Editing Wake Island (section)

====Battle of Wake Island====
{{Main|Battle of Wake Island}}
[[File:Wake Island surface action 11 December 1941.PNG|thumb|Diagram of the December 11 battle at Wake]]
[[File:BGen Bayler - 19420103 - Chevron.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|A [[Clipping (publications)|clipping]] of an American newspaper article on Bayler]]On December 8, 1941 (December 7 in Hawaii, the day of the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]]), at least 27 Japanese [[Mitsubishi G3M]] "Nell" medium bombers flown from bases on [[Kwajalein]] in the [[Marshall Islands]] attacked Wake Island, destroying eight of the 12 [[Grumman F4F Wildcat]] fighter aircraft belonging to [[VMFA-211|USMC Fighter Squadron 211]] on the ground. The Marine garrison's defensive emplacements were left intact by the raid, which primarily targeted the aircraft.<ref name="UrwinEncyclBrit">{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Wake-Island|author=Urwin, Gregory|title=Battle of Wake Island|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=October 23, 2016|archive-date=December 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206145854/https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Wake-Island|url-status=live}}</ref> On December 9 and 10, there were more air attacks, and two Japanese bombers were shot down. However, the bombing of Wilkes Island detonated an ammunition dump; the Wake hospital was destroyed, and many other buildings were damaged. Meanwhile, the Japanese naval landing force was on its way from [[Roi-Namur|Roi]] in the Japanese-held Marshall Islands and would arrive at Wake on December 11, 1941.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Gallant Defense: The Battle of Wake Island |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/battle-of-wake-island-2361443 |access-date=November 2, 2023 |website=ThoughtCo |language=en |archive-date=November 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102171224/https://www.thoughtco.com/battle-of-wake-island-2361443 |url-status=live }}</ref> On the night of December 10, the US submarine [[USS Triton (SS-201)|USS ''Triton'']] engaged an enemy destroyer near Wake while on patrol; it fired torpedoes, but in the battle neither vessel was sunk. This is noted as the first time a U.S. submarine launched its torpedoes in the Pacific war.<ref name="Triton III SS-201">{{Cite web |title=Triton III (SS-201) |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/t/triton-iii.html |access-date=November 3, 2023 |website=NHHC |language=en-US |archive-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223191425/https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/t/triton-iii.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Japanese are known to have lost one of the submarines they sent as part of the operation. Still, it was because two of their submarines accidentally collided with one another on December 17, sinking one. Japanese submarine ''[[Japanese submarine Ro-66|Ro-66]]'' was on the surface {{convert|25|nmi}} southwest of Wake Island – bearing 252 degrees from the atoll – to recharge her [[Electric battery|batteries]] in a heavy [[squall]] in the predawn darkness of December 17, 1941, when her lookouts suddenly sighted ''Ro-62'', also on the surface and recharging batteries.<ref name="ijnsubsiteRo66">{{cite web |url=http://www.ijnsubsite.info/RO-Sub%20Details/RO-66.htm |title=RO-66 |work=iijnsubsite.info |year=2016 |access-date=October 21, 2020 |archive-date=June 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240604180649/http://www.ijnsubsite.info/RO-Sub%20Details/RO-66.htm |url-status=usurped }}</ref><ref name="combinedfleetRo66">{{cite web |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/RO-66.htm |title=Sensuikan: IJN Submarine RO-66: Tabular Record of Movement |first1=Bob |last1=Hackett |first2=Sander |last2=Kingsepp |work=combinedfleet.com |year=2017 |access-date=October 21, 2020 |archive-date=February 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218184712/http://www.combinedfleet.com/RO-66.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="combinedfleetRo62" /> Both submarines attempted to back off, but it was too late to avoid a collision, and ''Ro-62'' rammed ''Ro-66'' at 20:20 [[Japan Standard Time]].<ref name="combinedfleetRo66" /><ref name="combinedfleetRo62" /> ''Ro-66'' sank at {{coord|19|10|N|166|28|E|name=''Ro-66''}}<ref name="ijnsubsiteRo66" /> with the loss of 63 lives, including that of the commander of Submarine Division 27.<ref name="ijnsubsiteRo66" /><ref name="combinedfleetRo66" /><ref name="combinedfleetRo62" /> ''Ro-62'' rescued her three survivors, who had been thrown overboard from her [[Bridge (nautical)|bridge]] by the collision.<ref name="ijnsubsiteRo66" /><ref name="combinedfleetRo66" /><ref name="combinedfleetRo62">{{cite web |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/RO-62.htm |title=Sensuikan: IJN Submarine RO-62: Tabular Record of Movement |first1=Bob |last1=Hackett |first2=Sander |last2=Kingsepp |work=combinedfleet.com |year=2017 |access-date=October 17, 2020 |archive-date=May 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506041615/http://www.combinedfleet.com/RO-62.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

The American garrison, supplemented by civilian construction workers employed by [[Morrison-Knudsen]] Corp., repelled several Japanese landing attempts.<ref>Arthur Herman. ''Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II,'' pp. 170–174, Random House, New York, 2012. {{ISBN|978-1-4000-6964-4}}.</ref> An American journalist reported that after the initial Japanese amphibious assault was beaten back with heavy losses on December 11, the American commander was asked by his superiors if he needed anything. Popular legend has it that Major James Devereux sent back the message, "Send us more Japs!" – a reply that became famous.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marines/a/legends.htm |title=Legends |publisher=Usmilitary.about.com |date=December 7, 1941 |access-date=December 10, 2011 |archive-date=January 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112122355/http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marines/a/legends.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Joyous Finale |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,854451,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080105131004/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,854451,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 5, 2008 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=September 17, 1945 |access-date=April 8, 2007}}{{subscription required}}</ref> After the war, when Major Devereux learned that he had been credited with sending such a message, he pointed out that he had not been the commander on Wake Island and denied sending it. "As far as I know, it wasn't sent at all. None of us was that much of a damn fool. We already had more Japs than we could handle."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Boller |first1=Paul F. Jr. |last2=George |first2=John |title=They Never Said It: A Book of Fake Quotes, Misquotes, and Misleading Attributions |year=1989 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=New York |isbn=0-19-505541-1 |page=[https://archive.org/details/theyneversaiditb00boll/page/20 20] |url=https://archive.org/details/theyneversaiditb00boll/page/20 }}</ref>
In reality, Commander [[Winfield S. Cunningham]], USN, was in charge of Wake Island, not Devereux.<ref name="NYTIMES3">{{cite news|title=Adm. Winfield CunninGuam; Commanded at Wake island|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/03/06/obituaries/adm-winfield-cunningham-commanded-at-wake-island.html|website=The New York Times|date=March 6, 1986|access-date=January 11, 2017|archive-date=January 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113162149/http://www.nytimes.com/1986/03/06/obituaries/adm-winfield-cunningham-commanded-at-wake-island.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Cunningham ordered that coded messages be sent during operations. A junior officer had added "send us" and "more Japs" to the beginning and end of a message to confuse Japanese [[Cryptanalysis|code breaker]]s. This was put together at Pearl Harbor and passed on as part of the message.<ref name="Sbrega2015">{{cite book|author=John J. Sbrega|title=The War Against Japan, 1941–1945: An Annotated Bibliography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vUTeCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT424|year=2015|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-317-43178-7|pages=424–|access-date=January 11, 2017|archive-date=February 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203022527/https://books.google.com/books?id=vUTeCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT424|url-status=live}}</ref>

On December 12, in the early morning, a four-engined flying boat bombed Wake, but a Wildcat fighter aircraft was able to intercept and shoot it down. Later in the day, they were bombed again by 26 [[Mitsubishi G3M|Nell aircraft]] (G3M twin-engine bombers), one of which was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. An F4F Wildcat on patrol late in the day sank a Japanese submarine that was near Wake. The next air raid was on December 14, which included a bombing raid by several 4-engined flying boats, and later in the day, 30 Nells (G3M) struck the atoll, destroying a Wildcat that was under repair. The island was bombed again on December 15, killing one civilian worker. Wake was bombed again on December 16 by 33 Nells (G3M), and again on the 19th, though in that attack one was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and several more damaged.<ref name="www.nps.gov" /> Before and at the start of hostilities, the waters around Wake were patrolled by two USN submarines, the [[USS Triton (SS-201)|USS Triton]] and the [[USS Tambor]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Magnificent Fight: Marines in the Battle for Wake Island (Humbled by Sizeable Casualties) |url=https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extcontent/usmc/pcn-190-003119-00/sec2.htm |access-date=November 3, 2023 |website=nps.gov |archive-date=November 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103005023/https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extcontent/usmc/pcn-190-003119-00/sec2.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Before the start of the war one of the USS Triton crew members became sick and was dropped off at Wake Island on December 1, 1941. He became a prisoner of war and survived WWII.<ref>{{Cite web |title=On Eternal Patrol – USS Triton (SS-201) |url=https://www.oneternalpatrol.com/uss-triton-201.htm |access-date=November 3, 2023 |website=oneternalpatrol.com |archive-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608024922/https://oneternalpatrol.com/uss-triton-201.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The Triton was radioed about the start of the war when it surfaced to recharge its batteries and was warned to stay away from the atoll, lest Wake's gunners target it. On December 10, the USS Triton had one engagement with a Japanese destroyer and fired the first US torpedoes of the Pacific War, though it did not sink. It escaped unscathed and went on to serve in the Pacific theater (it was later sunk in 1943).<ref name="Triton III SS-201" /> The submarine USS Tambor had to return to its home port in Hawaii in mid-December due to mechanical difficulties and had no engagements.<ref name="www.nps.gov" />

A [[Consolidated PBY Catalina|PBY Catalina]] flying boat arrived with mail delivery on December 20, 1941. When it left, one marine was sent away on orders because he was required on Midway, thus [[Walter L. J. Bayler|Lt. Colonel Bayler]] became the last person to leave Wake Island before its loss.<ref>{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|165422622}} |last1=Conville |first1=Martin |title=Full Story of Desperate Wake Island Battle Told |work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 23, 1943 |page=C5 }}</ref> On December 21, 49 aircraft attacked Wake, striking from a Japanese carrier group.<ref name="Lundstrom-2005">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oYE4AAAAQBAJ&pg=PT59|title=The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway|first=John B.|last=Lundstrom|date=July 1, 2005|publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=9781612511665|via=Google Books|access-date=October 6, 2023|archive-date=June 4, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240604181226/https://books.google.com/books?id=oYE4AAAAQBAJ&pg=PT59#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> During this time, there was a US Naval force on the way that was going to resupply Wake on December 24, but it did not work as planned as the Japanese 2nd wave took the island on December 23 before this could take place.<ref name="Lundstrom-2005" /> American and Japanese dead from the fighting between December 8 and 23 were buried on the island.<ref name="Stars and Stripes">{{Cite web |title=Search for closure, accurate account of Wake Island massacre continues |url=https://www.stripes.com/news/search-for-closure-accurate-account-of-wake-island-massacre-continues-1.166538 |access-date=November 2, 2023 |website=Stars and Stripes |language=en |archive-date=October 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013123414/https://www.stripes.com/news/search-for-closure-accurate-account-of-wake-island-massacre-continues-1.166538 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The U.S. Navy attempted to provide support from Hawaii but suffered great losses at Pearl Harbor. The relief fleet they managed to organize was delayed by bad weather. The isolated U.S. garrison was overwhelmed by a reinforced and greatly superior Japanese invasion force on December 23.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Mike |last1=Yaklitch   |first2=Allan |last2=Alsleben |first3=Akira |last3=Takizawa |url=https://warfare.gq/dutcheastindies/SNLF.html |title=Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces |date=1999–2000 |work=Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942 |access-date=March 30, 2021 |archive-date=April 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416140629/http://warfare.gq/dutcheastindies/SNLF.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> American casualties numbered 52 military personnel (Navy and Marine) and approximately 70 civilians killed. Japanese losses exceeded 700 dead, with some estimates ranging as high as 1,000. Wake's defenders sank two Japanese fast transports (''P32'' and ''P33'') and one submarine and shot down 24 Japanese aircraft. The US relief fleet, en route, on hearing of the island's loss, turned back.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extcontent/usmc/pcn-190-003119-00/sec6.htm|title=A Magnificent Fight: Marines in the Battle for Wake Island|access-date=August 7, 2022|archive-date=August 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808002310/https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extcontent/usmc/pcn-190-003119-00/sec6.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Heinl_The%20Defense%20of%20Wake.pdf?ver=2019-02-12-085233-467|format=PDF|title=The Defense of Wake|author=Lt. Col. R. D. Heinly Jr.|website=Usmcu.edu|access-date=March 3, 2022|archive-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724173636/https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Heinl_The%20Defense%20of%20Wake.pdf?ver=2019-02-12-085233-467|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Wreckage Wildcat Wake Island.jpg|thumb|Wreckage of Wildcats on Wake after the battle]]
In the aftermath of the battle, most of the captured civilians and military personnel were sent to [[List of Japanese-run internment camps during World War II|POW camps]] in Asia. However, the Japanese [[slave labor|enslaved]] some of the civilian laborers and tasked them with improving the island's defenses.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japanese-execute-nearly-100-american-prisoners-on-wake-island#:~:text=On%20October%207%2C%201943%2C%20Rear,radio%20contact%20with%20U.S.%20forces.|title=Japanese execute nearly 100 American POWs on Wake Island|website=History.com|date=November 5, 2009 |access-date=April 26, 2021|archive-date=April 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426190739/https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japanese-execute-nearly-100-american-prisoners-on-wake-island#:~:text=On%20October%207%2C%201943%2C%20Rear,radio%20contact%20with%20U.S.%20forces.|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the end of the battle on December 23, 1,603 people, of whom 1,150 were civilians, were taken prisoner. Three weeks later, all but roughly 350–360 were taken to Japanese prisoner-of-war camps in Asia aboard the ''[[Japanese aircraft carrier Chūyō|Nita Maru]]'' (later renamed ''Chūyō)''. Many of those who stayed were those who were too badly wounded, and some were civilian contractors who knew how to operate the machinery on the island. A significant source of the prisoner war experience on Wake were the accounts in the commanding officer logs for Wilcox and Russel.<ref name="usni.org">{{Cite web|url=https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2001/february/massacre-wake-island|title=Massacre on Wake Island &#124; Naval History Magazine – February 2001 Vol. 15 Number 1|date=February 2001 |access-date=October 6, 2023|archive-date=October 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007221306/https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2001/february/massacre-wake-island|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 1942, another 265 were taken off Wake including Wilcox and Russel; not including those that had died or been executed, that left 98 on the island.<ref name="usni.org" /> With the departure of the officers, their logs of daily prisoners of life on Wake ended. Still, additional facts are known, including a new commanding officer of the island in December 1942. In July 1943, a prisoner of war was executed for stealing food, as ordered by Sakaibara; however, the identity of this POW is unknown. On October 7, 1943, the prisoners of war were executed on order of Sakaibara; they were marched into an anti-tank ditch and executed by machine gun fire.<ref name="usni.org" /> At the end of the war, the Japanese garrison surrendered and said the POWs had been killed in a bombing attack; however, that story broke down when some of the officers wrote notes explaining the true story, and Sakaibara confessed to the mass execution.<ref name="usni.org" />

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