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Battle of Peleliu
Part of World War II, Pacific War
Date September 15, 1944 – November 25, 1944 Location Peleliu, Palau Islands Result American victory
Combatants
United States	Japan
Commanders
William H. Rupertus, USMC	Kunio Nakagawa
Strength
2 divisions (1st Marine Division and the USA 81st Infantry Division)	Approximately 11,000 men
Casualties
2,336 killed and 8,450 wounded	10,695 killed, 202 captured

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

The Battle of Peleliu, like the bloody World War II island campaigns before it, was a fight to capture an airstrip on a speck of coral in the Western Pacific. And, as with previous island battles, the Americans would prevail, but at a higher cost than anticipated, against the determined resistance of the Japanese forces.

By the summer of 1944 victories in the Southwest and Central Pacific had brought the war even closer to Japan, with American bombers now able to strike at the Japanese homeland itself. But there was disagreement by the U.S. Joint Chiefs over two proposed strategies to crush the Japanese Empire. One strategy proposed by General Douglas MacArthur called for the recapture of the Philippines, followed by the capture of Okinawa then Formosa for an attack at the Chinese mainland. From there, the eventual invasion of Japan would come. Admiral Chester Nimitz, on the other hand, favored a more direct strategy of bypassing the Philippines, but seizing Okinawa and Formosa as staging areas for the future invasion of Japan's southernmost islands.

As for Peleliu, both commanders' strategies included the invasion of this island, but for different reasons, and the 1st Marine Division had already been chosen to make the assault. To settle this dispute, President Franklin D. Roosevelt traveled to Pearl Harbor to personally meet both commanders and hear their respective arguments. After a review of both positions, MacArthur's strategy was chosen. However, before MacArthur could retake the Philippines, the Palau Islands, Peleliu and Anguar specifically, were thought to be necessary for neutralization and building an airfield to protect his right flank. This turned out not to be necessary at all. What followed was a ferocious battle lasting more than two months and costing over 12,000 lives on both sides. Engaging on Peleliu was the 1st Marine Division, and also the US Army 81st Infantry Division that had already overrun the smaller island of Anguar.

The 1st Marine Division was severely mauled by casualties on Peleliu, and it remained out of action until the invasion of Okinawa on April 1, 1945.

On the recommendation of Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr., the planned occupation of Yap Island in the Palaus was cancelled. Halsey actually (rightly) recommend that the landings on Peleliu and Anguar be cancelled, too, and their Marines and soldiers be thrown into Leyte Island, instead. But Halsey was overruled by the CINCPAC, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.

Contents 1 Honors and recognitions 2 References 2.1 Notes 2.2 Books 2.3 Web 3 External links 4 See also

The nation's highest award: The Medal of Honor was presented to eight Marines in the fight for Peleliu, five of whom were decorated posthumously (indicated by *):

• *Corporal Lewis K. Bausell, 1st Battalion 5th Marines (1/5);
• Private First Class Arthur J. Jackson, 3rd Battalion 7th Marines (3/7);
• *Private First Class Richard E. Kraus, 8th Amphibian Tractor Battalion;
• *Private First Class John D. New, 2nd Battalion 7th Marines 2/7;
• *Private First Class Wesley Phelps, 3/7;
• Captain Everett P. Pope, USMC, 1st Battalion 1st Marines (1/1);
• *Private First Class Charles H. Roan, 2/7; and
• First Lieutenant Carlton R. Rouh, 1/5.

• Sledge, Eugene B. (1990). With the Old Breed: At Peleliu And Okinawa. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195067142. 
• Gailey, Harry (1984). Peleliu: 1944. Nautical & Aviation Pub Co of Amer. ISBN 093385241X. 
• Hallas, James H. (1994). The Devil's Anvil: The Assault on Peleliu. Praeger Publishers. ISBN 0275946460. 
• Ross, Bill D. (1991). Peleliu: Tragic Triumph. Random House. ISBN 0394565886. 
• Rottman, Gordon; Howard Gerrard (2002). Peleliu 1944: The Forgotten Corner Of Hell. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1841765120. 
• Sloan, Bill (2005). Brotherhood of Heroes: The Marines at Peleliu, 1944 -- The Bloodiest Battle of the Pacific War. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0743260090. 
• Wright, Derrick (2005). To the Far Side of Hell: The Battle for Peleliu, 1944. Fire Ant Books. ISBN 0817352813. 

• Anderson, Charles R.. Western Pacific. The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II. U.S. Army Center of Military History. Retrieved on 2006-12-19.
• Gayle, BGen Gordon D. (1996). Bloody Beaches: The Marines at Peleliu. Marines in World War II Commemorative Series. Marine Corps Historical Center. Retrieved on 2006-12-19.

• Hough, Frank O. (1950). The Assault on Peleliu (The Seizure of Peleliu). USMC Historical Monograph. Historical Branch, G-3 Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. Retrieved on 2006-12-19.
• Kier, Mike. PELELIU. Retrieved on 2006-12-19.
• Smith, Robert Ross (1996). The Approach to the Philippines. United States Army in World War II: The War in the Pacific. U.S. Army Center of Military History. Retrieved on 2006-12-19.

• Peleliu Photographs
• Bloody Peleliu by Jeremy Gypton

The amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA-5) was named in memory of the battle.