On 15 September 1944, United States Marine Corps forces landed on the southwestern shore of the island of Peleliu in the Palau island chain, 470 nautical miles due east of the Philippine island of Mindanao. This action, called Operation Stalemate II by American planners, was a phase in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. Whether possession of the island was necessary for the Allied cause has been the source of much controversy.

Peleliu was the least-known island that the US invaded in the Pacific Theatre. Pre-war maps were sorely lacking and the results of photoreconnaissance were poor. Thus, the Marines were completely unprepared for the hard, sharp surface of blistering hot bare coral over much of the landing area.Morison, pp. 32-33

Defeating the entrenched Japanese forces turned out to be far more arduous than anticipated. Two regiments of Army troops were unexpectedly needed to finish conquest of the island. Peleliu was finally declared secure on 15 November 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 Palaus lie in the Southwest Pacific, their capture was the responsibility of the U.S. Third Fleet, led by Admiral William F. Halsey from aboard his flagship, fast battleship New Jersey.

The ships and embarked troops of Operation Stalemate II, were under the overall command of Rear Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson aboard amphibious command ship Mount Olympus.

Ground Troops Marine Corps planning for Stalemate II was conducted by Major General Julian C. Smith. However, because the III Amphibious Corps was still struggling with the capture of Guam, operational command for the Palaus was turned over to Major General Roy S. Geiger.Moran & Rottman, p. 24

III Marine Amphibious Corps (Maj. Gen. Roy S. Geiger, USMC) Peleliu landing, 15 Sep: 1st Marine Division (Maj. Gen. William H. Rupertus, USMC) Angaur landing, 17 Sep: 81st Infantry ("Wildcat") Division (Maj. Gen. Paul J. Mueller, USA)

US Forces

Capture of Peleliu III Marine Amphibious Corps Major General Roy S. Geiger, USMC 1st Marine DivisionClark, pp. 64-66 Major General William H. Rupertus Asst. Div. Cmdr.: Brig. Gen. Oliver P. Smith Chief of Staff: Col. John T. Selden CO HQ Battalion: Col. Joseph F. Hankins (KIA 3 Oct), Lt. Col. Austin C. Shofner Personnel officer (G-1): Maj. William E. Benedict (to 23 Sep), Lt. Col. Harold O. Deakin Intelligence officer (G-2): Lt. Col. John W. Scott Jr. Operations officer (G-3): Lt. Col. Lewis J. Fields Logistics officer (G-4): Lt. Col. Harvey C. Tschirgi

Left sector (White Beaches 1 & 2) 1st Marine Regiment Colonel Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Richard P. Ross Jr. 1st Battalion (Maj. Raymond G. Davis) 2nd Battalion (Lt. Col. Russell E. Honsowetz) 3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Stephen V. Sabol) Co. A of the following: 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Pioneer Battalion, 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Tank Battalion

Center sector (Orange Beaches 1 & 2) 5th Marine Regiment Colonel Harold D. "Bucky" Harris Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Lewis W. Walt 1st Battalion (Lt. Col. Robert W. Boyd) 2nd Battalion (Maj. Gordon D. Gayle) 3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Austin C. Shofner (to 15 Sep), Maj. John C. Gustafson) Co. B of the following: 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Pioneer Battalion, 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Tank Battalion (reduced)

Right sector (Orange Beach 3) 7th Marine Regiment Colonel Herman H. "Hard-Headed" Hanneken Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Norman Hussa 1st Battalion (Lt. Col. John J. Gormley) 2nd Battalion (Lt. Col. Spenser S. Berger) 3rd Battalion (Maj. Edward H. Hurst) Co. C of the following: 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Pioneer Battalion, 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Tank Battalion (reduced)

Landed after First Waves on D-Day 11th Marine Regiment (Artillery) Colonel William H. Harrison Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Edison L. Lyman 1st Battalion (Lt. Col. Richard W. Wallace) 2nd Battalion (Lt. Col. Noah P. Wood, Jr.) 3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Charles M. Nees) 4th Battalion (Lt. Col. Louie C.Reinberg)

Other units 12th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion 3rd Armored Amphibian Tractor Battalion 4th, 5th, 6th Marine War Dog Platoons UDT 6 and UDT 7

Capture of Angaur 81st Infantry ("Wildcat") Division (Army) Major General Paul J. Mueller Conquest of Angaur, 17 - 20 Sep 321st Infantry Regiment (also landed on Peleliu, 23 Sep) 323rd Infantry Regiment (also landed on Peleliu, 15 Oct)

Attached: 710th Tank Battalion (also landed on Peleliu, 15 Oct)

Japanese forces

Palau District GroupMoran & Rottman, pp. 26-28, 38 Lieutenant General Inoue Sadao (HQ on Koror Island) Vice Admiral Yoshioka Ito Major General Kenjiro Murai

14th Division (Lt. Gen. Sadao) Peleliu Sector Unit (Lt. Col. Kunio Nakagawa) 2nd Infantry Regiment, Reinforced 2nd Bttn. / 2nd Infantry Regiment 3rd Bttn. / 2nd Infantry Regiment 3rd Bttn. / 15th Infantry Regiment 346th Bttn. / 53rd Independent Mixed Brigade

Notes

References

See also Orders of battle involving United States Marine forces in the Pacific Theatre of World War II:

Battle of Guadalcanal order of battle Battle of Tarawa order of battle Battle of Saipan order of battle Guam (1944) order of battle Battle of Leyte opposing forces Battle of Iwo Jima order of battle Okinawa ground order of battle

Bibliography