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 commanders for Operation Forager II
Adm. Chester W. Nimitz
Vice Adm. Raymond A. Spruance
Rear Adm. Richmond Kelly Turner
Vice Adm. Richard L. Conolly
Ground force commanders at Guam
Lieut. Gen. Holland M. Smith, USMC
Maj. Gen. Roy S. Geiger, USMC
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
Planning the invasion of Guam
III Marine Amphibious Corps commander, Maj. Gen. Roy S. Geiger; his chief of staff, Col. Merwin H. Silverthorn; and Corps Artillery commander, Brig. Gen. Pedro A. del Valle
Expeditionary Troops (Task Force 56)
Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith[a]
- Chief of Staff: Brig. Gen. Graves B. Erskine[b]
- Personnel Officer (G-1): Lt. Col. Albert F. Metze
- Intelligence Officer (G-2): Col. St. Julien R. Marshall
- Operations Officer (G-3): Col. John C. McQueen
- Logistics Officer (G-4): Col. Raymond E. Knapp
- Plans Officer (G-5): Col. Joseph T. Smith
- Northern Troops and Landing Force (Task Group 56.1 – Saipan and Tinian)
- Consisting of V Amphibious Corps
- Southern Troops and Landing Force (Task Group 56.2 – Guam)
- Consisting of III Amphibious Corps
III Marine Amphibious Corps
Major General Roy S. Geiger[c]
- Chief of Staff: Brig. Gen. Merwin H. Silverthorn
- Personnel Officer (C-1): Col. William J. Scheyer
- Intelligence Officer (C-2): Lt. Col. William F. Coleman
- Operations Officer (C-3): Col. Walter A. Wachtler
- Logistics Officer (C-4): Lt. Col. Frederick L. Wieseman
- III Marine Amphibious Corps Artillery
- Brigadier General Pedro del Valle[d]
- Chief of Staff : Col. John A. Bemis
- Personnel Officer (A-1): Maj. James A. Tatsch
- Intelligence Officer (A-2): Warrant Officer David G. Garnett
- Operations Officer (A-3): Lt. Col. Frederick P. Henderson
- Logistics Officer (A-4): Maj. Frederick W. Miller
Lt. Col. Marvin H. Floom, USMC
- 1st 155mm Howitzer Battalion
- Commanding Officer: Col. James J. Keating
- Executive Officer: Maj. George H. Ford
- Operations Officer (Bn-3): Maj. Marshall J. Hooper
- 2nd 155mm Howitzer Battalion
- Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. Marvin H. Floom
- Executive Officer: Maj. Gene N. Schraeder
- Operations Officer (Bn-3): Maj. Earl J. Fowse
- Chief of Staff : Col. John A. Bemis
Northern landing area (West of Agana)
3rd Marine Division command on Guam
Maj. Gen. Allen H. Turnage
Alfred H. Noble as a major general
3rd Marine Division (20,338 officers and enlisted)- Major General Allen H. Turnage[e]
- Asst. Div. Cmdr.: Brigadier General Alfred H. Noble
- Chief of Staff: Col. Ray A. Robinson
- Personnel Officer (D-1): Lt. Col. Chevey S. White (KIA 22 Jul), Maj. Irving R. Kriendler
- Intelligence Officer (D-2): Lt. Col. Howard J. Turton (to 28 Jul), Lt. Col. Ellsworth N. Murray
- Operations Officer (D-3): Col. James A. Stuart (to 28 Jul), Lt. Col. Howard J. Turton
- Logistics Officer (D-4): Lt. Col. Ellsworth N. Murray (to 28 Jul), Col. William C. Hall
- Left Sector (Red Beaches):
3rd Marine Regiment- Colonel William C. Hall (to 28 Jul), Colonel James A. Stuart
- Exec. Ofc.: Col. James D. Snedeker
- 1st Battalion
- CO: Maj. Henry Aplington, II
- XO: Maj. John A. Ptak (KIA 1 Aug)
- 2nd Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Hector de Zayas (KIA 26 Jul), Maj. William A. Culpepper
- XO: Maj. William A. Culpepper (to 26 Jul), Maj. Howard J. Smith
- 3rd Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Ralph L. Houser (WIA 22 Jul), Maj. Royal R. Bastian
- XO: Maj. Royal R. Bastian (to 23 Jul), Capt. William R. Bradley
- 1st Battalion
- Left Sector (Red Beaches):
- Center Sector (Green Beach):
21st Marine Regiment- Colonel Arthur H. Butler
- Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Ernest W. Fry Jr.
- 1st Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Marlowe C. Williams
- XO: Lt. Col. Ronald R. Van Stockum
- 2nd Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Eustace R. Smoak
- XO: Maj. Lowell E. English
- 3rd Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Wendell H. Duplantis
- XO: Maj. Edward A. Clark
- 1st Battalion
- Center Sector (Green Beach):
- Right Sector (Blue Beaches):
9th Marine Regiment- Colonel Edward A. Craig
- Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Jaime Sabater (WIA 21 Jul), Lt. Col. Ralph M. King
- 1st Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Carey A. Randall
- XO: Maj. Harold C. Boehm
- 2nd Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Robert E. Cushman, Jr.
- XO: Maj. William T. Glass
- 3rd Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Walter Asmuth, Jr. (WIA 21 Jul), Maj. Donald B. Hubbard (WIA 1 Aug), Maj. Jess P. Ferrill, Jr.
- XO: Maj. Donald B. Hubbard (to 22 Jul), Capt. Calvin W. Kunz, Jr.
- 1st Battalion
- Right Sector (Blue Beaches):
- Landed after W-Day:
12th Marine Regiment (Artillery)- Colonel John B. Wilson
- Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. John S. Letcher
- 1st Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Raymond F. Crist Jr. (WIA 22 Jul)
- XO: Maj. George B. Thomas
- 2nd Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Donald M. Weller
- XO: Mj. Henry E. W. Barnes
- 3rd Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Alpha L. Bowser
- XO: Maj. Claude S. Sanders, Jr.
- 4th Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Bernard H. Kirk (WIA 21 Jul)
- XO: Maj. Thomas R. Belzer
- 1st Battalion
- Landed after W-Day:
19th Marine Regiment (Engineer)- Lt. Col. Robert E. Fojt
- Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Edmund M. Williams
- 1st Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Walter S. Campbell
- XO: Maj. Virgil M. Davis
- 2nd Battalion
- CO: Maj. Victor J. Simpson
- XO: Maj. Howard A. Hurst
- 1st Battalion
- Other units
- 3rd Medical Battalion (Cmdr. Raymond R. Callaway, USN)
- 3rd Motor Transport Battalion (Lt. Col. Thomas R. Stokes)
- 3rd Service Battalion (Lt. Col. Durant S. Buchanan)
- 3rd Tank Battalion (Lt. Col. Hartnoll J. Withers)
- 25th Naval Construction Battalion (Lt. Cmdr. George J. Whelan, USN)
- Other units
Southern landing area (South of Orote Peninsula)
Southern sector commanders
Andrew D. Bruce as a lieutenant general
Lemuel C. Shepherd as Commandant of the Marine Corps
- Left beaches:
77th Infantry ("Statue of Liberty") Division (Army) (17,958 officers and enlisted)[f]- Major General Andrew D. Bruce, USA[g]
- Asst. Div. Cmdr.: Brig. Gen. Edwin H. Randle, USA
- CO, Divisional Artillery: Brig. Gen. Isaac Spalding, USA
- Chief of Staff: Col. Douglas C. McNair (KIA 6 August)[h]; Lt. Col. Guy V. Miller (from 6 August)
- 306th Regimental Combat Team
- 307th Regimental Combat Team
- Right beaches:
1st Provisional Marine Brigade (9,886 officers and enlisted)- Brigadier General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr.[i]
- Chief of Staff: Col. John T. Walker
- Personnel Officer (B-1): Maj. Addison B. Overstreet
- Intelligence Officer (B-2): Maj. Robert W. Shaw
- Operations Officer (B-3): Lt. Col. Thomas A. Culhane, Jr.
- Logistics Officer (B-4): Lt. Col. August Larson
- Northern portion (Yellow Beaches):
22nd Marine Regiment
- Colonel Merlin F. Schneider
- Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. William J. Wise
- 1st Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Walfried H. Fromhold (to 31 Jul), Maj. Crawford B. Lawton
- XO: Maj. Crawford B. Lawton (to 1 Aug), Maj. William E. Sperling, III
- 2nd Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Donn C. Hart (to 27 Jul), Maj. John F. Schoettel (WIA 27 Jul)
- XO: Maj. Robert P. Felker
- 3rd Battalion
- CO: Lt. Col. Clair W. Shisler (WIA 27 Jul)
- XO: Maj. Earl J. Cook
- 1st Battalion
- Northern portion (Yellow Beaches):
- Southern portion (White Beaches):
4th Marine Regiment
- Lt. Colonel Alan Shapley
- Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Samuel D. Puller (KIA 27 Jul), Capt. Charles T. Lamb
- 1st Battalion
- CO: Maj. Bernard W. Green
- XO: Maj. Robert S. Wade (temp. atchd.)
- 2nd Battalion
- CO: Maj. John S. Messer
- XO: Maj. Roy S. Batterton, Jr. (WIA 21 Jul), Capt. Lincoln N. Holdzcom
- 3rd Battalion
- CO: Maj. Hamilton M. Hoyler
- XO: Maj. Hugh J. Chapman
- UDTs 3 and 4
- 1st Battalion
- Southern portion (White Beaches):
- Floating reserve:
- 305th Regimental Combat Team (Army) (detached from 77th Inf. Div.)
- Commanding Officer: Col. V.J. Tanzola, USA
- 305th Regimental Combat Team (Army) (detached from 77th Inf. Div.)
- Floating reserve:
- Other units:
- 9th Defense Battalion (Lt. Col. Archie E. O'Neil)
- 14th Defense Battalion (Lt. Col. William F. Parks)
Guam Island Command
- Major General Henry L. Larsen[j]
- Chief of Staff: Col. Robert Blake
- Personnel Officer (A-1): Col. Lee N. Utz
- Intelligence Officer (A-2): Col. Francis H. Brink
- Operations Officer (A-3): Col. Benjamin W. Atkinson (to 8 Aug), Lt. Col. Shelton C. Zern
- Logistics Officer (A-4): Col. James A. Mixson
- Plans Officer (A-5): Col. Charles I. Murray
- 1st Provisional Base Headquarters Battalion
- Lt. Col. Victor A. Barraco
- Headquarters Company: 1st Lt. Emerson S. Clark, Jr.
- Military Police Company: Capt. Paul J. Swartz
- 5th Field Depot
- Lt. Col. Walter A. Churchill
- Executive Officer: Lt. Col. Patrick J. Haltigan, Jr.
- Operations Officer: Maj. John W. Allen
- Chief of Staff: Col. Robert Blake
Japanese Forces
Japanese commanders on Guam
Lt. Gen. Takeshi Takashina
Lt. Gen. Hideyoshi Obata
Overall command[3]
Lt. Gen. Takeshi Takashina (KIA 28 July)
- Thirty-First Army[k]
- Lt. Gen. Hideyoshi Obata (seppuku 11 August)
- Approx. 19,000 officers and enlisted
- 29th Division (Lt. Gen. Takashina)
- 18th Infantry Regiment
- 38th Infantry Regiment
- 1st Tank Division
- 9th Tank Regiment
- 48th Independent Brigade
- 10th Independent Mixed Regiment
- 29th Division (Lt. Gen. Takashina)
- 6th Expeditionary Force
- Maj. Gen. Kiyoshi Shigematsu (KIA 26 July)
- 319th, 321st, 322nd, 820th Independent Infantry Battalions
- Additional air defense, engineer, signals, etc., support elements
Notes
- ^ Generated so much ill will between the armed services in the Pacific Theater that he had to be relieved of command in July 1945.[1]
- ^ Commanded 3rd Marine Division on Iwo Jima.
- ^ Commanded III Amphibious Corps on Okinawa and assumed command of US Tenth Army upon the death of Lt. Gen. Buckner.
- ^ Commanded 1st Marine Division on Okinawa.
- ^ Served as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps after the war.
- ^ Less 305th RCT which was attached to the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade for this operation.[2]
- ^ Commanded 77th Division again during the capture of the island of Ie Shima during the Okinawa campaign.
- ^ Son of Lt. Gen. Leslie J. McNair who had been killed by errant Allied bombs in France 12 days earlier.
- ^ Served as Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1952 through 1955.
- ^ Served as Governor of Guam after the war.
- ^ A Japanese army was equivalent to a Euro-American corps.
References
Bibliography
- Clark, George B. (2006). The Six Marine Divisions in the Pacific: Every Campaign of World War II. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Co. ISBN 978-0-7864-2769-7.
- Morison, Samuel Eliot (1953). New Guinea and the Marianas, March 1944 – August 1944. History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Vol. VIII. Boston: Little, Brown and Co. LCCN 53-7298.
- Rottman, Gordon L. (2004). Guam 1941 & 1944: Loss and reconquest. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84176-811-3.
This page was last edited on 4 February 2024, at 20:04