The Battle of Wake Island: A Heroic Resistance Against the Japanese Invasion
The Battle of Wake Island was a fierce and bloody fight that took place during the Pacific War of World War II. It lasted from December 8 to December 23, 1941, when a small force of US Marines and civilian contractors defended the island against a much larger and better-equipped Japanese naval and air force. The battle was one of the first American victories of the war, but it also ended in tragedy and surrender.
The Strategic Importance of Wake Island
Wake Island is an atoll consisting of three coral islets (Wilkes, Peale, and Wake) in the central Pacific Ocean. It is located about 2,000 miles west of Hawaii and 600 miles north of the Japanese-held Marshall Islands. In January 1941, the US Navy began to build a military base on the island, including an airfield, a submarine base, and coastal defenses. The base was intended to serve as an advance outpost for reconnaissance, refueling, and raiding operations against the Japanese in the Pacific.
However, by December 1941, the construction work was still incomplete and the island’s garrison was severely understrength. Only 449 US Marines, several dozen navy personnel, and a handful of army radio operators were stationed on Wake. They were supported by more than 1,100 civilian contractors from the Contractors Pacific Naval Air Bases (CPNAB) company. The island’s defenders had six 5-inch coastal artillery pieces, 12 3-inch antiaircraft guns, 12 F4F Wildcat fighter planes, and an assortment of machine guns and small arms. They also had 45 Guamanian men who worked for Pan American Airways as part of its transpacific Clipper service.
The Japanese Attack on Wake Island
On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, bringing the United States into World War II. A few hours later, on December 8 (December 7 in Hawaii), Japan also attacked Wake Island with 36 bombers from the Marshall Islands. The raid destroyed eight of the 12 Wildcat fighters on the ground and killed or wounded 23 Americans. The remaining four Wildcats managed to shoot down two Japanese bombers.
A few days later, on December 11, a Japanese naval task force consisting of two light cruisers, six destroyers, two patrol boats, two troop transports, and two seaplane tenders approached Wake Island with about 2,500 infantrymen. The Japanese expected an easy landing, but they were met with fierce resistance from the island’s coastal guns and aircraft. The Americans sank two destroyers, damaged a cruiser, and repelled the invasion attempt. The Japanese withdrew with heavy losses: 820 killed and 333 wounded.
The American victory was widely celebrated in the United States as a rare glimmer of hope in the dark days after Pearl Harbor. The defenders of Wake Island were hailed as heroes and received numerous awards and decorations. However, their situation was desperate. They had no hope of reinforcement or resupply from Hawaii or elsewhere. They faced constant air attacks from the Japanese bombers based in the Marshall Islands. They had limited ammunition, food, water, and medical supplies. They also had to deal with sabotage attempts by some of the Japanese civilians who worked on the island.
The Fall of Wake Island
On December 23, 1941, the Japanese launched a second invasion attempt with a much larger and stronger force. They had four heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, seven destroyers, two submarine chasers, three troop transports, two seaplane tenders, and six minesweepers. They also had more than 50 bombers and fighters to support their landing. The Americans fought bravely but hopelessly against the overwhelming odds. They inflicted some damage on the Japanese ships and planes but could not stop their advance.
By noon, the Japanese had secured Wilkes and Peale islands and began to bombard Wake island with artillery fire. The American commander, Navy Commander Winfield S. Cunningham, realized that further resistance was futile and ordered his men to surrender. The battle was over after 16 days of fighting.
The Japanese captured 1,616 Americans: 433 Marines (including three women), 68 sailors (including one woman), five soldiers (including one woman), one civilian