**
World War II Pacific naval campaigns -- Carolines Ulithi Atoll
World War II Pacific Naval Campaign: Ulithi Atoll (September 1944)
Figure 1.--The photo shows an American Catholic Navy Chaplain celebrating a religious service on the beach at Ulithi Atoll. The population has been Christianized by the Spanish, but after the Japanese arrived the priests had to leave (1920s). With the arrival of the Ameticans, priests were again present. The photograph was taken in 1945, probably in January. A girl has a rosary in her hands, so we can assume that they are Catholics. This is a photo taken during the Pacific War and depicts an extraordinary situation. In the Carolines and elsewhere in Micronesia the missionaries, both Catholic and Evangelical, had an attitude toward the local customs different from the missionaries elsewhere, so still today, at least on outer islands, it was common that everybody attend the church shirtless. The priest here is probably a Navy Chapalin who seems to be respecting the local customs. Source: US Navy 2-0084.
Ulithi Atoll, also known as the Mackenzie Islands is a coral atoll in the Yap Islands, the western part of the Carolines. There are some 40 islets withn a total land area of 1.75 square miles (4.5 square km). It is located about 190 km east of Yap. The atoll’s inhabitants are probably of mixed Polynesian and Micronesian origins and speak Ulithian, an Austronesian language. It is one of if not the greatest natural harbor in the world. Ulithi appears to have been first sighted by Portuguese navigators (1526). No other record exists until Spanish Jesuit missionaries led by Juan Antonio Cantova landed (1731). Along with rest of the Carolines, the Germans purchased it from the Spanish and Japan seized it during World War I. After the War, the League of Nations awarded a mandate to the Japanese. The Japanese made little use of Ulithi, but did site a seaplane base there. They had a radio and weather station on Ulithi and the Imperial Navy had occasionally used the lagoon as an anchorage. The United States used it very differently. The Pacific Fleet at first avoided landings in The Carolines. What they wanted was the Marianas to the north where air bases could be used to bomb the Japanese Home Islands. Japanese garrisons in the Carolines, like Truk, were neutralized rather than invaded, avoiding costly landings. As the Americans moved west toward the Philippines, it became obvious that a forward supply base was needed. Naval planners began asessing Ulithi. The Japanese who has established garison all over the Central Pacific, somehow failed to perceive the vast strategic importance of Ulithi. The atoll with its magnificent harbor was precisely what the Pacific Fleet needed for its operations in the Western Pacific. The decisive Japanese defeat in the Battle of the Philippines Sea meant that the Pacific Fleet for a time faced no naval opposition (June 1944). The Japanese withdrw to bases west of the Philippines and the Home Islands and began tom plan a naval battle to resist the anticipated American invasion of the Philippines. More surprising, the Japanese did not garrison Ulithi Atoll. A regiment of the U.S. Army's 81st Division landed unopposed (September 23, 1944). The Americans simply walked ashore and took possession of the Atoll--one reason that Ulithi is not well knoiwn. It was a gift of unimaginable value, a strategic prize that would play an important role in the final phase of the Pacific War. Tragically, the Americans and Japanese in the same month would fight an extended pitched battle for Pelilu in the Palaus, an island in the Carolines of virtually no value. A battalion of Seabees followed the 81st Division on Pelilu. While a magificent natural harbor, it was totally undeveloped. The survey ship USS Sumner) assessed the lagoon and concluded it was capable of accomodating an stonishing 700 vessels. This was more than Pearl Harbor and then Majuro after the seizure of the Marshalls could handle. The Pacific Fleet rapidly turned it into a huge supply base for major operations in the last year of the War (the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa). This was done with little publicity, but the Japanese eventually found out what they had conceded to the Americans without a fight. A few Japanese midgit subnarines attacked ships in the harbor, but despite their success had no real impact on the supply operations there. After the War, Ulithi was used as a military radio outpost.
Geography
Ulithi Atoll, also known as the Mackenzie Islands is a coral atoll in the Yap Islands, the western part of the Carolines. There are some 40 islets withn a total land area of 1.75 square miles (4.5 square km). It is located about 190 km east of Yap. It is one of, if not the greatest. natural harbor in the world.
Population
The Atoll's small population are probably of mixed Polynesian and Micronesian origins and speak Ulithian, an Austronesian language.
History
Ulithi appears to have been first sighted by Portuguese navigators (1526). No other record exists until Spanish Jesuit missionaries led by Juan Antonio Cantova landed (1731). Along with rest of the Carolines, the Germans purchased it from the Spanish and Japan seized it during World War I. After the War, the League of Nations awarded a mandate to the Japanese.
Japanese Occuption (1920s-30s)
The Japanese made little use of Ulithi. They made no effort to fortify the islnd and turn it into an importabt military base even after launching the Pacific War. They did site a small seaplane base there. And they established a radio and weather station on Ulithi.
Pacific War: Japanese Use
After launching the Pacific War, the Imperial Navy had occasionally used the lagoon as an anchorage. The Japanese who has established garison all over the Central Pacific, somehow failed to perceive the vast strategic importance of Ulithi. More surprising, the Japanese did not garrison Ulithi Atoll. They garisoned islsands of much less importance, but not Ulithi.
The United States would use used it very differently. The American Pacific Fleet at first avoided landings in The Carolines. What the Americans wanted was the Marianas to the north where air bases could be used to bomb the Japanese Home Islands. Japanese garrisons in the Carolines, like Truk, were neutralized rather than invaded, avoiding costly landings. As the Americans moved west toward the Philippines, it became obvious that a forward supply base was needed. Naval planners began asessing Ulithi. The atoll with its magnificent harbor was precisely what the Pacific Fleet needed for its operations in the Western Pacific.
The Battle of the Philkippines Sea would be the greatest carrier battle of history. The Japanese had carriers and aircraft, what they did not have was the higly bproifecient avaitors with which they lazunched the Pacific War. The result was a deciusive defeat--the Great Marianas Turkey shoot. Adm Ozaea was cautious with his carriers abns as aesult twowere dsunk by Americzn submzrines rather tghan sircraft. But the loss of plsneds and air crews were catastrophic. After losing aircrft and carriers, the Japanese withdrw their fleet to bases west of the Philippines and to the Home Islands and began to plan a climtic naval battle to resist the anticipated American invasion of the Philippines. The costy Japanese defeat in the Battle of the Philippines Sea meant that the Pacific Fleet for a time faced no naval opposition (June 1944).
A regiment of the U.S. Army's 81st Division landed on Ulithi unopposed (September 23, 1944). The Americans simply walked ashore and took possession of the Atoll--one reason that Ulithi is not well known. It was a gift of unimaginable value, a strategic prize that would play an important role in the final phase of the Pacific War. Tragically, the Americans and Japanese in the same month would fight an extended pitched battle for Pelilu in the Palaus, an island in the Carolines of virtually no value. A battalion of Seabees followed the 81st Division on Ulithi. The survey ship USS Sumner) assessed the lagoon and concluded it was capable of accomodating an stonishing 700 vessels. This was more than Pearl Harbor and then Majuro after the seizure of the Marshalls could handle. While a magificent natural harbor, it was totally undeveloped without snny important infrstructure. The Seebees woukd have to begin from scratch. The Pacific Fleet rapidly turned Ulithi into a huge, well equipped supply base. Ulithi did not play role in the climatic Battle of Leyte Gulf (October 1944), but it was vital for the major operations in the last year of the War (Luzon, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa). This was done with little publicity. Even duriungthe War, few Americans heard of Ulithi. The Japanese eventually realized what they had conceded to the Americans without a fight. But ghey no longer had surface xshios or aircraft to attack Ulithi and the ships znbchored there. A few Japanese midgit subnarines attacked ships in the harbor, but despite a few successes had no real impact on the supply operations there. After the War, Ulithi was used as a military radio outpost.
