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.
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
Naval
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
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
Naval forces (Task Force 53 Southern Attack Force)
Rear Admiral Richard L. Conolly
Task Group 53.1 Northern Attack Group
Rear Admiral Richard L. Conolly
Task Group 53.3 Northern Transport Group
Captain Pat Buchanan
Transdiv 2, Captain H. D. Baker
APAs: Captain A. F. Junker; Commander H. E. Schieke; Commander M. C. Erwin
AP: Commander J. M. Payne
AKA: Commander H. E. Berger
Transdiv 8, Captain F. R. Talbot
APAs: Commander L. L. Rowe; Commander W. A. McHale Commander D. C. Woodward
AP: Captain J. J. Fallon
AKA: Captain F. F. Ferris
Transdiv 24, Captain Buchanan
APAs: Captain G. M. Wauchope; Commander Drayton Harrison; Commander T. V. Cooper
Hospital transport: Commander P. H. Jenkins
AKA: Captain R. V. Marron USCG
LSD: Commander Lester Martin; Commander D. E. Collins
Screen, Captain E. M. Thompson
DDs: Commander H. O. Parish; Lieutenant Commander W. M. Rakow; Lieutenant Commander W. V. Combs; Lieutenant Commander R. B. Allen; Lieutenant Commander R. W. McElrath; Commander D. T. Wilber; (Commander J. H. Nevins on board), Lieutenant Commander D. A. Harris; Commander P. H. Brady
DMSs: Lieutenant Commander W. H. Sublette; Lieutenant Commander D. M. Granstrom; Lieutenant D. P. Payne
Task Group 53.16 Tractor Group Three
Captain G. B. Carter
LST Unit 3, Commander V. K. Busck: 16 LSTs
Control Unit, Captain G. B. Carter: DD Commander W. L. Tagg; 9 SCs.
LCI(G) Unit, Commander W. R. McCaleb: 7 LCI(G)
Task Group 53.9 Minesweeping and Hydrographic Group
Lieutenant Commander G. M. Estep
Minesweepers: Lieutenant Commander G. M. Estep; Lieutenant R. C. Biles; 6 YMS
Ocean tug:
Salvage vessel:
Net layers: ,
Repair ship:
APD: Commander R. A. Wilhelm
:Reconnaissance and demolition unit: Commander R. A. Wilhelm
Task Group 53.2 Southern Attack Group
Rear Admiral Lawrence F. Reifsnider
Task Group 53.3 Northern Transport Group
Captain J. B. McGovern
Transdiv 4, Captain McGovern
APAs: , , Captain M. T. Farrar
AP: Commander C. J. Ballreich
AKA:
Transdiv 6, Captain T. B. Brittain
APAs: Commander J. C. Lester, ; Captain L. F. Brown; Commander Harold Bye;
Transdiv 38, Captain J. B. Heffernan
APAs: Captain B. K. Culver; Commander G. K. G. Reilly
APs: Commander C. M. Furlow; Commander W. O. Britton
AKA: Commander R. E. Krause
LSD: Lieutenant Commander F. J. Harris
Screen, Captain W. P. Burford
DDs: Lieutenant Commander K. S. Shook; Lieutenant Commander G. P. Chung-Hoon; ; ; Commander E. E. Evans; Commander N. A. Lidstone; Commander G. S. Patrick; Lieutenant Commander C. J. Van Arsdall; Commander J. F. Walsh; Commander J. L. Wilfong
Task Group 53.17 Tractor Group Four
Commander E. A. McFall
DD: Lieutenant Commander E. R. King
LST Unit 4, Commander R. W. Cuder
: 14 LSTs
Control Unit, Commander Henry Crommelin
: DD: Lieutenant Commander T. F. Conley
: 7 SCs
LCI(G) Unit, Lieutenant H. B. Rabenstein
: 9 LCI(G)s
Seaplane Servicing Unit, Lieutenant Commander J. A. Pridmore
: Tender Lieutenant W. H. Ayer
: APc: APc-46 Lieutenant R. M. Rosse
Task Group 53.6 Minesweeping and Hydrographic Group
Commander R. R. Sampson
Sweep Unit 3, Lieutenant Commander W. B. Porter
: Minesweepers: , Lieutenant T. W. Cross; Lieutenant (jg) M. McVickar
Sweep Unit 4, Lieutenant E. E. McCarthy
: 6 YMS
Sweep Unit 6, Commander R. T. Sampson
: DMS: Lieutenant Commander John Clague; Lieutenant Commander I. G. Stubbart; Lieutenant S. Caplan
Salvage and Service Unit, Commander E. C. Genereaux
: Tug Lieutenant N. R. Terpening
Reconnaissance and Demolition Unit, Lieutenant F. M. Christiansen
: APDs: Lieutenant W. F. Moran; Lieutenant F. M. Christiansen
Task Group 53.5 Southern Fire Support Group
Rear Admiral W. L. Ainsworth
Unit 6, Rear Admiral W. L. Ainsworth
:CL: , Captain H. R. Thurber
:BBs: , Captain C. F. Martin; , Captain H. D. Clarke
:DDs: (Commander E. B. Taylor on board), Commander B. Van Mater; , Commander J. F. Walsh; , Lieutenant Commander R. R. Pratt
: APD: , Lieutenant Commander J. R. Cain
: Seaplane tender: , Lieutenant Commander J. A. Pridmore
:Minesweeper: HocAN, Lieutenant Commander W. H. Sublette
Unit 7, Rear Admiral G. L. Weyler
: BB: , Captain E. M. Zacharias
: CAs: , Captain Harry Slocum; , Captain H. E. Overesch
: DDs: , Lieutenant Commander R. J. Hardy; , Lieutenant Commander J. M. Lee; , Commander W. W. Fitts
: APD: , Lieutenant Commander C. C. Morgan
: Minesweeper: , Lieutenant Commander D. M. Granstrom
Unit 8, Rear Admiral C. T. Joy
: CAs: , Captain J. J. Mahoney; , Captain J. E. Hurff
: CL: , Captain R. H. Roberts
: DDs: , Commander W. D. Kelly; , Commander M. G. Kennedy; , Lieutenant Commander P. F. Hauck
Task Group 53.7 Carrier Support Group
Rear Admiral V. H. Ragsdale
CarDiv 22, Rear Admiral T. L. Sprague
: , Captain M. E. Browder
:: Air Group 37, Lieutenant Commander S. E. Hindman
::: VF-37: 22 F6F fighters
::: VT-37: 1 TBF, 8 TBM torpedo bombers
: , Captain W. D. Johnson
:: Air Group 60, Lieutenant Commander H. O. Feilbach
::: VF-60: 22 F6F fighters
::: VT-60: 8 TBM, 1 TBF torpedo bombers
: , Captain Dixwell Ketcham
:: Air Group 35, Lieutenant Commander F. T. Moore
::: VF-35: 22 F6F fighters
::: VT-35: 8 TBM, 1 TBF torpedo bombers
: Screen, Captain J. T. Bottom
:: DDs: , , ,
Cardiv 24, Rear Admiral F. B. Stump
: , Captain R. L. Thomas
:: VC-41: 14 FM fighters, 12 TBM torpedo bombers
: , Captain P. W. Watson
:: VC-33: 14 FM figghters, 8 TBF, 4 TBM torpedo bombers
: Screen, Commander C. E, Carroll
:: DDs: , ,
Task Group 53.19 Corps Reserve Group
Captain H. B. Knowles
Transdiv 18, Captain H. B. Knowles
: APAs: , ,
: APs: ,
: AKA:
Transdiv 28, Captain H. C. Flanagan
: APAs:: , ,
: AP: ,
: AKA:
Screen, Commander W. R. Edsall
: DDs: , , ,
: DMSs: ,
: DE: ,
Mobile service bases
Servron 10, Commodore W. R. Carter
Survey ship:
Repair ships: , , ,
Tenders: , , ,
DMS:
Degausser:
Auxiliaries: ,
Tugs: , , , , ATR-44, ATR-46
Five floating docks
Servron 12, Captain L. S. Fiske
Survey ship:
Net ships: , , ,
Dredges: Tualatin, Haines, Indiana
Salvage vessels: ,
Coast Guard cutters: , ,
Tugs: ,
Freighters: , ,
Two floating docks
Tanker groups
Oilers: , , , , ,
Water tankers: ,
Store ship:
Auxilary cargo ship:
Miscellaneous unclassified vessels: ,
Expeditionary troops (Task Force 56)
Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith
Chief of Staff: Brigadier General Graves B. Erskine
: Personnel Officer (G-1): Lieutenant Colonel Albert F. Metze
: Intelligence Officer (G-2): Colonel St. Julien R. Marshall
: Operations Officer (G-3): Colonel John C. McQueen
: Logistics Officer (G-4): Colonel Raymond E. Knapp
: Plans Officer (G-5): Colonel Joseph T. Smith
Southern Troops and Landing Force (Task Group 56.2 â Guam)
Consisting of III Amphibious Corps
III Marine Amphibious Corps<br> Major General Roy S. Geiger
Chief of Staff: Brigadier General Merwin H. Silverthorn
: Personnel Officer (C-1): Colonel William J. Scheyer
: Intelligence Officer (C-2): Lieutenant Colonel William F. Coleman
: Operations Officer (C-3): Colonel Walter A. Wachtler
: Logistics Officer (C-4): Lieutenant Colonel Frederick L. Wieseman
III Marine Amphibious Corps Artillery
Brigadier General Pedro del Valle
: Chief of Staff : Colonel John A. Bemis
:: Personnel Officer (A-1): Major James A. Tatsch
:: Intelligence Officer (A-2): Warrant Officer David G. Garnett
:: Operations Officer (A-3): Lieutenant Colonel Frederick P. Henderson
:: Logistics Officer (A-4): Major Frederick W. Miller
: 1st 155mm Howitzer Battalion
:: Commanding Officer: Colonel James J. Keating
:: Executive Officer: Major George H. Ford
:: Operations Officer (Bn-3): Major Marshall J. Hooper
: 2nd 155mm Howitzer Battalion
:: Commanding Officer: Lieutenant Colonel Marvin H. Floom
:: Executive Officer: Major Gene N. Schraeder
:: Operations Officer (Bn-3): Major Earl J. Fowse
Northern landing area (West of Agana)
<big>3rd Marine Division</big> (20,338 officers and enlisted)<br>
Major General Allen H. Turnage
Asst. Div. Cmdr.: Brigadier General Alfred H. Noble
: Chief of Staff: Colonel Ray A. Robinson
: Personnel Officer (D-1): Lieutenant Colonel Chevey S. White (), Major Irving R. Kriendler
: Intelligence Officer (D-2): Lieutenant Colonel Howard J. Turton (to 28 Jul), Lieutenant Colonel Ellsworth N. Murray
: Operations Officer (D-3): Colonel James A. Stuart (to 28 Jul), Lieutenant Colonel Howard J. Turton
: Logistics Officer (D-4): Lieutenant Colonel Ellsworth N. Murray (to 28 Jul), Colonel William C. Hall
: Left Sector (Red Beaches):
:: 3rd Marine Regiment
:: Colonel William C. Hall (to 28 Jul), Colonel James A. Stuart
:: Exec. Ofc.: Colonel James D. Snedeker
::: 1st Battalion
:::: CO: Major Henry Aplington, II
:::: XO: Major John A. Ptak ()
::: 2nd Battalion
:::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Hector de Zayas (), Major William A. Culpepper
:::: XO: Major William A. Culpepper (to 26 Jul), Major Howard J. Smith
::::: CMoH recipient: PFC Leonard F. Mason ()
::: 3rd Battalion
:::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Ralph L. Houser (WIA 22 Jul), Major Royal R. Bastian
:::: XO: Major Royal R. Bastian (to 23 Jul), Captain William R. Bradley
::::: CMoH recipient: PFC Luther Skaggs Jr.
: Center Sector (Green Beach):
:: 21st Marine Regiment
:: Colonel Arthur H. Butler
:: Exec. Ofc.: Lieutenant Colonel Ernest W. Fry Jr.
::: 1st Battalion
:::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Marlowe C. Williams
:::: XO: Lieutenant Colonel Ronald R. Van Stockum
::: 2nd Battalion
:::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Eustace R. Smoak
:::: XO: Major Lowell E. English
::: 3rd Battalion
:::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Wendell H. Duplantis
:::: XO: Major Edward A. Clark
: Right Sector (Blue Beaches):
:: 9th Marine Regiment
:: Colonel Edward A. Craig
:: Exec. Ofc.: Lieutenant Colonel Jaime Sabater (WIA 21 Jul), Lieutenant Colonel Ralph M. King
::: 1st Battalion
:::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Carey A. Randall
:::: XO: Major Harold C. Boehm
::::: CMoH recipient: PFC Frank P. Witek ()
::: 2nd Battalion
:::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Cushman, Jr.
:::: XO: Major William T. Glass
::::: CMoH recipient: Captain Louis H. Wilson Jr.
::: 3rd Battalion
:::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Walter Asmuth, Jr. (WIA 21 Jul), Major Donald B. Hubbard (WIA 1 Aug), Major Jess P. Ferrill, Jr.
:::: XO: Major Donald B. Hubbard (to 22 Jul), Captain Calvin W. Kunz, Jr.
: Landed after W-Day:
:: 12th Marine Regiment (Artillery)
:: Colonel John B. Wilson
:: Exec. Ofc.: Lieutenant Colonel John S. Letcher
::: 1st Battalion
:::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Raymond F. Crist Jr. (WIA 22 Jul)
:::: XO: Major George B. Thomas
::: 2nd Battalion
:::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Donald M. Weller
:::: XO: Mj. Henry E. W. Barnes
::: 3rd Battalion
:::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Alpha L. Bowser
:::: XO: Major Claude S. Sanders, Jr.
::: 4th Battalion
:::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Bernard H. Kirk (WIA 21 Jul)
:::: XO: Major Thomas R. Belzer
:: 19th Marine Regiment (Engineer)
:: Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Fojt
:: Exec. Ofc.: Lieutenant Colonel Edmund M. Williams
::: 1st Battalion
:::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Walter S. Campbell
:::: XO: Major Virgil M. Davis
::: 2nd Battalion
:::: CO: Major Victor J. Simpson
:::: XO: Major Howard A. Hurst
:: Other units
::: 3rd Medical Battalion (Cmdr. Raymond R. Callaway, USN)
::: 3rd Motor Transport Battalion (Lieutenant Colonel Thomas R. Stokes)
::: 3rd Service Battalion (Lieutenant Colonel Durant S. Buchanan)
::: 3rd Tank Battalion (Lieutenant Colonel Hartnoll J. Withers)
::: 25th Naval Construction Battalion (Lieutenant Cmdr. George J. Whelan, USN)
Southern landing area (South of Orote Peninsula)
Left beaches:
: 77th Infantry ("Statue of Liberty") Division (Army) (17,958 officers and enlisted)
: Major General Andrew D. Bruce, USA
: Asst. Div. Cmdr.: Brigadier General Edwin H. Randle, USA
:: CO, Divisional Artillery: Brigadier General Isaac Spalding, USA
:: Chief of Staff: Colonel Douglas C. McNair (KIA 6 August); Lieutenant Colonel 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)<br>
: Brigadier General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr.
: Chief of Staff: Colonel John T. Walker
:: Personnel Officer (B-1): Major Addison B. Overstreet
:: Intelligence Officer (B-2): Major Robert W. Shaw
:: Operations Officer (B-3): Lieutenant Colonel Thomas A. Culhane, Jr.
:: Logistics Officer (B-4): Lieutenant Colonel August Larson
:: Northern portion (Yellow Beaches):
::: 22nd Marine Regiment
:::: Colonel Merlin F. Schneider
:::: Exec. Ofc.: Lieutenant Colonel William J. Wise
::::: 1st Battalion
:::::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Walfried H. Fromhold (to 31 Jul), Major Crawford B. Lawton
:::::: XO: Major Crawford B. Lawton (to 1 Aug), Major William E. Sperling, III
::::: 2nd Battalion
:::::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Donn C. Hart (to 27 Jul), Major John F. Schoettel (WIA 27 Jul)
:::::: XO: Major Robert P. Felker
::::: 3rd Battalion
:::::: CO: Lieutenant Colonel Clair W. Shisler (WIA 27 Jul)
:::::: XO: Major Earl J. Cook
:: Southern portion (White Beaches):
::: 4th Marine Regiment
:::: Lieutenant Colonel Alan Shapley
:::: Exec. Ofc.: Lieutenant Colonel Samuel D. Puller (KIA 27 Jul), Captain Charles T. Lamb
::::: 1st Battalion
:::::: CO: Major Bernard W. Green
:::::: XO: Major Robert S. Wade (temp. atchd.)
::::: 2nd Battalion
:::::: CO: Major John S. Messer
:::::: XO: Major Roy S. Batterton, Jr. (WIA 21 Jul), Captain Lincoln N. Holdzcom
::::: 3rd Battalion
:::::: CO: Major Hamilton M. Hoyler
:::::: XO: Major Hugh J. Chapman
::::: UDTs 3 and 4
:: Floating reserve:
::: 305th Regimental Combat Team (Army) (detached from 77th Inf. Div.)
:::: Commanding Officer: Colonel V.J. Tanzola, USA
Other units:
: 9th Defense Battalion (Lieutenant Colonel Archie E. O'Neil)
: 14th Defense Battalion (Lieutenant Colonel William F. Parks)
Guam Island command
Major General Henry L. Larsen
: Chief of Staff: Colonel Robert Blake
:: Personnel Officer (A-1): Colonel Lee N. Utz
:: Intelligence Officer (A-2): Colonel Francis H. Brink
:: Operations Officer (A-3): Colonel Benjamin W. Atkinson (to 8 Aug), Lieutenant Colonel Shelton C. Zern
:: Logistics Officer (A-4): Colonel James A. Mixson
:: Plans Officer (A-5): Colonel Charles I. Murray
: 1st Provisional Base Headquarters Battalion
: Lieutenant Colonel Victor A. Barraco
:: Headquarters Company: 1st Lieutenant Emerson S. Clark, Jr.
:: Military Police Company: Captain Paul J. Swartz
: 5th Field Depot
: Lieutenant Colonel Walter A. Churchill
:: Executive Officer: Lieutenant Colonel Patrick J. Haltigan, Jr.
:: Operations Officer: Major John W. Allen
Japanese forces
Overall command<br> Lt. Gen. Takeshi Takashina ()<br>
Thirty-First Army<br>
Lt. Gen. Hideyoshi Obata ()<br>
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 ()
: 319th, 321st, 322nd, 820th Independent Infantry Battalions
Navy Land Units<br>
Navy Air Service
Additional air defense, engineer, signals, etc., support elements
Notes
References
Bibliography