Showing results for "Marina" in World

In this gripping episode, we delve into the strategic objectives set for Bougainville during World War II. The mission was clear establish a vital beachhead and construct airstrips to enable American aircraft to neutralize Japanese airfields at Kahili, Buka, and Bonis. However, the Marines faced a daunting enemy force, with 21,800 Japanese troops stationed at Buin alone. Leading the defense was the formidable Lieutenant General Haruyoshi Hyakutake, a familiar foe to the Marines from their previous encounters at Guadalcanal. His main force, the 6th Division, posed a significant challenge to the...

On June 25, 1950, most Americans were unaware that civil strife had erupted in Korea, a distant peninsula that would soon witness one of the most significant military endeavors in U.S. history. Renowned for their amphibious capabilities, the Marines of the 1st Brigade were tasked with demonstrating their adaptability in challenging ground combat. Throughout the fierce battles within the Pusan Perimeter—advancing south towards Sachon and engaging twice along the Naktong River—these brave Marine units relentlessly pressed their assault against the enemy. Remarkably, they held their ground ...

By early 1944, the United States Marine Corps had already made significant strides in their campaign to reclaim territories lost to Japanese forces during World War II. Following pivotal victories in the Southwest Pacific—beginning with Guadalcanal in August 1942 and continuing at Tarawa in November 1943—American forces were poised to take the next crucial step assaulting the islands held by Japan prior to 1941. These strategically important islands, mandated to the Japanese by the League of Nations after World War I, were shrouded in mystery and speculation. With outsiders barred and ...

As the tide turned in the Korean War, UN leaders faced critical questions about the future of the conflict. The dynamic ROK leader made it clear he had no intention of reverting to the pre-invasion status quo, aiming instead to unify Korea by advancing to the Manchurian border. With the Communists violation of the 38th Parallel, this arbitrary line—originally a division between Soviet and American occupation zones—was rendered meaningless. On September 26, CINCUNC tasked the Joint Special Plans and Operations Group (JSPOG) with creating a strategy for operations beyond the border. The ...

In March 1952, the 1st Marine Division made a strategic redeployment from the East-Central front to the vital West Korea sector. Stretching nearly 35 miles, this area anchored the far western end of I Corps, playing a crucial role in the Eighth Armys defensive line. Here, the Marines stood firm against the enemys attempts to advance toward Seoul, the South Korean capital. Just northwest of their Main Line of Resistance, a mere five miles away, lay Panmunjom, where sporadic truce negotiations unfolded. - Summary by L. F. Chapman, Jr.

In the fourth installment of our five-volume series on U.S. Marine operations during the Korean War, we delve into the critical events from December 1950 through March 1952. This volume focuses on the 1st Marine Division and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing as they navigated complex operations under Eighth Army control and alongside IX Corps and X Corps. From the rest period in the Masan “bean patch” to intense guerrilla hunts and the fierce fighting in the Punchbowl, this account captures the resilience and determination of the Marines during a pivotal time in history. Join us as we explore ...

On September 15, 1944, the United States invaded the tiny Pacific island of Peleliu, located at the Southern end of the Palau Islands. Boasting a large airfield from which the Americans could mount bomber campaigns, Peleliu was a strategically essential part of Gen. MacArthur's long-awaited liberation of the Philippines. With the famed 1st Marine Division making the amphibious assault, Pacific High Command was confident that victory would be theirs in just a few days. They were drastically wrong.

In December 1942, patrol flights launched from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal and U.S. fleet carriers encountered a significant threat the Japanese were diligently constructing a well-camouflaged airfield at Munda on New Georgias northern tip. This new airfield not only jeopardized the ongoing Allied efforts to secure Guadalcanal but also demanded urgent action. Reports from U.S. pilots indicated another airfield nearing completion on Kolombangara, just across the Kula Gulf from New Georgia. In response to these emerging dangers, Operation Toenails was meticulously planned, aiming to capture ...

Tarawa Atoll, located 2085 miles southwest of Pearl Harbor and 540 miles southeast of Kwajalein in the Marshalls, is home to Betio, its principal island. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese swiftly captured Tarawa from the British within just three days. In August 1943, Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance traveled to New Zealand to meet in secrecy with Major General Julian C. Smith and his senior staff. During this pivotal meeting, Spruance instructed the Marines to prepare for an amphibious assault on Japanese positions in the Gilbert Islands come November. Lieutenant Colonel ...

In the summer of 1942, urgent intelligence reports revealed the construction of a Japanese airfield near Lunga Point on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. The imminent completion of this airfield posed a significant threat, potentially enabling a renewed Japanese offensive that could jeopardize the vital lifeline of American support to Australia and New Zealand. On July 23, 1942, the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington recognized the need to secure communication lines in the South Pacific and halt the Japanese advance. This pivotal decision led to Operation Watchtower, the daring campaign to ...

Its December 8, 1941, and on the remote Wake Island—a small, vital outpost nestled between Hawaii and Guam—Marines of the 1st Defense Battalion are gearing up for another grueling day of war preparations that have consumed them for weeks. Meanwhile, the majestic Pan American Airways Philippine Clipper takes to the skies, soaring across the lagoon formed by the islets of Peale, Wake, and Wilkes, bound for Guam. However, this trans-Pacific journey will never reach its destination. - Summary by Robert Cressman

The battle of Okinawa, a grueling three-month conflict spanning a 700-mile stretch from Formosa to Kyushu, involved over a million combatants, including Americans, Japanese, British, and native Okinawans. This monumental clash was not only the largest but also the most costly single operation of the Pacific War, rivaling the Normandy invasion that had occurred just months earlier. Throughout its 82 days of intense combat, the battle claimed an average of 3,000 lives daily—both from the fighting forces and tragic non-combatants. (Joseph H. Alexander)

On Sunday, March 4, 1945, the brutal battle for Iwo Jima reached a critical juncture as the U.S. Marines faced mounting exhaustion after two weeks of relentless fighting. The valiant display of the American flag raised by the 28th Marines on Mount Suribachi had taken place ten days earlier, but the harsh realities of war were settling in. With the V Amphibious Corps (VAC) suffering 13,000 casualties, including 3,000 fatalities, the situation was dire. The front lines had become a chaotic tableau, with American forces still grappling against a tenacious and elusive Japanese enemy. Meanwhile, ...

The Inchon Landing stands as a pivotal moment in military history, showcasing an audacious amphibious operation that was meticulously planned and executed with remarkable precision. This bold strategy involved a calculated risk—diverting forces from the Pusan Perimeter to strike decisively at the enemys rear. Faced with challenging weather and treacherous geography, the operation culminated in fierce combat within the heart of Seoul. Join us as we delve into this extraordinary campaign, highlighted by insights from Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr. and Aaron Bennett.

Dive into a poignant historical narrative that combines a comprehensive overview with personal accounts from those who experienced the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Published in 1992, this work is part of the U.S. Governments U.S. Marine Corps World War II Commemorative Series. - Summary by David Wales.

Although many denied it, a giant ocean liner was dying. The superstitious nodded their heads, knowing her fate had already been sealed. The freezing Atlantic crept up to the forecastle head as the massive vessel, with all her lights aglow, slowly, almost imperceptibly, sank at the bow.

The first and only podcast that takes you deep inside Marine Corps history, exploring its battles, political decisions, and the strategic moves that shaped it from Tun Tavern to today. Neither the United States Marine Corps nor any other component of the Department of Defense has approved, endorsed, or authorized this product (or promotion, or service, or activity).

On November 20, 1943, the 2nd Marine Division launched the first amphibious assault of the Pacific War, directly into the teeth of powerful Japanese defenses on Tarawa. A single company of Sherman tanks, of which only two survived, played a pivotal role in turning the tide from looming disaster to legendary victory. In this unique study, Oscar Gilbert and Romain Cansiere use official documents, memoirs, and interviews with veterans to follow Charlie Company from its formation, and trace the movement, action - and loss - of individual tanks in this horrific four-day struggle.

After Tripoli declared war on the United States in 1801, Barbary pirates captured 300 U.S. sailors and marines. President Jefferson sent navy squadrons to the Mediterranean, but he also authorized a secret mission to overthrow the government of Tripoli. He chose an unlikely diplomat, William Eaton, to lead the mission, but before Eaton departed, Jefferson grew wary of the affair and withdrew his support.

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