Battle of Wake Island

Battle of Wake Island was fought in the opening days of the Pacific War during World War II. The battle saw a small garrison of U.S. Marines and civilian contractors mount a spirited defense against a larger Japanese invasion force. Although the American defenders ultimately surrendered after a fifteen-day siege, their resistance provided a significant morale boost to the Allied public following the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Background

Following the Washington Naval Treaty, the United States Navy began developing Wake Island as a strategic air and submarine base, with construction managed by the Morrison-Knudsen company. By late 1941, the island's defenses, under the overall command of Navy Commander Winfield S. Cunningham, included a battalion of the 1st Marine Defense Battalion led by Major James P. S. Devereux and a squadron of F4F-3 Wildcat fighters from Marine Fighter Squadron 211 (VMF-211) under Major Paul A. Putnam. The outbreak of hostilities was anticipated after intelligence reports and the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, which occurred across the International Date Line on December 8 on Wake.

Japanese invasion

The initial Japanese assault began on December 8 with a bombing raid by G3M "Nell" bombers from Kwajalein, which destroyed seven of VMF-211's eight Wildcats on the ground. The invasion fleet, under Rear Admiral Sadamichi Kajioka, arrived on December 11, consisting of light cruisers, destroyers, and transports carrying Special Naval Landing Forces. The first invasion attempt was repelled with heavy losses, including the sinking of the destroyers *Hayate* and *Kisargi* by coastal defense guns. Reinforcements, including the carriers *Sōryū* and *Hiryū* diverted from the Pearl Harbor attack force, arrived to provide sustained aerial bombardment and a blockade.

American defense

The American defense was characterized by fierce resistance from the remaining Wildcat fighters, which conducted daily sorties, and the accurate fire of the island's six 5-inch coastal guns. Marine gunners and civilian volunteers worked tirelessly to maintain defensive positions. A relief task force centered on the aircraft carrier USS *Saratoga* was dispatched from Pearl Harbor but was recalled after the fall of the island. The final Japanese assault, led by Rear Admiral Shigematsu Sakaibara, commenced with a pre-dawn landing on December 23, overwhelming the depleted defenders who, lacking air cover and critical supplies, were ordered to surrender by Commander Cunningham.

Aftermath

Following the surrender, most American military personnel and the civilian contractors were taken as prisoners of war. They were initially held on Wake before being shipped to camps in China and Japan, such as the Shanghai War Prisoners Camp and Ōfuna Camp. In a notorious war crime, Sakaibara ordered the execution of 98 civilian prisoners in October 1943. He was later tried and executed for this crime after the war. Wake Island remained under Japanese occupation until its formal surrender to a detachment of the U.S. Marines in September 1945, following the Surrender of Japan.

Legacy

The defense of Wake Island became an immediate and potent symbol of American resilience, celebrated in President Roosevelt's speeches and the 1942 film *Wake Island*. The battle is commemorated by memorials, including one at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. It is studied as an example of a protracted defense against a siege and for the integration of civilian labor in combat support roles. The event remains a key chapter in the history of the United States Marine Corps and the early Pacific War.

Category:Battles of World War II Category:Battles involving the United States Category:Battles involving Japan Category:History of the United States Marine Corps