Battle of Angaur

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Battle of Angaur

Date	17 September 1944 – 30 September 1944
Location	Angaur, Palau Islands
Result	American victory

Combatants

United States

Japan

Commanders

Paul J. Mueller

Sadao Inoue

Strength

15,000

1,400

Casualties

260 killed, 1,354 wounded, 940 incapacitated through heat exhaustion, accident, or sickness

1,338 killed, 59 captured

Mariana and Palau Islands campaign
Saipan – Philippine Sea – Guam – Tinian – Peleliu – Angaur

The Battle of Angaur was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the island of Angaur in the Palau Islands from 17 September 1944 to 30 September 1944.

Angaur is a tiny volcanic island, just three miles (5 km) long, separated from Peleliu by a six mile (10 km) strait. A very small indigenous population lived by farming, fishing, and phosphate mining. In mid-1944 the Japanese had 1,400 troops on the island, under the overall command of Palau Sector Group commander, Lieutenant General Sadao Inoue.

The weak defenses of the Palaus and the potential for airfield construction made them attractive targets for the Americans after the capture of the Marshall Islands, but shortage of landing craft meant that operations against the Palaus could not begin until the Mariana Islands were secure.

Bombardment of Angaur by USS Tennessee, cruisers, and Dauntless dive bombers from USS Wasp began on 11 September 1944. Six days later, on 17 September 1944 the US 81st Infantry Division commanded by Major General Paul J. Mueller landed on the northeast and southeast coasts. Mines and congestion on the beach initially gave more trouble than Japanese counter-attacks. But resistance stiffened as the Americans advanced on "the Bowl", a hill near Lake Salome in the northwest of the island where the Japanese planned to make their last stand. From 20 September the 322nd battalion repeatedly attacked the Bowl, but the 750 defenders repulsed them with artillery, mortars and machine guns. Gradually hunger, thirst, and American shellfire and bombing took their toll on the Japanese, and by 25 September the Americans had penetrated the Bowl. Rather than fight for possession of the caves, they used bulldozers to seal the entrances. By 30 September 1944 the island was secure.

Airfields were being constructed as the battle was still being fought. But the delay in the start of the Palaus operation meant that the airfields were not ready in time for the start of the Philippines operations in October 1944. Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr. had argued before the invasion of the Palaus that the operation was unnecessary, and military historians have agreed with him, suggesting that the main benefit was the combat experience gained by the 81st Infantry Division.

The 81st Division moved on directly to Peleliu Island to aid the 1st Marine Division, which had encountered extremely stiff resistance in the central highland of that island.