Thursday, October 7, 2010

Peleliu

Here are a handful of photos taken by Norm Hatch on Peleliu. The battle of Peleliu was fought from September 15 to November 27, 1944. They are part of the museum’s collection.



Members of the 81 Army Infantry Division (Wildcats) marching along a pontoon causeway toward the beach on Peleliu.



A handler of the Marine War Dog contingent participating in the Peleliu action reads a note just delivered by his canine messenger.



A damaged amphibious tractor is hauled aboard an LST, which served as a repair shop for vehicles disabled in the fight to establish the Marine beachhead on the island of Peleliu.



Battle-weary Marines in full fighting regalia raise a cloud of dust as they plod along a Peleliu road en route to the front lines where the Japanese had been driven into a pocket.



Empty shell cases and powder cartons are heaped up near a Marine 75mm gun emplacement on Peleliu; evidence of the pounding dealt the enemy in this sector.


Appearing like a 4th of July rocket, a phosphorous grenade explodes a Japanese dugout on the southern Peleliu peninsula. The Japanese occupying the position refused to surrender and were killed when Marines tossed this grenade into their nest.



A Marine-piloted Corsair fighter plane drops a fire bomb on Japanese positions in the hills of Peleliu. The smoke on the target is the result of a bullseye by a previous plane attack.