(5/5) Pacific Lost Evidence Guam Episode 4 World War II

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Guam was the southern-most major island of the Marianas, 150 miles south of Saipan. Major General Roy Geiger of the III Amphibious Corps commanded the Guam operation, originally scheduled for June 1944, but delayed by the unexpected difficulty capturing Saipan. The delay gave time for more preparation bombardment and better intelligence on Guam. Naval air strikes began on 5 July. From then to 21 July planes from the Fast Carrier Task Force bombed and strafed Guam daily followed by intense shelling of coastal installations and bivouac areas immediately before the landings.
At 0830 on 21 July 1944, 3d Marine Division hit the Asan beach while 1st Provisional Marine Brigade came ashore at Agat, seven miles apart, north and south of the main Japanese positions, harbor and airstrip on Orote Peninsula on the west side of Guam. Progress against the well-entrenched, hard-fighting Japanese defenders of the beachhead was delayed by many factors including difficult terrain, high humidity, frequent rain showers, and difficulties landing reinforcements and equipment. As on Saipan, the Japanese fired on the invading Marines from well prepared positions located in caves and tunnels as well as pillboxes situated on the beaches, cliffs, and hillsides overlooking the invasion beaches. Japanese counterattacks with infantry and tanks were repulsed by Marines on the main defensive line, with tank, carrier-plane, and naval fire support. The beachheads expanded gradually through 25 July.
At 0700 on 26 July, Army artillery, backed by naval guns, planes and batteries on nearby islands, began a bombardment as cover for a new infantry assault, designed to break the defenses of Orote. Combined U.S. attacks with armor and infantry made slow progress up the peninsula, but finally completed the operation on 29 July. In four days, between 2,000 and 3,000 Japanese defenders on the Orote Peninsula had been killed as the Americans captured the territory, with its harbor and airfield.
The Japanese still held key high ground in the mountains dominating the island, and little progress had been made. The Marine and Army units from the original north and south landings linked up on 28 July and took several of the hills that threatened the beaches, creating a consolidated line for the first time. The assault phase ended with a 25-square-mile beachhead controlled by the 3d Marine Division and the 77th Division.
The pursuit phase was defined in General Geiger's order of 30 July. The 3rd Marine Division would drive up the western portion of the island while the 77th Infantry Division took eastern Guam. The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade was assigned to patrol southern Guam. This phase had major problems of transportation and movement.
Because of the lack of a road across the island, the infantry had to carry everything. Men of the heavy-weapons companies labored under loads of machine guns, mortars, and ammunition.
Notwithstanding the difficulties, both the Marines and the Army units made rapid progress over the next week, fighting northward on both sides of the island. On 10 August, General Geiger announced that organized resistance on Guam had ended. The last Japanese command post was destroyed on 11 August, although stragglers were rounded up for months and a few survivors were not found until years after the end of the war.
During the invasion of Guam, US forces suffered almost eight thousand casualties, including more than one thousand killed. More than 17,500 Japanese defenders died. Thousands of native Chamorros were discovered and liberated from Japanese concentration camps.(Olive-Drab Online)

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[barmtrail]

My father landed on the initial invasion of guam. He served with the 3rd marine division. His best buddy died in his arms during the invasion.(Sgt. Lao Kwick) My father spoke very little about the pacific battles, but when he did, we listened. He said they lived in fox holes for the first 3 days. He mentioned eating anything that crawled by the fox hole. He also mentioned what the Japs did to the civilian woman of guam. I won't mention it here. They spoke of honor, But believe me, they had none!

[josephinewentzel]

Thank you for your kind words. Maybe my mother already thanked him in heaven. ;) While mother had a hard life, she was a blessed woman. She forgave those who killed her father and did not harbor any bad feelings against the Japanese. Like she said: "War is war, there are no winners". Mom lost two sons to the Vietnam war. The other two were seriously injured but they are alive. So I guess my family did their part for our country. My daughter also served in the Marines. God Bless you.

[cobrachoppergirl]

Pfft, they say the liberated the indigenous people, and the people were so happy, but you look at the video and the indigenous people seem rather subdued and unfazed. One new master that treats us as second class citizens instead of another. Maybe we're happy about it because we'll briefly get some chocolate and cigarettes out of it, but otherwise, meet the new boss... same as the old boss... the wiki confirms it, Guam is still a US territory, they didn't give it back or liberate it at all

[the82spartans]

and this is one more example why we had to drop the bomb (twice) on Japan... they don't give up AND they deserved total surrender becasue what they did to others was not simply forgotten

[hatsudai69]

@topperheartramada actually i´m glad you don´t insult me and try to discuss. i don´t want to antagonize anyone. lets agree to disagree and all the best to you!

[topperheartramada]

@hatsudai69 i love how you equate a genocidal epire that started the war and wanted to enslave half the globe with guys who were attacked for no reason (and dirty), and were forced to fight a war where japan never recognized any form of decency regarding the treatment of prisoners or the way battles are fought. you have a major problem with your moral compass if you can do that. And no, the USA did not kill more civilians, not to mention Japan never recognized civilians.

[hatsudai69]

@topperheartramada ok, one more time especially for you. yes, japan

committed war crimes and killed civilians. but still, the usa killed by far more civilians.

all the bombing raids on the civilian population of europe and japan?

but i guess you are only interested in propaganda, not facts...

[topperheartramada]

@hatsudai69 What numbers? Japan raped China. What about Nanking? What about the torture of prisoners? Jaoan was worse than the Nazis. It did not recognize its enemies as humans. They just slaughtered everyone. And in the end they slaughtered their own civilians who refused to commit suicide. Just check what they did in Okinawa for instance. Japan started the war by a dirty, unprovoked attack on the USA, and kept fighting dirty. Who killed more? Japan. Way more.

[hatsudai69]

@topperheartramada so who killed more woman, children and civilians, japan or the usa?

oooops, there you go! i´m not excusing japan, japan was bad, especially by today standards, but that doesn`t change the actual numbers.

Peace!

[topperheartramada]

@hatsudai69 imperial japan did not recognize women or children. it did not recognize prisoners. it recognized only unlimited cruelty and its own right to bitcher, enslave, and conquer. they were treated i the end the way they had asked to be treated from the start of their expansion. japanese soldiers even murdered their own civilians in ikinawa and elsewhere because they wouldn't let them surrender to the americans. human life meant nothing to them, not even their own.

[topperheartramada]

@nash121490 they are not the same people, though. japan is a democracy today, and a bastion of freedom. it's hard enough trying to deal with what people who are alive now are doing around the planet, we don't need to bring in those who have been dead for so long. but yes, imperial japan was an abomination, and the darkest point in the history of japan. and we must never forget what they did.

[iDGAFkilluminati]

@josephinewentzel

i like your post i am chamoru native from guam and i thank all who served for my island. when i learned of the troubles to my people it killed me im glad that many understand my struggle and that of native people to the out lands of america. i salute your father.