CMH Profile picture
May 27, 2023 7 tweets 4 min read Read on X
27 MAY 1944 – BATTLE OF BIAK ISLAND BEGINS #WWII

As GEN Douglas MacArthur’s forces advanced towards the Philippines, they required airstrips which could accommodate heavy bombers. The airfields on Biak Island, at the western end of New Guinea, made the island a prime target. Image
On 27 MAY the 41st ID began its attack when the first wave landed as planned, but strong currents pushed follow-on units west of their designated beaches. The Japanese garrison was surprised and offered little early resistance.
#USArmy #TRADOC #WW2 #WW2History #Armyhistory Image
The heat, thick vegetation, rugged terrain, and Japanese entrenched in caves in a 200-foot-high cliff slowed the U.S. advance, but 162d Infantry Regiment patrols had reached within 200yards of the airfields by the following morning.
#ShermanTank #MilitaryHistory Image
The 162d was repulsed by a strong counterattack, fighting an unseen enemy until ordered to withdraw in late afternoon. Another enemy counterattack supported by light tanks followed the next morning but was quickly broken by the 162d and the U.S.’s superior M4 Sherman tanks.
The enemy regrouped for another attack as the Americans recognized the necessity of clearing the high ground. The 41st ID received reattachment of its 163d RCT and reinforcement with the 34th RCT of the 24th ID by 1 JUN. Image
Meanwhile the 186th Infantry, which occupied the plateau overlooking the landing beaches, pushed westward. As the 162d along the coastal road pinned the Japanese defenders down, the 186th attacked the East Caves from the rear.
Fighting devolved into a bloody struggle for every foot of the island as the Japanese defenders fought to the death, their casualties mounting to more than ten times the American killed in action. Biak Island was completely secured by mid-AUG. Image

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with CMH

CMH Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @USArmyCMH

Feb 17
SOLDIER PROFILE – LIEUTENANT COLONEL CHARITY ADAMS
BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Charity Adams set the blueprint for Black women in the U.S. Army as the commander of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, becoming the highest-ranking Black female soldier in the Army during WWII. Adams
@USArmy @TRADOC @TRADOCCSM @TradocDCG @TradocCG @FortGreggAdams Adams’ service with the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) began in 1942 when the Army commissioned her to serve as a staff training officer, station control officer, and company commander.

#USArmy #TRADOC #WWII #WW2 #WW2History #WWIIHistory #WAC #BlackHistoryMonth
@USArmy @TRADOC @TRADOCCSM @TradocDCG @TradocCG @FortGreggAdams In 1943, she received a promotion to MAJ, making her the highest-ranking woman at the training center. By 1944, she was commanding the 6888th, the first unit of Black WACs to serve abroad. Their mission was to route soldiers’ mail, handling ~65,000 pieces of mail a day. Adams
Read 7 tweets
Feb 11
SOLDIER PROFILE – SERGEANT WILLIAM CARNEY, MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT
BLACK HISTORY MONTH

One of 18 Black Civil War soldiers to earn the Medal of Honor, Sergeant William Carney fought for the cause of liberty as part of the famous 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Inf. Regt.
#USArmy
Carney
Carney
Carney earned his Medal of Honor at the tragic Second Battle of Fort Wagner, when the men of the 54th heroically assaulted Confederate fortifications against overwhelming odds.

#CivilWar #CivilWarHistory #MedalOfHonor #USCT #MOH #BlackHistoryMonth #ArmyHistory #MilitaryHistory
One of the most dangerous battlefield roles during the Civil War was that of color bearer; soldiers carrying the regimental and national flags were easy targets for enemy fire, and the enemy often attempted to capture the colors to reduce unit morale.
#TRADOC @USArmy @TRADOC Carney
Read 7 tweets
Nov 2, 2023
ACTIVE-DUTY DIVISION PROFILES – 1ST ARMORED DIVISION (OLD IRONSIDES)

The 1st Armored Division is the U.S. Army’s oldest tank formation, and throughout its history “Old Ironsides” (an homage to the USS Constitution) has meted out armored hammer-blows against America’s foes. Image
Founded in 1940, the 1st AD was the Army’s answer to the Nazi blitzkrieg juggernaut scything through Europe. After extensive training, the 1st AD saw its first action in North Africa, landing as part of the Operation TORCH invasion on 8 NOV 1942.

#Armyhistory #USArmy #TRADOC
After a hard-fought campaign against Rommel’s vaunted Afrika Korps, Old Ironsides was sent to Italy, landing at Naples on 28 OCT 1943 to reinforce the Allied push up the peninsula, where it fought the Germans until the final surrender of Axis forces in Italy on 2 MAY 1945. Image
Read 6 tweets
Aug 24, 2023
FORT A.P. HILL OFFICIALLY RENAMED FORT WALKER

On 25 AUG 2023, the U.S. Army’s Fort A.P. Hill will be renamed Fort Walker. The post will now honor Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, a Union Army physician and the only woman ever decorated with the Medal of Honor.

#Armyhistory #USArmy
Image
Image
Dr. Walker was a trailblazing figure in American history, becoming a doctor during a time when women were not widely accepted in the physician’s profession and serving her country as the Union Army’s only female surgeon during the Civil War.

#TRADOC #CivilWar #CivilWarHistory
When the Civil War began, Walker offered her services as a surgeon to the Union Army, although they initially rejected her because of her gender and offered her a place as a nurse.

#MedalOfHonor #MOH #MilitaryHistory #FortWalker #DrMaryWalker @USArmy @TRADOC @SecArmy Image
Read 7 tweets
Jul 23, 2023
SOLDIER PROFILE - GEN ULYSSES S. GRANT

General Ulysses S. Grant, the man who would save the Union and become the greatest general of his time, started his ascent to the pinnacle of American greatness from humble beginnings.

#Armyhistory #USArmy #TRADOC #CivilWar Image
Born the son of a tanner, Grant’s military career began at West Point in 1839. When the War with Mexico broke out in 1846, then-Lieutenant Grant earned a reputation as an excellent small-unit commander, earning multiple citations for bravery and merit.
#CivilWarHistory
Grant left the Army in 1854, but when President Lincoln called for men to take up arms to suppress the Confederate rebellion in 1861, he answered the nation’s call and rejoined the force.

#USGrant #MilitaryHistory @USArmy @TRADOC @SecArmy @ArmyChiefStaff Image
Read 8 tweets
Jul 5, 2023
5 JULY 1814 – BATTLE OF CHIPPEWA

One of the few battles of the War of 1812 in which U.S. soldiers engaged British regulars on open ground in traditional early-19th century warfare, at Chippewa the young U.S. Army proved its mettle.

#Armyhistory #USArmy #TRADOC
After an American advance into British-controlled Canada led by MG James Wilkinson was checked just north of the border in MAR 1814, MG Jacob Brown led 3,500 American troops across the Niagara River on 3 JUL to seize Fort Erie.

#WarOf1812 #WarOf1812History #MilitaryHistory
In subsequent troop maneuvers in the Niagara region on 5 JUL, BG Winfield Scott's brigade of 1,300 men (part of Brown's command), was unexpectedly confronted by a large British force while were preparing for drill.

#WinfieldScott #Chippewa @USArmy @TRADOC
Read 7 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us!

:(