Operation Stalemate: 1944 Battle for Peleliu (WW2 Pacific Military History Series Book 7) by Daniel Wrinn

Author:Daniel Wrinn [Wrinn, Daniel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storyteller Books, LLC
Published: 2021-05-23T22:00:00+00:00

5th Marines Northern Attack

On September 26, the 321st launched a three-pronged attack against Hill B. The 5th Marines attacked the four hills running east to west across Peleliu (Hills 1,2,3, and Radar Hill). This row of hills was perpendicular to the south of the last northern ridge—Amiangal.

These hills were defended by 1,500 enemy infantry, artillery, naval engineers, and the shot-up reinforcing infantry battalion, which landed on the night of September 23. The enemy were well protected in the caves and interconnected tunnels within the hills and ridges.

As the fighting started, Colonel Harris side-stepped his 2nd Battalion west of the hills and attacked Amiangal Ridge to the north. By dark, the 2nd Battalion had secured the southern end of the ridge but took heavy fire from positions in the central and northwestern slopes.

The Marines now confronted the most wide-ranging set of tunnels and caves on Peleliu. They were trying to invade the homes and defensive positions of a long-established naval construction unit. Most of whose members were better miners than infantrymen. As night settled, the 2nd Battalion cut itself loose from its southern units and formed a small battalion beachhead for the night.

The next morning, the 2/5 Marines tried to advance along the route leading to the northern nose of Amiangal Ridge. They ran into a wide and deep anti-tank ditch that denied them the close tank support they’d successfully used earlier. Again, the 5th Marines asked for point-blank artillery.

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