"4 May to 8 May 1942: Carrier War: Battle of the Coral Sea" by Scott Lyons

The Battle of the Coral Sea--a turning point for the War in the Pacific? Yes, as Japan lost two key aircraft carriers which would later prove costly at the Battle of Midway in June of 1942. This epic sea battle took place from 4 May to 8 May 1942. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) faced off against the United States and Australian naval and air forces, engaging in a revolutionary shift in tactics. It was the first naval battle in history where opposing fleets never sighted nor fired upon one…

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"9 April 1942: Walk to Live: The Bataan Death March Begins" by Scott Lyons

The Bataan Death March is a tragic event that marked one of the darkest moments of the Second World War. In April 1942, the Imperial Japanese Army ordered nearly 75,000 Filipino and American soldiers, who had surrendered in the battle of Bataan, to march 65 miles through the sweltering heat of the Philippines without food, water, or medical care. The aim of this forced march was to take the prisoners to different prison camps where they would be held captive under brutal and inhumane…

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"30 January 1945: To Freedom: Launching of The Raid at Cabanatuan" by Scott Lyons

The Raid at Cabanatuan, also known as the Great Raid, was one of the most daring and successful rescue missions of World War II. The mission, which took place on 30 January 1945, involved a small force of United States Army Rangers, Alamo Scouts, and Filipino guerrillas who traveled over thirty miles behind Japanese lines to liberate over 500 American and other Allied prisoners of war and civilians from the Cabanatuan prison camp in Nueva Ecija, Philippines.In a daring and heroic mission during…

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"1 April 1945: The Setting Sun at Okinawa: World War II's Last Battle Begins" by Scott Lyons

The Battle of Okinawa took place from 1 April to 22 June 1945 and had a profound impact on the outcome of World War II. The island of Okinawa, situated around 350 miles from Japan's home islands, was a strategic location for the United States and the site of the largest land, air, and sea battle in history, as well as the longest in the Pacific War. The United States' goal was to secure the island, as its airfields and waters were essential staging areas for the planned invasion of Japan, known…

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"9 January 1945: Beginning of the End in the Philippines: The Battle of Luzon Begins" by Scott Lyons

In the early months of 1942, the Japanese Army successfully invaded and conquered all areas of the Philippines. However, the tide of the war shifted when Allied forces launched a daring amphibious operation on the island of Leyte on 20 October 1944. This was a pivotal moment in the ongoing battle for the Philippines, as it marked the beginning of a concerted effort to liberate the country from Japanese occupation. The mission involved significant strategic planning and the coordination of…

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"19 February 1945: Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue and A Marine Corps for the Next 500 Years - The Battle of Iwo Jima Begins" by Scott Lyons

The Battle of Iwo Jima was a pivotal moment in the Pacific War during World War II. The United States military launched Operation Detachment on 19 February 1945, with the objective of capturing the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army. The island had two airfields, South Field and Central Field, that the Americans needed to capture as they would provide important airstrips for their planes. In the following weeks, the battle saw some of the most vicious fighting of the Pacific…

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"31 January to 3 February 1944: Island Hopping; The Marshall Islands Campaign and the Battle of Kwajalein" by Scott Lyons

The Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign marked a significant chapter in the Pacific theatre of World War II, with a series of battles spanning from August 1942 to February 1944. Led by the United States Pacific Fleet and Marine Corps, the primary objective was to establish airfields and naval bases, vital for air and naval support operations across the Central Pacific. Under the code names Operation Galvanic, Kourbash, Flintlock and Catchpole, the campaign involved seizing control of…

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"26 December 1943 -16 January 1944: Green Hell - The Battle of Cape Gloucester" by Scott Lyons

26 December 1943-16 January 1944: Green Hell - The Battle of Cape Gloucester On the second day after D-day, the action report of 27 December read "'Rains continued for the next five days. Water backed up in the swamps in rear of the shoreline, making them impassable for wheeled and tracked vehicles. The many streams which emptied into the sea in the beachhead area became raging torrents. Some even changed course. Troops were soaked to the skin and their clothes never dried out during the entire…

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"20–23 November 1943: Three Days of Hell; The Battle of Tarawa" by Scott Lyons

The Battle of Tarawa, fought on 20-23 November 1943, was another turning point in the Allied campaign against Japan during World War II. Tarawa, an atoll in the Gilbert Islands, was the most fortified island that the Americans attempted to invade during the Pacific Campaign. The Japanese garrison at Betio, the main island of Tarawa, was heavily fortified with concrete bunkers, seawalls, trenches, and an airstrip, supported by a variety of artillery including heavy and light machine guns and…

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"15 September - 27 November 1944: The Battle of Peleliu" by Scott Lyons

The Battle of Peleliu was a pivotal moment in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Codenamed Operation Stalemate II, the battle was fought between the United States and Japan from 15 September to 27 November 1944. The objective was to capture the airfield on the small coral island, which was a part of a larger offensive campaign known as Operation Forager. However, the fierce resistance from the Japanese Army, which had developed new island-defense tactics and well-crafted fortifications, led…

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ARTICLES LIBRARY

4 May to 8 May 1942: Carrier War: Battle of the Coral Sea

9 April 1942: Walk to Live: The Bataan Death March Begins

30 January 1945: To Freedom: Launching of The Raid at Cabanatuan

1 April 1945: The Setting Sun at Okinawa: World War II's Last Battle Begins

9 January 1945: Beginning of the End in the Philippines: The Battle of Luzon Begins

19 February 1945: 'Uncommon valor was a common virtue' The Battle of Iwo Jima Begins

31 January to 3 February 1944: Island Hopping; The Marshall Islands Campaign and the Battle of Kwajalein

26 December 1943 - 16 January 1944: Green Hell: The Battle of Cape Gloucester

20–23 November 1943: Three Days of Hell; The Battle of Tarawa

15 September 1944: The Battle of Peleliu begins

21 July 1944: The Battle Guam begins

7 August 1942: Six Months of "Green Hell": The Battle of Guadalcanal begins

Lee Marvin: U.S. Marine in World War II 

"15 June 1944: D-Day in the Pacific: The Battle of Saipan Begins"

18 April 1945: Correspondent Ernie Pyle killed on Ie Shima, Okinawa

19 February - 26 March 1945: The Battle of Iwo Jima begins 

9 February 1943: After 6 long months, the Guadalcanal campaign finally ends 

Guadacanal - Battle of Alligator Creek - Review of the battle and visit to the battlefield as it looks today, 11 minute video. 

26 December 1943: The Battle of Cape Gloucester begins

7 December 1941: Pearl Harbor attacked; America enters World War II

20-24 November 1943: The Battle of Makin Atoll begins 

15 September-27 November 1944: The Battle of Peleliu; Palau Islands 

12-14 September 1942: The Battle of Edson's Ridge on Guadalcanal

10 August 1944: 13,000 Japanese civilians interned after the Battle of Tinian

30 July 1945: The USS Indianapolis is sunk; Philippine Sea

19-20 June 1944: Battle of the Philippine Sea, 'Great Marianas Turkey Shoot'

21 June 1943: Operation Cartwheel opens with landings by the 4th Marine Raider Battalion

May 1945: Desmond Doss wins the Congressional Medal of Honor

May 1945: 'Typhoon of Steel'; air war over Okinawa continues

18 April 1942: The Doolittle Raid on Tokyo: Avenging Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor: fair to blame?

Key Pacific Campaigns and Battles

Japanese Conquest -1941

  • Attack on Pearl Harbor
  • Battle of Wake Island
  • Battle of the Philippines
  • Bataan Death March begins
  • Doolittle Raid
  • Battle of the Coral Sea
  • Battle of Midway

Southeast Asia Campaign - 1941

  • Burma Campaign 

New Guinea Campaign - 1942

  • Battle of Rabaul
  • Battle of the Coral Sea
  • Battle of Milne Bay
  • Battle of Buna-Gona
  • Battle of Wau
  • Battle of the Bismarck Sea
  • Battle of Lae
  • Attack on Rabaul
  • Battle of Madagascar

Aleutian Islands Campaign - 1942

  • Battle of the Aleutian Islands
  • Battle of Kiska
  • Battle of the Komandorski Islands

Guadalcanal Campaign - 1942

  • Battle of Guadalcanal
  • Battle of Savo Island
  • Battle of the Eastern Solomons
  • Battle of Cape Esperance
  • Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
  • Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
  • Battle of Tassafaronga

Solomon Islands Campaign - 1943

  • Battle of Blackett Strait
  • Battle of Kula Gulf
  • Battle of Vella Gulf
  • Land Battle of Vella Lavella
  • Naval Battle of Vella Lavella
  • Battle of Bougainville
  • Battle of Empress Augusta Bay
  • Battle of Cape St. George

Gilbert and Marshall Islands Campaign - 1943

  • Battle of Tarawa
  • Battle of Makin
  • Battle of Kwajalein
  • Attack on Truk
  • Battle of Eniwetok

Mariana and Palau Islands Campaign - 1944

  • Battle of Saipan
  • Battle of the Philippine Sea
  • Battle of Guam
  • Battle of Tinian
  • Battle of Peleliu
  • Battle of Angaur

Philippines Campaign - 1944

  • Battle of Leyte
  • Battle of Leyte Gulf
  • Battle of Ormoc Bay
  • Battle of Luzon
  • Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
  • Recapture of Bataan
  • Battle of Manila
  • Battle of the Visayas
  • Battle of Mindanao

Volcano and Ryukyu Islands Campaign - 1945

  • Battle of Iwo Jima
  • Battle of Okinawa