Wake Island, capture of

Wake Island, capture of. Within hours of attacking Pearl Harbor at the start of the Pacific war, the Japanese started to bomb Wake, the most westerly US Pacific base, from air bases in the Marshall Islands. It was defended by marine-manned shore batteries and a Marine Fighter Squadron which between them, on 12 December 1941, drove off Rear-Admiral Kajioka Sadamichi's invasion force and escort, sinking two destroyers and damaging a transport.

Rear-Admiral Kimmel, C-in-C of the US Pacific Fleet, wanted to reinforce the island and trap any renewed attempt with his naval forces, but he was superseded on 17 December and his plan was not implemented with any resolution by his temporary replacement, Vice-Admiral William Pye, or by Rear-Admiral Fletcher commanding the task force sent to relieve the island. So when Kajioka attacked again on 23 December, this time reinforced by two carriers returning from the Pearl Harbor raid, he overwhelmed the defence and occupied the island. But he did so only after the garrison had accounted for four more Japanese warships, twenty-one aircraft, and nearly a thousand Japanese troops. Wake remained in Japanese hands for the rest of the war, having been bypassed when the Americans began their Central Pacific advance.

Bibliography

Heinl, R. , The Defense of Wake (Washington, DC, 1945).