NAME: Gordon Lee Mallonee
DATE SHIPPED OUT: August 17, 1944
CAMPAIGN: South Pacific
Editor’s note: While aboard USS Leon, Lieutenant Gordon Lee Mallonee wrote to his mother and father about his first major engagement: Operation Stalemate II, the U.S. invasion of the Palau Islands.
September 18, 1944
I left San Francisco, California, on August 17, 1944, on the USS General Hugh L. Scott, an Army transport. I arrived at Es pirito Santo [Island], New Hebrides, 14 days later. Here I was put ashore and placed in a transient officer status awaiting transportation to Guadalcanal where I was to pick up my ship, the USS Leon. Three pleasant days were spent in the company of my brother at Espirito and on the afternoon of the day of embarkation I went aboard the USS Sarik, a cargo vessel which also hauls troops and casual officers. After three hot days and nights at sea, I was put ashore at Guadalcanal, leaving all my friends who had come from the States with me, and going out on my own boat at last. The USS Leon was anchored amidst lots of shipping in the anchorage. I sent a message requesting a boat for transportation for my gear and me to the ship. Realizing it would be a couple of hours, I corralled myself a jeep and a Marine guide in order that I might see the points of interest. The original beachhead is the main point of debarkation and extends from the north of the Tenaru River to Lunga Point. It is easy to see what a problem it was for any landing party.The palms had grown back and nature has done a marvelous job of healing herself from the wounds and disfigurations caused by man. I wandered around for some time and saw wrecked Jap pillboxes which were of construction that bode evil tidings of great resistance. It is quite a supply depot now and thatch warehouses, which would make any fire marshal in the states throw up his hands, seem to protect supplies from the awful rain successfully. The majority of the islands around here are of coral base, but not so Guadalcanal. It is MUD. It so happened that it was raining the day I went ashore, so I can vouch for the authenticity of any statements concerning mud that is so thick it pulls high-top shoes off. Finally, my boat came alongside the pier, and I embarked for the mighty Leon. Upon going aboard a strange vessel, [with] no one I know for miles around and no seaworthy accomplishments in my repertoire, I was quite apprehensive.
…We sailed that very night. Had I missed the ship, I would probably have cooled my heels in the muddy ramparts of Guadalcanal for a month or two. Our destination was unknown and highly secretive. The ship had just returned from the Saipan invasion, so conversation was not wanting and speculation ran rampant. After about 10 days at sea, the news we were waiting for broke. Lots of troops were aboard, and they too were anxiously awaiting the word. It was to be Peleliu and Angaur of the Palau Islands.
Charts, maps, topographic information, lectures, photographs, geographic studies, folklore, Jap tendencies, etc. were the order of the day. Our task group was composed of about 16 attack transports and a screen of 14 destroyers, PGs, AK and an AT [patrol gunboats, attack transports, troop transports]. It was to be our job to act as reserve on the Angaur attack, landing the Army as needed, and at Peleliu we were to stand by in a pure reserve status. Lots of discussions were held daily and each officer and man soon knew what job was cut out for each group. “ D” day for Peleliu was set on the 15th of September, with the Angaur attack to take place on the 16th. The morning of the 15th dawned. All ships go to General Quarters at sunrise and sunset to prevent the possibility of being caught unawares at attacks, which are ever imminent at this time since visibility is poor, but all ships make perfect targets silhouetted against the horizon. We had been having reveille at 0400, but this morning, all hands were up early waiting for the bombardment to begin. Unfortunately our task group’s job was to steam up and down the entire length of the island in a north and south direction. This would definitely keep the Japs from concentrating their strength on the other side, where the invasion was to take place, because of the ever imminent possibility of our coming in at any part of the beach. We heard the gunfire and listened to the broadcast of the invasion, the shore bombardment, the infiltration of troops, just like a Rose Bowl game. Our part in this invasion was small. They met stiff opposition once ashore due to the terrain, the stupid resistance of those tiny yellow bastards, and because opposition was organized. At this writing, the island is still being bombarded, the troops are advancing slowly, killing as they go, and we have one of two important airfields which are located on the island. Remember, these islands are only 540 miles from the Philippines.
Since resistance was so great on Peleliu, the Angaur attack was not forthcoming on the day of the 16th. The troops were disappointed. Six months aboard a vessel is too much for some men, and they wanted land even if they had to fight for it. The commanding officer announced the evening of the 15th that the attack on Angaur was scheduled to take place at 0830 the following day. This was greeted with cheers.
Out of a clear blue sky, he told me that I would stand the JOOD [junior officer of the deck] on the morning of “ D” day from 4 to 8.1 had only stood five watches under instruction. Apprehension is an understatement. Bright and early at three in the morning I came on the deck to assume my duties. Star shells were being lobbed in with amazing accuracy, and the entire island was illuminated like the fairgrounds during state fair week. Our convoy steamed along in the quiet of the night, with silent prayers on the lips of all to avoid submarines and torpedo bombers. We did. At 0500 we hove into sight of land and proceeded to the transport anchorage assigned us and lay to in the water. Then the show began. As dawn broke, firing from big guns commenced. As far as the eye could see, there were ships of the greatest Navy in the world. Battleships, cruisers, carriers, transports, cargo ships, landing craft, destroyers, patrol craft, subchasers and one of every class that floats. The battleships began the shore bombardment, augmented by the cruisers. The tracer fire lobbed into the beach consistently, and flashes of flame and flying debris were visible. Our attack was to take place on two designated beaches, which were heavily defended by pillboxes, mines, barbed wire, underwater obstructions, machine gun nests, etc. The ships concentrated their fire on these areas. You could see a pillbox go up, wire torn up, nests disintegrate and towers fall.
The accuracy was unbelievable. There was a lighthouse on a hill impending the beach to be landed on, and the fact that mortars were installed was well known. The cruisers turned their guns on this area for a few minutes, and the lighthouse, hill and all were blasted into nothingness. Only a shattered framework remained. This bombardment lasted for a couple of hours and then the landing took place. All around the transports, landing craft were circling, loaded to the gunwales with troops, eager to set foot on land. There were artillery units galore and infantrymen equipped with gear to establish themselves firmly on the island. The beach on which the landing of men from our ship was to be made was designated as beach Blue. It was only a couple of hundred yards wide and rocky cliffs projected from either flank. Jap machine gunners were still there even after that terrifying bombardment. The main force of landing troops were to go in on the north side of the island, which was only 5 miles from Peleliu, still being bitterly contested. Shelling from the south end of Peleliu to the north end of Angaur was not impossible. The landing crafts cleared the control vessel and proceeded in several waves. We were about 2,500-3,000 yards from the beach, and with glasses it was possible to see the men as they landed on the shoreline. Mortar fire was not visible. Indeed, the men were even standing up as they infiltrated into the jungle. When I say jungle, I mean just that. There were no roads. Soon dumps for supplies were set up on the beach and after the men came the jeeps, ammunition, fuel, food, hospital equipment, etc. Then all hell broke loose. Fire opened up from the rocky caves on either flank. Loud explosions emanated from the jungle as the forces penetrated inland. Heavy artillery fire was the order of the day. The explosions were frequent and powerful. As the front line advanced, red smoke bombs were set off to indicate friendly troops to the planes. Overhead TBFs, F4Fs circled, and higher still, lowly Kingfishers [Vought OS2Us] spotted naval gunfire. The troops advanced about 100 yards in the first two hours. This was in itself cheerful news. At Saipan it took them a couple of days to get off the beach.
Suddenly my glasses fell upon an incident, which to me exemplifies two things: the courage and perseverance of our American soldiers and the dogged stupid resistance of the Japs. The rocky area to the left flank of the beach had to be cleaned out. A patrol advanced to this spot and walking up in the face of gunfire, they turned a flamethrower on the damned thing and just walked around it slowly and methodically, giving it a squirt or two as they perceived apertures. These machines are deadly, and human beings disappear like moths in the flame. This didn’t satisfy the boys, so they proceeded to throw satchel bombs in the cave and terrible explosions shook the earth. Then they put phosphorus, antipersonnel bombs in, then the flamethrowers again. Then— minutes later, Japs [again] fired on our landing craft from within. An LCI [landing craft, infantry] saw it and ran within point-blank range and poured 40mm shells in it for minutes.Japs still continued to fire from it. The planes were called in. They dived at tremendous speeds and rocked the area with bombs and rockets, strafing as they dived. During the counterattack in the night, Japs got back in and had to be driven out again today. It seems that they have a tunnel system, leading far back into the earth, and they fire— retreat into the inner chambers— wait until the attack is over and then fire again. Today, I think it is cleaned out completely.
Over on the southeast side of the island is Saipan Town. Here is a rich phosphate mine and Jap installation of great worth. The planes went to work on it, and here words fail me. It was the greatest show believable.
In came the fighters at breakneck speed. Ratt-tat-tat the fire of their machine guns— then the bombers with heavy demolition bombs, incendiary bombs [and] flame projectiles— then the rockets, which could be followed in flight thru the air and which hurled debris over the tops of the trees.
It was amazing. On and on it went. Down they would come, back to load up and in again. Saipan Town must be a shambles. Night was coming on, so we had to get underway to prevent night bombing. I was given the JOOD watch from midnight to 0400. Star shells illuminated the island all the night. We felt that nothing could withstand the shellacking given that island all that day, and with hearts fall of eager anticipation for a quick victory, we went to sea.
Back in again this morning. We learned that counterattacks had taken place at midnight and at dawn.I can say nothing about casualties. I can say that the Japs were back in the rocky area I was just talking about. It was unbelievable. Before we got underway, a few sporadic bursts of shells had fallen around us, but no concentrated fire was apparent. Then we come in this morning and find the troops had a hard night of it. Peleliu was still raging too.
Your wonder at why I can write this on the day of fighting is understandable. After troops are unloaded, the transports lay around all day unloading jeeps, trucks, ammunition, food, medical supplies, etc. Since I am not assigned to this department, my work is nil— and standing the midwatch entitles me sleep which I am not going to get, so I can give you the dope. I hope you will forgive the rotten typing and poor phraseology, but so much to see and so hard to say.
Supplies are going ashore in a steady stream. Planes are still bombing certain areas, and artillery fire is ever present. We have just received the good word that Peleliu airfield is ours, and our first plane has landed. That means that U.S. planes are 514 miles from the Philippines. Watch out now. Methinks all hell will be popping soon, and this will be like a kids pennyshow to what is coming. Your guess is as good as mine, but isn’t it logical? If we have to take all the islands in the Pacific, and the Japs fight for them like they are fighting for these two pinpoints, I won’t be home for 50 years, but in the face of such an aggregation of power, I just don’t see how it can happen.
We are still unloading and will have to get underway tonight too. I have the midwatch again, must study a while and get some sleep so I won’t be out on my feet and will try to sit again at this infernal machine tomorrow to give you the news of the day.
I might add that so far, in spite of various extenuating circumstances, it is evident that the attack plan was well laid, well learned and well executed. My hat is off to the brainy boys in the brass hat division. It seems to have accomplished a maximum of worth with a minimum of casualties. If all commanding officers are as conscientious, as hard workers, as bright and as earnest to do their part as the captain of the Leon, no well-laid plans can fail, and a quicker end is in sight.
Tonight we speculate as to the ferocity of the counterattacks, which are inevitable. We hope they will be slight.
After an uneventful night of steady cruising, we came into the transport area bright and early this morning. Planes are still making attacks on the southern end of Angaur, and it is anticipated that organized resistance will cease soon. Counterattacks last night were disorganized, and too much damage wasn’t done.
Today is a day of landing supplies. Boats are going in in endless streams, and the supply dumps on the beach are ever swelling with welcome equipment. It is quite a job to unload those ships as the cargo is heavy, cumbersome and easily damaged. The utmost care must be exercised. This job requires officers with experience in handling this type gear, and we are very fortunate in having well-qualified officers aboard. The Leon will not be the last to be unloaded.
The situation is well in hand, apparently, and judging from the slacking of artillery fire, the Japs are driven back into the hills where they will either be left to starve, or rooted out and captured or killed. Now we will take aboard the wounded and return them to some hospital station, ship or back area.
This is a brief description of my first major engagement. It is poorly written, but words are futile and things happen so fast that one cannot remember all the scenes he saw. The tales of the returning officers are the best, but that cannot be written nor retold now. They are quite bizarre and American humor persists through all this hell.
I am submitting this to the ship’s censor and anything marked out or completely obliterated is something I should not have said. I hope it will not be too hashed up by the time you get it.
Another group of islands— nearer yet nearer to the “ finis”— and where from here for another job— no one knows— “C’est la guerre.”
Originally published in the September 2004 issue of World War II. To subscribe, click here.
