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Guam (1944) order of battle

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.

Landing beaches on west coast of Guam

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

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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
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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

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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

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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
 
US Marine Corps 155mm Howitzer on White Beach
 
Maj. Gen. Pedro del Valle, USMC

Expeditionary Troops (Task Force 56)

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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
Main article: Battle of Saipan § Opposing Forces
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

Northern landing area (West of Agana)

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3rd Marine Division command on Guam
 
Maj. Gen. Allen H. Turnage
 
Alfred H. Noble as a major general
 
Marines wading ashore at Guam.
 
Interior of Japanese concrete pillbox on Guam.
 
Marines with war dogs.
 
Marine M-4 Sherman tanks burn after being struck by Japanese anti-tank gun fire near the village of Yigo.
 
Marines on Guam using flamethrower.
 
Japanese 75mm anti-aircraft gun.
 
The village of Hagåtña, Guam after more than a month of bombardment.jpg.
  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
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
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.
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
  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
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)

Southern landing area (South of Orote Peninsula)

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Southern sector commanders
 
Andrew D. Bruce as a lieutenant general
 
Lemuel C. Shepherd as Commandant of the Marine Corps
 
Landings by the 77th Inf. Div. and 1st Prov. Marine Brigade south of Agat.
 
Battleship Pennsylvania bombarding Guam south of Orote Peninsula
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
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
Floating reserve:
305th Regimental Combat Team (Army) (detached from 77th Inf. Div.)
Commanding Officer: Col. V.J. Tanzola, USA
Other units:
9th Defense Battalion (Lt. Col. Archie E. O'Neil)
14th Defense Battalion (Lt. Col. William F. Parks)

Guam Island Command

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Maj. Gen. Henry L. Larsen, USMC
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

Japanese Forces

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Japanese commanders on Guam
 
Lt. Gen. Takeshi Takashina
 
Lt. Gen. Hideyoshi Obata
 
Dead Japanese soldiers on Guam.

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
6th Expeditionary Force
Maj. Gen. Kiyoshi Shigematsu (KIA 26 July)
319th, 321st, 322nd, 820th Independent Infantry Battalions
Navy Land Units
Navy Air Service
Additional air defense, engineer, signals, etc., support elements

Notes

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  1. ^ 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]
  2. ^ Commanded 3rd Marine Division on Iwo Jima.
  3. ^ Commanded III Amphibious Corps on Okinawa and assumed command of US Tenth Army upon the death of Lt. Gen. Buckner.
  4. ^ Commanded 1st Marine Division on Okinawa.
  5. ^ Served as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps after the war.
  6. ^ Less 305th RCT which was attached to the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade for this operation.[2]
  7. ^ Commanded 77th Division again during the capture of the island of Ie Shima during the Okinawa campaign.
  8. ^ Son of Lt. Gen. Leslie J. McNair who had been killed by errant Allied bombs in France 12 days earlier.
  9. ^ Served as Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1952 through 1955.
  10. ^ Served as Governor of Guam after the war.
  11. ^ A Japanese army was equivalent to a Euro-American corps.

References

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  1. ^ Rottman, p. 31
  2. ^ Rottman, p. 90
  3. ^ Rottman, p. 90

Bibliography

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  • 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.
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