Operation Squarepeg

The Allied Invasion of the Green Islands, February 1944

Reg Newell (Autor)

Buch | Softcover

221 Seiten

2017
McFarland & Co Inc (Verlag)
978-0-7864-7838-5 (ISBN)

Artikel merken

In late January 1944 a force of New Zealand soldiers and Allied specialists undertook a daring, behind the lines reconnaissance of the Japanese-held Green Islands of Papua New Guinea. A memorable but overlooked action of the Pacific War, “Operation Squarepeg” involved a diverse force of Allied sailors, soldiers and airmen that included Charles Lindbergh and future US president Richard Nixon.

In late January 1944 a force of New Zealand soldiers and Allied specialists undertook a daring behind the lines reconnaissance of the Japanese-held Green Islands of Papua New Guinea. The New Zealand Army's largest amphibious operation of World War II followed two weeks later. The Japanese contested the invasion with air power and inflicted heavy damage on the American cruiser USS St. Louis. After landing, the New Zealanders pushed inland and encountered fanatical Japanese defenders entrenched in thick jungle.

Allied engineers--including the famed Seabees--then built airfields, roads and shipping facilities. The seizure of the Green Islands completed the encirclement of the main Japanese base in the South Pacific at Rabaul. A memorable but overlooked action of the Pacific War, "Operation Squarepeg" involved a diverse force of Allied sailors, soldiers and airmen that included Charles Lindbergh and future U.S. president Richard Nixon.

Reg Newell has a doctoral degree from Massey University, Palmerston North (with a dissertation on New Zealand’s Third Division in the Pacific) and continues researching the Pacific War. He lives in Upper Hutt, New Zealand.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

One. The Strategic Landscape, January 1944

Two. The Opposing Forces

Three. The “Commando Raid”—A Reconnaissance in Force

Four. Planning an Amphibious Invasion

Five. Bloody St. Valentine’s Day—The Ordeal of USS St. Louis

Six. Invasion

Seven. The Push Inland

Eight. Japanese Resistance

Nine. Tank and Infantry Action at Tanaheran

Ten. Aftermath and Consolidation

Eleven. Significance and Legacy

Chronology

Glossary

Appendices

I:New Zealand Order of Battle for the “Commando Raid,”

30 January 1944

II:New Zealand Order of Battle, Operation Squarepeg,

15 February 1944

III:New Zealand and American Units Involved in Operation

Squarepeg, 15 February 1944

IV:U.S. Naval Forces Involved with Operation Squarepeg,

15 February 1944

V:U.S. Navy Task Organization for Squarepeg

VI:Specifications of the Valentine Tanks of 3NZ Division Tank Squadron

VII:Echelons to the Green Islands

Chapter Notes

Bibliography

Index

Erscheinungsdatum	10.08.2017
Zusatzinfo	59 photos, maps, chronology, glossary, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Verlagsort	Jefferson, NC
Sprache	englisch
Maße	152 x 229 mm
Gewicht	290 g
Themenwelt	Geschichte ► Allgemeine Geschichte ► 1918 bis 1945
	Geisteswissenschaften ► Geschichte ► Regional- / Ländergeschichte
	Geschichte ► Teilgebiete der Geschichte ► Militärgeschichte
	Sozialwissenschaften ► Politik / Verwaltung
ISBN-10	0-7864-7838-1 / 0786478381
ISBN-13	978-0-7864-7838-5 / 9780786478385
Zustand	Neuware