Operation Flintlock, Marshall Islands 1944 | Assaulting the Aircraft Headquarters | Easy Red 2 скачать в хорошем качестве

Operation Flintlock, Marshall Islands 1944 | Assaulting the Aircraft Headquarters | Easy Red 2

Assaulting the Aircraft Headquarters 1/31/44 During the Battle of Kwajalein, one of the key objectives for U.S. forces after securing their beachheads was the Japanese Aircraft Headquarters, a cluster of command buildings, signal stations, and defensive positions that coordinated all aviation operations on the atoll. Located near the central portion of Kwajalein Island, this headquarters complex had been heavily fortified with concrete pillboxes, trenches, and interlocking fields of fire. Even after the massive pre-invasion bombardment, many of these positions remained intact, forcing the 7th Infantry Division to advance with tanks, engineers, and flamethrower teams to root out resistance one strongpoint at a time. The assault unfolded as a series of short, violent engagements, with American infantry moving behind armor while engineers blasted openings through rubble and sealed off bunkers. Japanese defenders fought to the last, with snipers and machine-gun crews slowing the advance and forcing methodical clearing of each structure. By late January 31 and into February 1, the Americans had overrun the headquarters area, capturing surviving documents, destroying remaining defensive positions, and effectively neutralizing Japanese air command on the atoll. The fall of the Aircraft Headquarters broke a significant node of coordination for the defenders and helped accelerate the collapse of organized resistance across Kwajalein Island.