Battle Bombardment of Angaur by the battleship , four cruisers, and forty Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers from the aircraft carrier began on 11 September 1944. Six days later on 17 September, the U.S. 81st Infantry Division— commanded by Major General Paul J. Mueller—landed on the northeast and southeast coasts. Both RCTs were counterattacked during the night. Both RCTs linked up the next day. By the end of the third day, 19 Sept. , the main area of Japanese resistance was to the northeast around Romauldo Hill, so the 323rd RCT was sent to Ulithi. 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, after the rest of Angaur and Saipan town were taken. There was another small position where the Japanese had about 400 soldiers in a defense at the southeast corner of the island, around Beach Green, that was neutralized on September 20  after 2 days of harsh fighting and about 300 U.S. casualties. From 20 September, the 322nd Infantry Regiment repeatedly attacked the Bowl, but the 750 defenders repulsed them with artillery, mortars, grenades 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, the island was said to be secure although the Japanese still had about 300 more soldiers in the Bowl and surrounding areas that held out for almost four more weeks. Toward the end of the first week of October, 1944, the protracted conflict had degenerated into minor patrol action with sniping, ambushing, and extensive booby-trapping employed by both sides. SSgt Edwin "Ed" C Rowold, USMC was killed on Angaur, Palau on 5 Oct 1944. A road on that island was later named for him, according to a letter from his commander. The island's defense commander, Major Goto was killed on 19 OctoberThe HyperWar website here, on pages 178 and 179 describes it as "up until the night of the 19th" of October when Major Goto was killed. fighting to keep possession of a cave. The last day of fighting was October 22  with a total of 36 days of fighting and blasting the Japanese resistance from their caves with explosives, tanks, artillery and flamethrowers. The 81 Infantry Division had finally taken the whole of Angaur.
Battle Bombardment of Angaur by the battleship , four cruisers, and forty Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers from the aircraft carrier began on 11 September 1944. Six days later on 17 September, the two RCTs commanded by Major General Paul J. Mueller—landed on the northeast and southeast coasts. Both RCTs were counterattacked during the night. Both RCTs linked up the next day. By the end of the third day, 19 September , the main area of Japanese resistance was to the northeast around Romauldo Hill, so the 323rd RCT was sent to Ulithi. 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, after the rest of Angaur and Saipan town were taken. There was another small position where the Japanese had about 400 soldiers in a defense at the southeast corner of the island, around Beach Green, that was neutralized on 20 September after 2 days of harsh fighting and about 300 U.S. casualties. From 20 September, the 322nd RCT repeatedly attacked the Bowl, but the 750 defenders repulsed them with artillery, mortars, grenades 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, the island was said to be secure although the Japanese still had about 300 more soldiers in the Bowl and surrounding areas that held out for almost four more weeks. Toward the end of the first week of October, the protracted conflict had degenerated into minor patrol action with sniping, ambushing, and extensive booby-trapping employed by both sides. The island's defense commander, Major Goto was killed on 19 October fighting to keep possession of a cave.The HyperWar website here, on pages 178 and 179 describes it as "up until the night of the 19th" of October when Major Goto was killed. The last day of fighting was 22 October with a total of 36 days of fighting and blasting the Japanese resistance from their caves with explosives, tanks, artillery and flamethrowers. The 81st Infantry Division had finally taken the whole of Angaur.
R
U.S. 81st Infantry Division—
two RCTs
R
Sept.
September
D
September
A
September
R
Infantry Regiment
RCT
D
,
D
1944,
D
SSgt Edwin "Ed" C Rowold, USMC was killed on Angaur, Palau on 5 Oct 1944. A road on that island was later named for him, according to a letter from his commander.
R
OctoberThe
October fighting to keep possession of a cave.The
D
fighting to keep possession of a cave.
D
October
A
October
R
81
81st