On 21 July 1944, United States Marine and Army forces invaded the island of Guam, the southernmost of the Mariana Islands chain in the Central Pacific, with the intent to take control of the island from the Imperial Japanese Army. Operation Forager II, as it was called by American planners, was a phase of the Pacific theatre of World War II.
The Guam landings had been tentatively set for 18 June but a large Japanese carrier attack and stubborn resistance by the unexpectedly large Japanese garrison on Saipan led to the invasion of Guam being postponed for a month.
The island was declared secure on 10 August 1944.
US command structure
Naval The roles of Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPOA) and Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC), were both exercised by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz from his headquarters at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Since the Marianas lie in the Central Pacific, their capture was the responsibility of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, led by Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance from aboard his flagship, heavy cruiser Indianapolis.
The ships and embarked troops of both Operation Forager I, for the Central Marianas (Saipan and Tinian) and Forager II, for the Southern Marianas (Guam), were under the overall command of Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner aboard amphibious command ship Rocky Mount.
The ships and embarked troops for the Guam portion of Operation Forager were under the direct operational command of Rear Admiral Richard L. Conolly.
Ground troops The Marine and Army landing forces for both the Central and Southern Marianas phases of Operation Forager were under the overall command of Maj. Gen. Holland M. "Howlin' Mad" Smith, USMC.
III Marine Amphibious Corps (Maj. Gen. Roy S. Geiger, USMC) Northern landing area: 3rd Marine Division (Maj. Gen. Allen H. Turnage, USMC) Southern landing area: 1st Provisional Marine Brigade (Brig. Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr., USMC) Reserve: 77th Infantry ("Statue of Liberty") Division (Army) (Maj. Gen. Andrew D. Bruce, USA)
US forces
Naval forces (Task Force 53 Southern Attack Force) Rear Admiral Richard L. Conolly Task Group 53.1 Northern Attack Group Rear Admiral Richard L. Conolly
Task Group 53.3 Northern Transport Group Captain Pat Buchanan
Transdiv 2, Captain H. D. Baker APAs: Captain A. F. Junker; Commander H. E. Schieke; Commander M. C. Erwin AP: Commander J. M. Payne AKA: Commander H. E. Berger Transdiv 8, Captain F. R. Talbot APAs: Commander L. L. Rowe; Commander W. A. McHale Commander D. C. Woodward AP: Captain J. J. Fallon AKA: Captain F. F. Ferris Transdiv 24, Captain Buchanan APAs: Captain G. M. Wauchope; Commander Drayton Harrison; Commander T. V. Cooper Hospital transport: Commander P. H. Jenkins AKA: Captain R. V. Marron USCG LSD: Commander Lester Martin; Commander D. E. Collins Screen, Captain E. M. Thompson DDs: Commander H. O. Parish; Lieutenant Commander W. M. Rakow; Lieutenant Commander W. V. Combs; Lieutenant Commander R. B. Allen; Lieutenant Commander R. W. McElrath; Commander D. T. Wilber; (Commander J. H. Nevins on board), Lieutenant Commander D. A. Harris; Commander P. H. Brady DMSs: Lieutenant Commander W. H. Sublette; Lieutenant Commander D. M. Granstrom; Lieutenant D. P. Payne
Task Group 53.16 Tractor Group Three Captain G. B. Carter LST Unit 3, Commander V. K. Busck: 16 LSTs Control Unit, Captain G. B. Carter: DD Commander W. L. Tagg; 9 SCs. LCI(G) Unit, Commander W. R. McCaleb: 7 LCI(G)
Task Group 53.9 Minesweeping and Hydrographic Group Lieutenant Commander G. M. Estep Minesweepers: Lieutenant Commander G. M. Estep; Lieutenant R. C. Biles; 6 YMS Ocean tug: Salvage vessel: Net layers: , Repair ship: APD: Commander R. A. Wilhelm Reconnaissance and demolition unit: Commander R. A. Wilhelm
Task Group 53.2 Southern Attack Group Rear Admiral Lawrence F. Reifsnider
Task Group 53.3 Northern Transport Group Captain J. B. McGovern
Transdiv 4, Captain McGovern APAs: , , Captain M. T. Farrar AP: Commander C. J. Ballreich AKA: Transdiv 6, Captain T. B. Brittain APAs: Commander J. C. Lester, ; Captain L. F. Brown; Commander Harold Bye; Transdiv 38, Captain J. B. Heffernan APAs: Captain B. K. Culver; Commander G. K. G. Reilly APs: Commander C. M. Furlow; Commander W. O. Britton AKA: Commander R. E. Krause LSD: Lieutenant Commander F. J. Harris Screen, Captain W. P. Burford DDs: Lieutenant Commander K. S. Shook; Lieutenant Commander G. P. Chung-Hoon; ; ; Commander E. E. Evans; Commander N. A. Lidstone; Commander G. S. Patrick; Lieutenant Commander C. J. Van Arsdall; Commander J. F. Walsh; Commander J. L. Wilfong
Task Group 53.17 Tractor Group Four Commander E. A. McFall DD: USS Black Lieutenant Commander E. R. King Jr. LST Unit 4, Commander R. W. Cuder 14 LSTs Control Unit, Commander Henry Crommelin DD: Lieutenant Commander T. F. Conley 7 SCs LCI(G) Unit, Lieutenant H. B. Rabenstein 9 LCI(G)s Seaplane Servicing Unit, Lieutenant Commander J. A. Pridmore Tender Lieutenant W. H. Ayer APc: APc-46 Lieutenant R. M. Rosse
Task Group 53.6 Minesweeping and Hydrographic Group Commander R. R. Sampson Sweep Unit 3, Lieutenant Commander W. B. Porter Minesweepers: , Lieutenant T. W. Cross; Lieutenant (jg) M. McVickar Sweep Unit 4, Lieutenant E. E. McCarthy 6 YMS Sweep Unit 6, Commander R. T. Sampson DMS: Lieutenant Commander John Clague; Lieutenant Commander I. G. Stubbart; Lieutenant S. Caplan Salvage and Service Unit, Commander E. C. Genereaux Tug Lieutenant N. R. Terpening Reconnaissance and Demolition Unit, Lieutenant F. M. Christiansen APDs: Lieutenant W. F. Moran; Lieutenant F. M. Christiansen
Task Group 53.5 Southern Fire Support Group Rear Admiral W. L. Ainsworth Unit 6, Rear Admiral W. L. Ainsworth CL: , Captain H. R. Thurber BBs: , Captain C. F. Martin; , Captain H. D. Clarke DDs: (Commander E. B. Taylor on board), Commander B. Van Mater; , Commander J. F. Walsh; , Lieutenant Commander R. R. Pratt APD: , Lieutenant Commander J. R. Cain Seaplane tender: , Lieutenant Commander J. A. Pridmore Minesweeper: HocAN, Lieutenant Commander W. H. Sublette Unit 7, Rear Admiral G. L. Weyler BB: , Captain E. M. Zacharias CAs: , Captain Harry Slocum; , Captain H. E. Overesch DDs: , Lieutenant Commander R. J. Hardy; , Lieutenant Commander J. M. Lee; , Commander W. W. Fitts APD: , Lieutenant Commander C. C. Morgan Minesweeper: , Lieutenant Commander D. M. Granstrom Unit 8, Rear Admiral C. T. Joy CAs: , Captain J. J. Mahoney; , Captain J. E. Hurff CL: , Captain R. H. Roberts DDs: , Commander W. D. Kelly; , Commander M. G. Kennedy; , Lieutenant Commander P. F. Hauck
Task Group 53.7 Carrier Support Group Rear Admiral V. H. Ragsdale CarDiv 22, Rear Admiral T. L. Sprague , Captain M. E. Browder Air Group 37, Lieutenant Commander S. E. Hindman VF-37: 22 F6F fighters VT-37: 1 TBF, 8 TBM torpedo bombers , Captain W. D. Johnson Air Group 60, Lieutenant Commander H. O. Feilbach VF-60: 22 F6F fighters VT-60: 8 TBM, 1 TBF torpedo bombers , Captain Dixwell Ketcham Air Group 35, Lieutenant Commander F. T. Moore VF-35: 22 F6F fighters VT-35: 8 TBM, 1 TBF torpedo bombers Screen, Captain J. T. Bottom DDs: , , , Cardiv 24, Rear Admiral F. B. Stump , Captain R. L. Thomas VC-41: 14 FM fighters, 12 TBM torpedo bombers , Captain P. W. Watson VC-33: 14 FM figghters, 8 TBF, 4 TBM torpedo bombers Screen, Commander C. E, Carroll DDs: , ,
Task Group 53.19 Corps Reserve Group Captain H. B. Knowles Transdiv 18, Captain H. B. Knowles APAs: , , APs: , AKA: Transdiv 28, Captain H. C. Flanagan APAs:: , , AP: , AKA: Screen, Commander W. R. Edsall DDs: , , , DMSs: , DE: ,
Mobile service bases Servron 10, Commodore W. R. Carter Survey ship: Repair ships: , , , Tenders: , , , DMS: Degausser: Auxiliaries: , Tugs: , , , , ATR-44, ATR-46 Five floating docks Servron 12, Captain L. S. Fiske Survey ship: Net ships: , , , Dredges: Tualatin, Haines, Indiana Salvage vessels: , Coast Guard cutters: , , Tugs: , Freighters: , , Two floating docks
Tanker groups Oilers: , , , , , Water tankers: , Store ship: Auxilary cargo ship: Miscellaneous unclassified vessels: ,
Expeditionary troops (Task Force 56) Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith Chief of Staff: Brigadier General Graves B. Erskine Personnel Officer (G-1): Lieutenant Colonel Albert F. Metze Intelligence Officer (G-2): Colonel St. Julien R. Marshall Operations Officer (G-3): Colonel John C. McQueen Logistics Officer (G-4): Colonel Raymond E. Knapp Plans Officer (G-5): Colonel Joseph T. Smith Southern Troops and Landing Force (Task Group 56.2 – Guam) Consisting of III Amphibious Corps
III Marine Amphibious Corps Major General Roy S. Geiger Chief of Staff: Brigadier General Merwin H. Silverthorn Personnel Officer (C-1): Colonel William J. Scheyer Intelligence Officer (C-2): Lieutenant Colonel William F. Coleman Operations Officer (C-3): Colonel Walter A. Wachtler Logistics Officer (C-4): Lieutenant Colonel Frederick L. Wieseman
III Marine Amphibious Corps Artillery Brigadier General Pedro del Valle Chief of Staff : Colonel John A. Bemis Personnel Officer (A-1): Major James A. Tatsch Intelligence Officer (A-2): Warrant Officer David G. Garnett Operations Officer (A-3): Lieutenant Colonel Frederick P. Henderson Logistics Officer (A-4): Major Frederick W. Miller 1st 155mm Howitzer Battalion Commanding Officer: Colonel James J. Keating Executive Officer: Major George H. Ford Operations Officer (Bn-3): Major Marshall J. Hooper 2nd 155mm Howitzer Battalion Commanding Officer: Lieutenant Colonel Marvin H. Floom Executive Officer: Major Gene N. Schraeder Operations Officer (Bn-3): Major Earl J. Fowse
Northern landing area (West of Agana)
3rd Marine Division (20,338 officers and enlisted) Major General Allen H. Turnage Asst. Div. Cmdr.: Brigadier General Alfred H. Noble Chief of Staff: Colonel Ray A. Robinson Personnel Officer (D-1): Lieutenant Colonel Chevey S. White (), Major Irving R. Kriendler Intelligence Officer (D-2): Lieutenant Colonel Howard J. Turton (to 28 Jul), Lieutenant Colonel Ellsworth N. Murray Operations Officer (D-3): Colonel James A. Stuart (to 28 Jul), Lieutenant Colonel Howard J. Turton Logistics Officer (D-4): Lieutenant Colonel Ellsworth N. Murray (to 28 Jul), Colonel William C. Hall
Left Sector (Red Beaches): 3rd Marine Regiment Colonel William C. Hall (to 28 Jul), Colonel James A. Stuart Exec. Ofc.: Colonel James D. Snedeker 1st Battalion CO: Major Henry Aplington, II XO: Major John A. Ptak () 2nd Battalion CO: Lieutenant Colonel Hector de Zayas (), Major William A. Culpepper XO: Major William A. Culpepper (to 26 Jul), Major Howard J. Smith CMoH recipient: PFC Leonard F. Mason () 3rd Battalion CO: Lieutenant Colonel Ralph L. Houser (WIA 22 Jul), Major Royal R. Bastian XO: Major Royal R. Bastian (to 23 Jul), Captain William R. Bradley CMoH recipient: PFC Luther Skaggs Jr.
Center Sector (Green Beach): 21st Marine Regiment Colonel Arthur H. Butler Exec. Ofc.: Lieutenant Colonel Ernest W. Fry Jr. 1st Battalion CO: Lieutenant Colonel Marlowe C. Williams XO: Lieutenant Colonel Ronald R. Van Stockum 2nd Battalion CO: Lieutenant Colonel Eustace R. Smoak XO: Major Lowell E. English 3rd Battalion CO: Lieutenant Colonel Wendell H. Duplantis XO: Major Edward A. Clark
Right Sector (Blue Beaches): 9th Marine Regiment Colonel Edward A. Craig Exec. Ofc.: Lieutenant Colonel Jaime Sabater (WIA 21 Jul), Lieutenant Colonel Ralph M. King 1st Battalion CO: Lieutenant Colonel Carey A. Randall XO: Major Harold C. Boehm CMoH recipient: PFC Frank P. Witek () 2nd Battalion CO: Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Cushman, Jr. XO: Major William T. Glass CMoH recipient: Captain Louis H. Wilson Jr. 3rd Battalion CO: Lieutenant Colonel Walter Asmuth, Jr. (WIA 21 Jul), Major Donald B. Hubbard (WIA 1 Aug), Major Jess P. Ferrill, Jr.