After the beginning of hostilities in 1941, the japanese attacked wake island by air for three days before. It was fought on and around the atoll formed by wake island and its minor islets of peale and wilkes islands by the air, land, and naval. Wake island is an atoll consisting of three islands with a lagoon, annexed by the united states as a result of victory over spain in may 1898. During wolrd war ii 19391945, on the same day that the japanese. Page 2 of 2 wake were turning back kajiokas assault, bill halsey and enterprise were patrolling north and west of hawaii, as they would for much of the first weeks of the war. The battle of wake island began simultaneously with the attack on pearl harbor naval and air bases in hawaii on the morning of 8 december 1941 7 december in hawaii, and ended on 23 december, with the surrender of the american forces to the empire of japan. Wake island is an insignificant strip of coral located in the central pacific. Not only is it a diverse and robust marine environment, but much of wakes history is tied to that obstinate coral reef, especially on the south side. Despite us attempts to relieve the island, the japanese launched a. At some time after 0100, to enhance the uneasiness of the defenders, a succession of vivid, irregular flashes showed beyond the horizon north of peale. However, it gained strategic significance during prewar planning. Operations to relieve wake island december 1941 as japanese strike planes departed the ruins that once had been the u. On the same day that the japanese attacked pearl harbor, they also launched air attacks on wake island, an american marine and naval base in the pacific.
Blue book here is a full pdf copy of the wake island blue book with a corresponding page of notes and corrections. Wake island is a coral atoll in the western pacific ocean in the northeastern area of the. Ashurst and brown, using browns battered copy of the army field manual. On december 4 that year he headed to wake island with 12 planes and pilots, as well as the ground crew of the vmf211 fighter squadron. It was fought on and around the atoll formed by wake island and its minor islets of.
A battle to make the gods weep campaign moran, jim, dennis, peter on. On december 8, 1941 within a few hours of the attack on pearl harbor, wake being on the opposite side of the international date line, american forces on the island were attacked by bombers from japanese held bases on kwajalein in the marshall islands, commencing the battle of wake island. Facts, information and articles about the battle of wake island, december 823. From its location, wake island could dominate the sealanes through the central pacific. A may 1941 photo taken from the northeast, from a navy catalina flying boat, reveals the wake island coral atoll in the midpacific beneath broken clouds. A tiny atoll in the central pacific ocean, wake island was annexed by. Shaw depicting wildcats on wake island in this 1999 painting, the magnificent fight by aviation artist john shaw, marine captain henry elrod in cockpit confers with fellow pilots john kinney in white tshirt and frank tharin before elrod bombed and sank the destroyer kisaragi.
On wake island, a tiny sprung paperclip in the pacific. Three days later a japanese invasion force stormed the island, but were bloodily repulsed by the scratch force of marines, sailors and even service personnel who defended it. Battle of wake island all those who surrendered were. The battle of wake island began simultaneously with the attack on pearl harbor naval and air bases in hawaii on the morning of 8 december 1941 7 december in hawaii. Day of infamy speech franklin roosevelt december 8, 1941. On december 11, 1941, wake was the site of the empire. An isolated american island in the pacific ocean is held out by a small us marine garrison against the imperial japanese navy. The battle of wake island was fought from december 823, 1941, during the opening days of world war ii 19391945. I promised myself that if i ever got to wake island i would do just about anything to dive there.
The battle of wake island 823 december 1941 was a fight in which the american defenders, primarily u. On december 8, 1941 within a few hours of the attack on pearl harbor, wake. The battle was for a small island in central pacific with the marines and civilians of the island defending against invaders from japan. It was fought on and around the atoll formed by wake island. Battle of wake island, december 823, 1941, during world war ii, battle for wake island, an atoll consisting of three coral islets wilkes, peale, and wake in the central pacific ocean. It began at the same time as the attack on pearl harbor. Wake island the other story of december 1941 the sextant. Media in category battle of wake island the following 22 files are in this category, out of 22 total. The first man to sink a japanese warship the battle of wake. Marines and civilian defenders fought elements of the imperial. The wake island defenders in captivity, 19411945 urwin, gregory j. The japanese had been in possession of the island since december 1941 but wake island had not fallen without a fight.
Marines and civilian contractors, held off a japanese invasion force for fifteen days. Only after the japanese doubled the size of their invasion force were the outnumbered americans forced to surrender. Defending the island were 850 marines and 50 marine aviators of vmf. Outmanned and underequipped, a force of a few hundred sailors, marines, and civilians successfully fought off a japanese landing attempt on 11 december, costing the japanese a destroyer. I have also posted rosters for all civilians and military personnel at the start of war on wake in december 1941. Marines in the battle for wake island, by robert j. Where there had been a scheme for the battlefleets supposed operations, the carrier force, now the only potent arm of the pacific fleet, had n.
Feb 05, 2018 an isolated american island in the pacific ocean is held out by a small us marine garrison against the imperial japanese navy. Hickam fields has been attacked by jap dive bombers. Wake island, wake island, wake island, um library of congress. The attack of pearl harbor and the battle of wake island were simultaneous and wake island finished on december 23, 1941. Under the assumption that most defensive fortifications on wake had been destroyed by the proceeding aerial bombardment and that there would be only be minimal resistance from the few, demoralized defenders remaining on the island, admiral kajioka slated the invasion for december 10, 1941. The fall of wake intermittent, gusty rainsqualls ushered in the black early morning of 23 december on wake, adding their clamor and discomfort to the steady boom of the surf. Wake island defense 1941 defensive the japanese attack on wake island began simultaneously with their attack on pearl harbor. Across the international date line, december 7, 1941, dawned in hawaii. The vast majority of historic properties at wake island atoll are. The story of wake island s defense throughout december 1941 is so incredible, its hard to believe. A single rock on wake island inscribed by an unknown prisoner of war remains a sobering reminder of their lives and their sacrifice, as well as all of those who battled to defend wake island.
Three days later a japanese invasion force stormed the island, but were bloodily repulsed by the. The battle of wake island marine corps association. Sailors of 1st defense landing battalion arrived as the first american forces for tify ing the island of wake. Told from perspectives of americans and japanese who lived through wake island during the second world war. For months, the wishboneshaped pacific atoll of three small islandswake, wilkes and pealeless than 10 miles long and barely above sea level, had been the site of construction work. The island would remain in japanese hands until september 4th, 1945 when the remaining japanese garrison would surrender to the u. Battle of wake island simple english wikipedia, the free. A battle to make the gods weep by jim moran in chm, doc, fb2 download ebook. The surrender was of american troops to those of japan. Airpowers untempered crusader 1997, by martha byrd pdf with. Wwii battle of wake island alamo of the pacific youtube. Apr 02, 20 told from perspectives of americans and japanese who lived through wake island during the second world war. Then, increasing tensions with japan prompted the u. On the day we paddled kayaks across the shimmering lagoon to the western side of wake island, the sky was clear and the breeze light.
Speaker, and members of the senate and house of representatives. In 1941 wake was a small naval station and airstrip, defended by u. Wwii wake island prisoners early on the morning of december 8, 1941, wake island hummed with activity. Located west of honolulu and east of guam, wake island measures some 2. A tiny atoll in the central pacific ocean, wake island was annexed by the united states in 1899. Despite us attempts to relieve the island, the japanese launched a much greater invasion a few weeks later and, despite gallant resistance, eventually caused the us forces to surrender. Wake prior to 1941, a view on peale island, looking southeastward across the lagoon. The personnel on wake knew a war was looming, having installed fiveinch antiaircraft guns and stockpiled. This book tells the complete story of the vicious fighting on wake island, one of the nearlegendary last stands made by us military forces. Wake island, annexed by the united states in 1899, remained a remote way station serving occasional ships and pan american airways passenger flights from america to china until january 1941. Notes on the geography and natural history of wake island pdf. Sep 26, 2019 the battle of wake island started at the same time as the attack on pearl harbor by the japanese and concluded on december 23rd, 1941. Yesterday, december 7, 1941a date which will live in infamythe united states of america was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the empire of japan.
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