Combat· World War II
Battle of Guam
Guam was American territory before the war, seized by Japan in the opening days of the fighting, so retaking it carried real meaning.
The island offered airfields and a fine deep harbor for the fleet. The 3d Marine Division and the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, with an Army division, made the assault. They landed on the western coast in two zones north and south of Apra Harbor, then fought to link up across five miles of ground. The Marines pushed inland under heavy fire, beat back a series of strong counterattacks, and drove the enemy north through thick jungle and rugged hills. After weeks of hard fighting the island was secured. Guam became a major base for the rest of the Pacific war, and its recapture restored American ground lost early in the conflict.
Podcast episodes on World War II
Record no. 574