Battle of Eniwetok

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Battle of Eniwetok
Part of the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign of the Pacific Theater (World War II)
Landing craft heading for Eniwetok Island on 19 February 1944.
Date 17 – 23 February 1944 Location Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands 11°27′54″N 162°11′20″E / 11.465°N 162.189°E / 11.465; 162.189 Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	Japan
Commanders and leaders
Harry W. Hill John T. Walker Thomas E. Watson	Yoshimi Nishida †
Strength
2 regiments 22nd Marine Regiment 106th Infantry Regiment	3,500[1]: 32  9 light tanks 3 anti-tank guns 3 naval guns 4 mountain guns
Casualties and losses
313 killed 77 missing 879 wounded[1]: 88	3,380 killed 144 captured[1]: 88  1 naval gun destroyed
class=notpageimage| Location within Marshall Islands Show map of Marshall Islands Battle of Eniwetok (Pacific Ocean) Show map of Pacific Ocean

The Battle of Eniwetok was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought from 17 to 23 February 1944 on Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The invasion of Eniwetok followed the American success in the Battle of Kwajalein to the southeast. Capture of Eniwetok would provide an airfield and harbor to support attacks on the Mariana Islands to the northwest. The operation was officially known as "Operation Catchpole" and was a three-phase operation involving the invasion of the three main islands in the Enewetak Atoll.

Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance preceded the invasion with Operation Hailstone, a carrier strike against the Japanese base at Truk in the Caroline Islands.^[1]: 67 This raid destroyed 39 warships and more than 200 planes.^[1]: 67