Day. The tension is all too apparent on the faces of veteran and green replacement alike.
The 1st Motor Transport Battalion landed with only Company A’s full complement of trucks and repair equipment as the need for trucks on the small island was deemed limited, and two amtrac battalions would haul cargo. The battalion’s Company B landed as litter bearers and relief drivers and Company C had been absorbed into the new amtrac units. The tanks of 1st Tank Battalion’s Company C did not deploy because of limited shipping space, but the crews were brought to serve as replacements. Only 30 tanks were initially deployed, but replacements were delivered as 40 were knocked out in the fight. About 20 tanks were kept operational through the battle and of those knocked out only nine were totally destroyed.
The 17th Marines, the divisional engineer regiment, was deactivated with the engineer and pioneer battalions remaining under division-control and the naval construction battalion (“Seabees”) returned to the Navy. In May the 105mm howitzer-armed 3d Battalion, 11th Marines was rearmed and redesignated the 3d 155mm Artillery Battalion and reassigned to FMF. The 5th Battalion, 11th Marines was redesignated the new 3/11. Under the new table of organization 1/11 and 2/11 had 75mm M1A1 pack howitzers and 3/11 and 4/11 had 105mm M2A1 howitzers. Artillery batteries, regardless of caliber, had four pieces.
The three infantry regiments too were reorganized. The regiments were authorized 3,236 men with a 261-man headquarters and service company (it lost its scout and sniper platoon), 203-man regimental weapons company, and three 954-man infantry battalions. The weapons company had a platoon of four 75mm M3A1 halftrack-mounted guns and three platoons each with four 37mm M3A1 AT guns. The infantry battalions lost their weapons companies (D, H, M). The mortar platoon with four 81mm M1 mortars was reassigned to the 213-man headquarters company. The three heavy machine gun platoons were absorbed into the new rifle company machine gun platoons. Pooled in the battalion headquarters were 27 M1A1 flamethrowers and 27 demolition kits – one of each per rifle squad. Rifle companies often formed assault sections, intended to attack pillboxes, equipped with these weapons and with bazookas. For Peleliu the 1st Mar. Div. was provided 100 60mm T20 shoulder-fired mortars, supplied to rifle platoons for use as direct fire weapons against pillboxes and caves.
Assault waves huddle down for what little protection they can find on the beaches on D-Day. Several DUKWs and amtracs can be seen burning in the lagoon in the background. 3/1 and 3/7 on the flanks of the landings suffered losses from the heavy anti-boat fire on the way in.
The 240-man rifle companies1 had a 53-man headquarters, three 46-man rifle platoons, and a 56-man machine gun platoon. The former company weapons platoon was converted to a machine gun platoon with six .30cal. M1919A4 aircooled light machine guns and a reserve of six .30cal. M1917A1 watercooled heavy machine guns. The latter could be substituted for the light machine guns. The mortar section with three 60mm M2 mortars was reassigned to the company headquarters. There were three 2.36in. M1A1 rocket launchers in the company headquarters to be allocated as necessary along with bazookas from other battalion elements that were sometimes loaned to platoons.
The rifle platoons had a seven-man headquarters and three 13-man rifle squads organized under a new concept, although the practice went back to the “Banana Wars.” It had a squad leader (M1 carbine) and three four-man fire teams, each with a fire team leader (M1 rifle, M7 grenade launcher), rifleman (M1 rifle, M7 grenade launcher), automatic rifleman (M1918A2 Browning automatic rifle – BAR), and an assistant automatic rifleman (M1 carbine, M8 grenade launcher). This gave the squad three fire-and-maneuver teams, each under a designated leader. The Division was dissatisfied with the M1 carbine’s limited stopping power and penetration through vegetation. Most carbine-equipped infantrymen were issued M1 rifles and 2/7 received both M1 rifles and M1 Thompson submachine guns to replace carbines.
Combat Team 1 (Beaches White 1 and 2)
1st Marines
Company A, 1st Engineer Battalion
Company A, 1st Medical Battalion
Company A, 1st Pioneer Battalion
Company A, 1st Tank Battalion
1st Platoon, 1st MP Company
1st Platoon, Ordnance Company, 1st Service Battalion
Detachment, Service and Supply Company, 1st Service Battalion
Detachment, 4th Joint Assault Signal Company
Combat Team 5 (Beaches Orange 1 and 2)
5th Marines
Company B, 1st Engineer Battalion
Company B, 1st Medical Battalion
Company B, 1st Pioneer Battalion
Company B (– 1st and 4th Platoons), 1st Tank Battalion
2nd Platoon, 1st MP Company
2nd Platoon, Ordnance Company, 1st Service Battalion
Detachment, Service and Supply Company, 1st Service Battalion
Detachment, 4th Joint Assault Signal Company
Combat Team 7 (Beach Orange 3)
7th Marines (– 2nd Battalion)
Company C (– 2nd Platoon), 1st Engineer Battalion
Company C, 1st Medical Battalion
Company C, 1st Pioneer Battalion
1st and 4th Platoons, Company B, 1st Tank Battalion
3rd Platoon, 1st MP Company
Detachment, 4th Joint Assault Signal Company
Armored Amphibian Tractor Group
3rd Armored Amphibian Tractor Battalion (Provisional)
US Navy Flamethrower Detachment (– one LVT to each CT)
Amphibian Transport Group
1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion (120 x LVT(2) & LVT(4))
6th Amphibian Tractor Battalion (Provisional) (80 x LVT(4))
Detachment, 8th Amphibian Tractor Battalion (21 x LVT(2))
454th Transportation Corps Amphibious Truck Company (50 x DUKW) (USA)
456th Transportation Corps Amphibious Truck Company (50 x DUKW) (USA)
Artillery Group
11th Marines (1st–4th Battalions)
3d 155mm Howitzer Battalion
8th 155mm Gun Battalion (– Battery C)
Antiaircraft Group
12th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (90/40/20mm)
Engineer Group
1st Engineer Battalion (– Companies A-C)
33rd Naval Construction Battalion (–)
73rd Naval Construction Battalion (–)
Shore Party Group
1st Pioneer Battalion (– Companies A-C)
1st Motor Transport Battalion (– Company C)
Detachments, 33rd and 77th Naval Construction Battalions
Service Group
1st Service Battalion (– detachments)
16th Field Depot
7th Marine Ammunition Company
11th Marine Depot Company
Medical Group
1st Medical Battalion (– Companies A-C; - detachment, Company D)
Reserve Group
2nd Battalion, 7th Marines
1st Tank Battalion (– Companies A-C)
1st Reconnaissance Company
2nd Platoon, Company C, 1st Engineer Battalion
Detachment, Company D, 1st Medical Battalion
Attachments
4th-6th Marine War Dog Platoons
5th and 6th Separate Wire Platoons
The 1st Mar. Div. would comprise three infantry combat teams, plus eight task-organized support groups formed from divisional and attached IIIAC combat support and service units. The three infantry regiments consisted of the 1st Marines the 5th Marines, and the 7th Marines (Marine regiments are always designated as “Marines” and “regiment” is never included in their official designation nor is “infantry” or “artillery.”). These were designated Combat Teams (CT) 1, 5, and 7 – codenamed “Spitfire,” “Lone Wolf,” and “Mustang,” respectively. The CTs were usually augmented with tank, engineer, pioneer, and medical companies plus service detachments and a detachment from the 4th Joint Assault Signal Company to control field artillery, naval gunfire, and close air support. The 1st Pioneer Battalion had two provisional replacement companies attached. Designated Companies D and E, they unloaded landing ships until sent forward as replacements on D+3, but their numbers were inadequate. The US Navy Flamethrower Detachment, a test unit, was commanded by a Navy officer, but manned by Marines. It had six LVT(4) amtracs mounting Ronson Mk I flamethrowers with one amtrac attached to each CT and three in reserve. Army amphibious truck companies, with DUKW 2½-ton amphibians or “Ducks,” were attached to the Marines as their own operational companies were tied up in the Marianas. Ducks were mainly used to haul light artillery and ammunition ashore.
The organization of the 1st Mar. Div. (Reinforced) for the Peleliu assault is shown above.
IIIAC Reserve was to be the 81st Inf. Div. – less the 323rd RCT, which was to assault Ulithi Atoll. The remaining two RCTs, 321st and 322nd, were to assault Angaur Island, but only when released by the 1st Mar. Div. commander once he considered the situation on Peleliu did not require the assistance of the 81st Infantry Division.
321st Regimental Combat Team (Beach Blue – Angaur)
321st Infantry Regiment
316th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
Company A, 306th Engineer Combat Battalion (+ Detachment, H&S Company)
Company A plus Company D (– 2nd Platoon) and HQ 306 Medical Battalion (– detachment)
Detachment, 781st Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
Detachment, Traffic Squad, 81st MP Platoon
Detachment, 81st Quartermaster Company
154th Engineer Combat Battalion (+ detachment, HQ & HQ Company, 1138th Engineer Combat Group)
Detachment, 592d Joint Assault Signal Company
Detachment, 481st Transportation Corps Amphibious Truck Company (DUKW)
Company A, 726th Amphibian Tractor Battalion (+ Detachment H&S Company)
Half Company D, 776th Amphibian Tank Battalion
Company A, 710th Tank Battalion
Detachment, Provisional Quartermaster Graves Registration Company, 81st Inf. Div.
Detachment, Translator-Interpreter Team A, HQ Company, Central Pacific Area
322nd Regimental Combat Team (Beach Red – Angaur)
322d Infantry Regiment
317th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
Company B, 306th Engineer Battalion (+ detachment, H&S Company)
Company B, 306th Medical Battalion
Detachment, 781st Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
Detachment, Traffic Squad, 81st MP Platoon
52d Engineer Combat Battalion (+ detachment, HQ & HQ Company, 1138th Engineer Combat Group)
Detachment, 592d Joint Assault Signal Company
Company B, 710th Tank Battalion
Company D, 88th Chemical Battalion (Motorized) (4.2in. mortar)
726th Amphibian Tractor Battalion (– Company A & detachment, H&S Company)
Company D, 776th Amphibian Tank Battalion (– half of company)
Detachment, 481st Transportation Corps Amphibious Truck Company (DUKW)
Detachment, Translator-Interpreter Team A, HQ Company, Central Pacific Area
Detachment, Provisional Quartermaster Graves Registration Company, 81st Inf. Div.
17th Medical Field Hospital (– one platoon)
323rd Regimental Combat Team (Ulithi Atoll)
323d Infantry Regiment
906th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
Company C, 306th Engineer Battalion (+ detachment, H&S Company)2
Company C, 306th Medical Battalion (+ 2d Platoon, Company D and detachment, HQ)
Detachment, 781st Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
Detachment, Traffic Squad, 81st MP Platoon
Detachment, 81st Quartermaster Company2
Detachment, 481st Transportation Corps Amphibious Truck Company (DUKW)
Detachment, 592d Joint Assault Signal Company
155th Engineer Combat Battalion (+ detachment, HQ & HQ Company, 1138th Engineer Combat Group)
Detachment, Provisional Quartermaster Graves Registration Company, 81st Inf. Div.
Detachment, Translator-Interpreter Team A, HQ Company, Central Pacific Area
81st Infantry Division Artillery (– three 105mm battalions)
HQ & HQ Battery, 81st Infantry Division Artillery
318th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)
Division Troops
HQ, 81st Infantry Division
HQ Company, 81st Infantry Division
306th Engineer Combat Battalion (– Companies A–C and detachments, H&S Company)
306th Medical Battalion (– Companies A–D and detachments, HQ Detachment)
81st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop
Division Special Troops
HQ, Special Troops, 81st Infantry Division
81st Infantry Division Band
81st Signal Company
781st Ordnance Light Maintenance Company (– three detachments)
81st Quartermaster Company (– two detachments)
81st MP Platoon (– three detachments)
81st Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment
Attachments
710th Tank Battalion (– Companies A and B)
483rd Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion (40mm/.50cal.)
HQ & HQ Company, 1138th Engineer Combat Group (– detachments)
481st Transportation Corps Amphibious Truck Company (– three detachments) (DUKW)
592nd Joint Assault Signal Company (– three detachments)
41st Medical Portable Surgical Hospital
one Photo Assignment Unit, 3116th Signal Service Battalion
Detachment, Translator-Interpreter Team A, HQ Company, Central Pacific Area (– three detachments)
1st Platoon, Provisional Quartermaster Graves Registration Company (– three detachments), 81st Inf. Div.
one platoon, 17th Medical Field Hospital
Garrison Force, Angaur
HQ, Garrison Force, Angaur
7th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (90/40/20mm) (USMC)
290th Transportation Corps Port Company
405th Ordnance Medium Maintenance Company
2d Platoon, 3259th Quartermaster Service Company
3d Platoon, 247th Quartermaster Depot Company
3d Depot Platoon, 722nd Engineer Depot Company
The 81st Inf. Div. had been reactivated at Camp Rucker, Alabama, in June 1942. It had served in France in World War I. The new division was raised from a small Regular Army 3rd Inf. Div. cadre filled with newly commissioned reserve officers and conscripted troops. After receiving desert training, participating in corps-level exercises stressing the attack of fortified positions, and then amphibious training in California, it transferred to Hawaii for additional amphibious training. It then went to Guadalcanal, now a large base, where it undertook jungle training. While the troops were acclimatized and undertook training in rugged terrain with limited visibility, it did little to specifically prepare them for Angaur and Peleliu. Angaur was to be its first combat action.
Army infantry regiments had 3,257 troops in a 108-man headquarters and headquarters company (with a platoon of three 37mm AT M3A1 guns and an intelligence and reconnaissance platoon), a 118-man cannon company with six 75mm M1A1 pack howitzers, a 165-man antitank company with nine 37mm AT guns plus a mine platoon, and a 115-man service company. Its three 871-man infantry battalions had a 155-man headquarters and headquarters company, three 193-man rifle companies, and a 160-man heavy-weapons company (D, H, M) with eight .30cal. M1917A1 heavy machine guns in two platoons and a platoon of six 81mm M1 mortars. The rifle companies had three 39-man rifle platoons with three 12-man rifle squads comprised of a squad leader (M1 rifle), assistant squad leader (M1 rifle), automatic rifleman (M1918A2 BAR), assistant automatic rifleman (M1 rifle), grenadier (M1 rifle, M7 grenade launcher), and seven riflemen (M1 rifles). The company had five 2.36in. M1A1 bazookas to be issued as it saw fit. The weapons platoon had a section with two .30cal. M1919A4 light machine guns and a section of three 60mm M2 mortars.
Marines of 3/1 dig in and take cover on White Beach while others move inland only to become pinned down by murderous Japanese fire from “The Point,” the high ground seen here in the background. This obstacle appeared on none of the maps and held up 3/1’s advance all day, defying all attempts to take it by frontal assault. The Point was only finally taken by K/3/1 after they worked their way around the flank and assaulted the Japanese positions from the rear.
Army divisional artillery was organized differently from the Marine Corps’. The division artillery, commanded by a brigadier general, had three 105mm M2A1 howitzer battalions (316th, 317th, 906th Field Artillery Battalions) and one 155mm M1A1 howitzer battalion (318th). Each field artillery battalion had a headquarters and headquarters battery, service battery, and three howitzer batteries with four tubes apiece.
The attached 710th Tank Battalion had M4A1 Sherman tanks with 17 tanks each in Companies A–C, three platoons of five and two in the headquarters. Six 75mm M8 self-propelled howitzers were in the headquarters company’s assault gun platoon. Company D, normally equipped with light tanks, had 3in. gun-armed M10 tank destroyers, which were invaluable for blasting out caves. The Army’s amphibian tractor battalions, like the Marines, were equipped with LVT(2) and LVT(4) amtracs.
On the beaches no one was safe. Here black Marines from depot and ammunition companies take advantage of any cover they can find. Many of these service troops later volunteered for infantry duty as the casualties on the front line mounted.
Assault troops for Operation Stalemate II numbered approximately 2,647 officers and 44,914 enlisted men, of whom 1,438 officers and 24,979 enlisted were Marines.
See page 34 for the 81st Inf. Div. organization for the Angaur (321st and 322nd RCTs) and Ulithi (323rd RCT) assaults.
The 4th Fleet was responsible for the defense of the Japanese Mandated Territory. There were submarine and seaplane bases on Arakabesan, another seaplane base on Koror, the islands’ headquarters and administrative center, and airfields on Babelthuap, Peleliu, and Ngesebus. The 4th Fleet headquarters relocated to Truk in February 1942.
The 14th Division under LtGen Inoue Sadao arrived in the Palaus from Manchuria via Saipan in April 1944. The Division had been raised in 1905 and served in the Russo-Japanese War, the Siberian Expedition, and the Manchurian Incident. Between 1932 and 1944 it served three tours in China and Manchuria. In March 1944, just prior to its transfer to the Mandates, it was reorganized as an amphibious division. This organization, called a “regimental combat team division” by the Allies, was not intended for amphibious assault, but was optimized to operate on Pacific islands with the regiments structured to operate independently if need be. Artillery and engineer units were made organic to the regiment groups and an almost regimental-size sea transport unit was provided, equipped with 120 organic landing craft and barges. The regiment groups were of two different organizations. The 2nd Infantry was a Type A unit intended as a heavy strike force. The 15th and 57th Infantry were Type B light units. Details are vague on the internal organization of the regiments. They had three battalions each with three rifle companies, a machine gun company (six 7.7mm heavy machine guns), and an infantry gun company (two 37mm AT, two 70mm infantry guns), although it appears the Type A regiment’s battalions had 81mm mortar companies instead. Both regiments had a battalion-sized artillery unit with nine 75mm guns in the Type A and 12 in the Type B. Distribution of other weapons is unclear, although this is actually a moot point as weapons were allocated to defense areas as necessary without regard to parent units. Both regiments had 112 7.7mm light machine guns and six 37mm AT guns with 114 50mm grenade dischargers (“knee mortars”) in the Type A and 84 in the Type B. Additionally the Type A regiment had nine 20mm AT rifles, six 20mm machine cannons, numerous 81mm mortars, six flamethrowers, and nine light tanks in the tank unit. The strength figures below are the Allied estimated authorized strength and not necessarily the assigned strength.
“The Bloody Trail” – aptly named LVT(A)1 provides Marines on the landing beaches with fire support from its 37mm main armament and .30 and .50cal machine guns as well as much needed cover. Both gasoline and water were supplied to the troops in 5-gallon cans like the one shown in the center foreground. The sides of the cans were painted with a cross – yellow for gasoline and white for water. Water was also delivered in 55-gallon fuel drums, which had been improperly cleaned resulting in tainted water incapacitating many marines.
| 14th Division Headquarters | 300 |
| 2nd Infantry Regiment | 3,960 |
| 15th Infantry Regiment | 3,160 |
| 57th Infantry Regiment | 3,160 |
| 14th Division Tank Unit | 130 |
| 14th Division Signal Unit | 235 |
| 14th Division Transport Unit | 130 |
| 14th Division Sea Transport Unit | 1,540 |
| 14th Division Intendant Service Unit | 130 |
| 14th Division Ordnance Duty Unit | 100 |
| 14th Division Water Supply & Purification Unit | 160 |
| 14th Division Field Hospital | 595 |
LtGen Inoue Sadao established his 14th Division headquarters on Koror Island, north of Peleliu, and doubled as Commander, Palaus District Group, assuming command of the 53rd Independent Mixed Brigade (IMB) and other IJA elements in the Palaus. After early aerial reconnaissance LtGen Inoue Sadao concluded that the islands of Peleliu, Ngesebus, and Angaur in the south of the Palaus chain would be the first of the islands to be assaulted by the Allies and as such would form the mainstay of his defense. It was for this reason that the heavy Type A 2nd Infantry was assigned to Peleliu. Most of the 59th Infantry was initially assigned to Angaur and the 15th Infantry to Babelthuap.
The 14th Division’s 15th (-3rd Battalion) and 59th Infantry Regiments (-1st Battalion) defended Babelthuap along with the 53rd IMB (-346th Battalion), almost 21,000 troops and 10,000 Korean and Okinawan laborers. The 3,800-man 53rd IMB was commanded by MajGen Yamaguchi Takso and had been organized from the 57th Line of Communications Sector Unit and the Sea Transport Unit of the 1st Amphibious Brigade on 30 May 1944. That brigade had been lost in the ill-fated defense of the Marshalls earlier in the year. Its five 580-man independent infantry battalions (the 347th was never raised) had a 37-man headquarters, three 114-man rifle companies, a 119-man machine gun company (12 7.7mm heavy machine guns), and an 82-man infantry gun company (two 37mm AT, two 70mm infantry guns). The rifle companies had three platoons of three 10-man sections (squads) each. Each section had a 7.7mm light machine gun and a 50mm grenade discharger. The battalion-sized artillery unit had three companies each with four 75mm field guns. It was mostly concentrated on Koror.
| 53rd Independent Mixed Brigade Headquarters | 280 |
| 356th, 348th, 349th, 350th, and 351st Independent Infantry Battalions | 580 each |
| 53rd IMB Artillery Unit | 415 |
| 53rd IMB Engineer Unit | 220 |
Yap Island was defended by 4,000 troops of the 49th IMB, 3,000 IJN personnel of the 46th Base Force, and 1,000 laborers. Ulithi Atoll had supported an airfield and seaplane base, but had been abandoned by the Japanese several months before the US landing.
Col Nakagawa’s 6,500-man IJA force on Peleliu was as follows:
| 2nd Infantry (Reinforced) | Col Nakagawa | |
| 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry | Maj Tomita | 242 |
| 3rd Battalion, 2nd Infantry | Capt Harada | 635 |
| 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry | Capt Chiaki | 750 |
| 346th Independent Inf Bn, 53rd IMB | Maj Hikino | 556 |
| Sector Unit Reserve | Capt Sakamoto | |
| 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry | Capt Ichioka | 635 |
| 1st Battalion, 818th Field Artillery3 | Maj Kobayashi | unknown |
| 14th Division Tank Unit4 | Capt Amano | 122 |
| Engineer Company | Capt Isohata | 250 |
| Signal Unit | Capt Okada | 180 |
| Supply Company | 1stLt Abe | 160 |
| Medical Company | 1stLt Ando | 160 |
| Detachment, 14th Div. Field Hospital | 1stLt Oya | 117 |
| Miscellaneous service attachments | 120 |
Other IJA combat units on Peleliu included a light anti-aircraft unit; the 33rd, 35th, and 38th Machine Cannon Units with 20mm automatic guns; two 81mm mortar companies with 10 mortars each, and a 150mm mortar company with four mortars. This would be the Americans’ first exposure to this devastating mortar. Most of the service and signal troops were reorganized into combat units themselves and used to augment infantry battalions once the invasion occurred.
IJN forces in the Palaus were under the command of the 30th Base Force after the departure of the 4th Fleet to Truk. Commanded by Vice-Admiral Ito Yoshioka, it consisted of the 43rd and 45th Guard Forces as well as air service, construction, and service troops. The IJN had by 1944 constructed numerous reinforced concrete blockhouses and bunkers plus dug an extensive tunnel system near the end of the northeast peninsula as well as taking full advantage of Peleliu’s natural caves. This elaborate, multi-level tunnel system could shelter 1,000 troops. These defenses, tunnels, the airfield, and the many support facilities were built by the 204th, 214th, and 235th(-) Construction Battalions, mostly manned by Koreans and Okinawans. Detachments of the guard forces manned eight 120mm dual-purpose, and about three 200mm coast defense guns. There was no ammunition for the 200mm short guns nor did any ships report being fired on by coast defense guns. The 114th and 126th Antiaircraft Units manned single and twin-barreled 25mm automatic guns (estimated at 30) and 13.2mm machine guns. A dozen 20mm cannons, removed from destroyed aircraft, were set up on makeshift mounts, mostly around the airfield. Also included were some 1,400 air base service personnel of the West Caroline Air Force. In all there were approximately 4,000 IJN personnel on Peleliu.
Marines of 2/1 move inland from Beach White 2 through heavy scrub heading for their first phase-line some 350 yards inland and bordering the airfield. This they reached by 0930hrs where they halted, waiting for 3/1 to move up alongside on their left – 3/1 being held up by “The Point.”
Angaur, the objective of the 81st Inf. Div. as part of Operation Stalemate II, was defended by the 1st Battalion, 59th Infantry (Reinforced), detached from the 14th Division and dubbed the Angaur Sector Unit, under the command of Major Ushio Goto. It mustered approximately 1,400 officers and enlisted men while American intelligence estimated Japanese forces on Angaur to be between 1,400 and 2,500 combat troops. The battalion was reinforced with a few IJN-manned 80mm coast defense guns, a 75mm mountain gun battery, a 20mm machine cannon company, 37mm and 47mm AT gun platoons, 81mm and 150mm mortar platoons, an engineer platoon, and service troops. Until late July the 59th Infantry, less one battalion, had garrisoned Angaur, but all but the 1st Battalion were withdrawn to defend Babelthuap.
Estimates vary, but there were approximately 21,000 IJA, 7,000 IJN, and 10,000 laborers in the Palau Islands.
1 1st Bn, A–C, 2nd Bn, E–G, 3rd Bn, I, K, L; they were not re-lettered when the weapons companies were disbanded; neither the Marines nor the Army used a Company J.
2 Elements remaining on Angaur and did not accompany the RCT to Ulithi.
3 The artillery battalion had eight 75mm guns and four 105mm howitzers.
4 The tank unit had 12-15 Model 95 medium tanks. The 14th Division Tank Unit and the 2nd Infantry Tank Unit may have been consolidated on Peleliu, but with small tank elements detached to Koror and Babelthuap.