Word Count: 1840
When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, America was at last
forced to officially enter World War II. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt officially
declared war on the Japanese and in his famous radio address to the American people, he
professed that December 7 was a day that would live in infamy. Americans and Japanese
alike, still remember Pearl Harbor Day, but how many remember the gallant, fighting
Marines who served on a tiny atoll in the Pacific by the name of Wake Island?
Prior to the war, Wake Island, located 2300 miles west of Honolulu, was an
unincorporated territory of the United States, which was placed under the jurisdiction of
the Navy in 1934. It was also a Clipper stop on Pan American Airlines’ famed TransPacific run, and in 1939, the U.S. Navy began construction of an air and submarine base,
which was half completed at the time of the attack. Because of the construction of the
base, approximately 1200 civilians were on the island, working for the American
construction firm, Morrison-Knudsen, in addition to the Navy personnel and Marines
who had been sent to defend the island.
The first attack came at noon on December 7, 1941, when 36 Japanese
bombers initiated the first bombing of the island. The bombings by the Japanese
continued until December 23, when under continuous shelling, the Americans, under U.S.
Navy Commander Winfield Scott Cunningham, were finally forced to surrender.
Although the Japanese finally took the island, they incurred heavy losses. Three cruisers
and one transport sustained heavy damage, two destroyers and one patrol boat were sunk,
while 820 Japanese soldiers were killed, with another 333 wounded. In contrast,
American military casualties included 120 killed, 49 wounded, with two missing in
action.
Initially, Japanese strategists assumed that the tiny island would be overwhelmed in a
matter of hours. However, they underestimated the fighting spirit of the military
personnel and civilians stationed on the island. For sixteen days these brave men fought
against overwhelming odds, but demonstrated both to the Japanese and to their fellow
Americans back at home that the Americans could and would put up a courageous fight.
During the first air raid, Pan American’s facilities were destroyed, and ten civilian
employees of the airline were killed. When the assault on the island was first launched,
the Americans had twelve aircraft. By December 21, they were down to two planes and
by the 22nd of December, none was left in the fleet. In addition, the Japanese used the
technique of pattern bombing which caused heavy damage to practically every
installation on the island. On the final day of the siege, over 1000 Japanese went on
shore and the fighting that ensued continued for six hours.
The Marines’ struggle to hold on to Wake Island came at a time when American
installations in the Pacific were being both attacked and captured and the heroics of the
fighting Marines on Wake did much to lift the spirit of the American people. Even when
it looked as though America’s chances of winning the battle for Wake were few, it has
been said that when asked by radio if there was anything they wanted, the Marines
replied: “Yes, send us some more Japs.” This became a popular slogan during the war,
much like “Remember the Alamo”.
After the surrender, the Japanese rounded up all of the civilians and enlisted men
and forced them to march to the airfield. There they were stripped and bound with wire
and made to stand in the hot sun for two days with no food and very little water. Back
on the homefront, besides worrying about the safety of their loved ones, the families of
the civilians were left without the regular financial support that the construction crew had
been sending prior to their unintended involvement in the war. Twenty-six civilians died
during the sixteen-day siege of Wake.
On January 12, 1942, approximately 1200 American prisoners of war were loaded
on board the Japanese passenger ship, the Nitta Maru, for the twelve-day voyage to
China. Twenty of the wounded passengers were dropped off in Japan while five of the
Americans were beheaded while aboard ship. The prisoners arrived at Shanghai on
January 24 and were immediately taken to Woosung camp, twelve miles away. On
December 5, 1942, they were transferred to Kiangwan War Prisoners Camp, four miles
from Woosung, where they were forced into hard labor. Several of the prisoners died as
a result of the harsh treatment in the camp.
The Japanese retained 98 of the civilians at Wake to operate heavy equipment, but it was
later learned that these civilians were executed on October 7, 1943, when it was thought
by their captors that they had been in radio contact with U.S. naval forces. After the war,
Admiral Sakaibara, who had ordered the execution, was himself hung on the island of
Guam, on June 18, 1947.
In May of 1945, the prisoners were sent to Fengtai camp outside of Peking and were then
moved to Fusan, Korea for eventual shipment to Hokkaido, Japan. It was here that the
1st Cavalry Division of the United States Army liberated them, 44 months after they were
first captured. Two hundred and thirty-one Americans either died in the camps or on
board ship.
The Japanese who remained on Wake Island after the Americans’ surrender endured
hardships of their own, as American attacks on the Japanese fleet in the Pacific, as well as
the bombing of Wake, made receiving regular shipments of supplies an impossibility.
Seven hundred Japanese soldiers died as a result of the American bombing of the island,
while another 1300 died as a result of sickness and malnutrition. Wake Island was
finally returned to the United States on September 4, 1945, when Rear
Admiral Shigematsu Sakaibara surrendered the island to Brig. Gen. L.H.M. Sanderson of
the United States Marines.
Paramount Pictures’, Wake Island, represented the first attempt by Hollywood to
accurately portray American troops in action. Director John Farrow wanted to make the
film as accurate as possible, including the location. The film was shot entirely on
location off of Salton Sea, in the California desert. Morrison-Knudsen Co., the
construction crew on Wake Island at the time of its capture, was hired to recreate the
island’s facilities prior to the beginning of the siege. Because of the fact that Japanese
Americans had been interred in California, Chinese and Filipino citizens were hired to
portray the Japanese soldiers in the film.
To further enhance the reality of the film, the Marine Corps. loaned six of its F4F-3’s to
the film’s crew, while five Ryan SCW’s were used to simulate the Japanese ASM
“Claude” fighters. When the look-alike Japanese planes flew over the area on their
simulated bomb runs, residents had to be warned not to be alarmed and to also avert the
possibility of the planes being fired upon. In addition, thirty tons of explosives were used
for bombs.
The film did not use the real names of the men whom the actors portrayed, and while it
did tend to fictionalize a bit, most of the portrayals prove to be quite accurate.
Major Caton, portrayed in the film by Brian Donlevy, is the real life character of Major
James Patrick Sinnott Devereux. While Major Devereux was in captivity, his wife died
of diabetes on July 22, 1942. Friends attributed her death as being hastened by her
husband’s captivity, as she had received no direct contact with him since his capture.
The film’s Commander Roberts, played by Walter Abel, is the real life character of
Commander Winfield Scott Cunningham. Shad McClosky (Albert Dekker) is the
construction crew boss, who in real life was Dan Teters, an employee of MorrisonKnudsen. Teters, along with Commander Cunningham, escaped from prison camp in
China in 1944, only to be recaptured and sentenced to ten years of hard labor. The
United States subsequently awarded Dan Teters with one of its highest honors, the
Bronze Star.
The film’s Lieutenant Cameron, portrayed by Macdonald Carey, was the real life
character of Capt. Henry T. Elrod. Capt. Elrod single-handedly attacked a fleet of
twenty-two Japanese planes, shooting down two of them. In addition, he became the first
man to sink a major warship with small-caliber bombs, which were dropped from a
fighter-type aircraft. For Captain Elrod’s heroics during the heat of battle, he was
posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the first given to a Marine
airman during World War II. While the characters of Smacksie Randall (William
Bendix) and his buddy, Joe Doyle (Robert Preston) are purely fictional, they do add
comic relief to an otherwise dismal situation.
The film received much critical acclaim and was nominated for Best Picture at the 1942
Academy Awards as well as receiving nominations for Best Director and Best
Screenplay. William Bendix also received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his
role as the likeable Smacksie Randall. Several historians have attributed the rise in U.S.
Marine Corps. enlistments at the time to Wake Island. The film was also used as a
training film for Marine recruits at Quantico in August of 1942. All in all, Wake Island
is a fitting tribute to the soldiers and civilians who valiantly defended Wake.
The United States has maintained possession of the island since its surrender by
the Japanese in 1945. In 1975, Wake Island was used to house Vietnamese refugees prior
to their being transported to the United States. It is now under the direct control of the
United States Air Force, where the U. S. National Weather Service and the National
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration operate research facilities. In 1957,
Japan Air Lines built a memorial on the island, which is inscribed: “May Peace Prevail
on the Waters of the Pacific Forever”. On December 7, Americans should
remember not only those who fell at Pearl Harbor, but also those who served so bravely
at Wake Island.
Bibliography
“Air Superiority of Japanese Speeds Onslaught in Far East”. Newsweek, 29 December
1941, 17.
The American Movies Reference Book: The Sound Era. Edited by Paul Michael.
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1969.
Cohen, Stan. Enemy On Island. Issue in Doubt. The Capture of Wake Island.
Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, 1988.
Encyclopedia of American War Films. Edited by Larry Langman and Ed Borg.
New York: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1989.
The Idaho Daily Statesman, 29 December 1941, 1(A).
The New Encyclopaedia Britannica. 1997 ed., s.v. “Wake Island”.
Newsweek, 3 August 1942, 4.
Newsweek, 31 August 1942, 60.
Keywords:
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enter world president franklin delano roosevelt officially declared japanese famous radio
address american people professed that december that would live infamy americans
japanese alike still remember pearl harbor many remember gallant fighting marines
served tiny atoll pacific name wake island prior wake island located miles west honolulu
unincorporated territory united states which placed under jurisdiction navy also clipper
stop american airlines famed trans pacific navy began construction submarine base which
half completed time attack because construction base approximately civilians were island
working american construction firm morrison knudsen addition navy personnel marines
been sent defend first attack came noon december when bombers initiated first bombing
bombings continued until when under continuous shelling americans under commander
winfield scott cunningham were finally forced surrender although finally took they
incurred heavy losses three cruisers transport sustained heavy damage destroyers patrol
boat were sunk while soldiers killed with another wounded contrast military casualties
included killed wounded with missing action initially strategists assumed that tiny would
overwhelmed matter hours however they underestimated fighting spirit military
personnel civilians stationed sixteen days these brave fought against overwhelming odds
demonstrated both their fellow americans back home could would courageous fight
during first raid facilities destroyed civilian employees airline killed assault launched
twelve aircraft they down planes none left fleet addition used technique pattern bombing
which caused heavy damage practically every installation final siege over went shore
fighting ensued continued hours marines struggle hold wake came time installations
pacific being both attacked captured heroics much lift spirit people even looked though
america chances winning battle been said asked radio there anything wanted replied send
some more japs this became popular slogan during much like remember alamo after
surrender rounded civilians enlisted forced them march airfield there stripped bound with
wire made stand days food very little water back homefront besides worrying about
safety their loved ones families left without regular financial support crew been sending
prior their unintended involvement twenty died during sixteen siege january
approximately prisoners loaded board passenger ship nitta maru twelve voyage china
twenty wounded passengers dropped japan while five beheaded while aboard ship
prisoners arrived shanghai january immediately taken woosung camp twelve miles away
transferred kiangwan prisoners camp four miles from woosung where into hard labor
several died result harsh treatment camp retained operate equipment later learned these
executed october thought captors radio contact naval forces after admiral sakaibara
ordered execution himself hung guam june sent fengtai outside peking then moved fusan
korea eventual shipment hokkaido japan here cavalry division united states army
liberated them months after captured hundred thirty either died camps board ship
remained surrender endured hardships attacks fleet well bombing made receiving regular
shipments supplies impossibility seven hundred soldiers result another result sickness
malnutrition finally returned united states september rear admiral shigematsu sakaibara
surrendered brig sanderson paramount pictures represented attempt hollywood accurately
portray troops action director john farrow wanted make film accurate possible including
location film shot entirely location salton california desert morrison knudsen crew time
capture hired recreate facilities prior beginning siege because fact interred california
chinese filipino citizens hired portray soldiers film further enhance reality marine corps
loaned crew five ryan used simulate claude fighters look alike planes flew over area
simulated bomb runs residents warned alarmed also avert possibility planes being fired
upon addition thirty tons explosives used bombs real names whom actors portrayed tend
fictionalize most portrayals prove quite accurate major caton portrayed brian donlevy real
life character major james patrick sinnott devereux major devereux captivity wife
diabetes july friends attributed death being hastened husband captivity received direct
contact since capture commander roberts played walter abel real life character
commander winfield scott cunningham shad mcclosky albert dekker boss life teters
employee morrison knudsen teters along cunningham escaped from prison china only
recaptured sentenced years hard labor subsequently awarded teters highest honors bronze
star lieutenant cameron portrayed macdonald carey character capt henry elrod capt elrod
single handedly attacked fleet twenty shooting down them became sink warship small
caliber bombs dropped from fighter type aircraft captain elrod heroics heat battle
posthumously awarded congressional medal honor given marine airman world characters
smacksie randall william bendix buddy doyle robert preston purely fictional comic relief
otherwise dismal situation received much critical acclaim nominated best picture
academy awards well receiving nominations best director best screenplay william bendix
also received supporting actor nomination role likeable smacksie randall several
historians have attributed rise marine corps enlistments training recruits quantico august
fitting tribute valiantly defended maintained possession since house vietnamese refugees
transported direct control force where national weather service national oceanographic
atmospheric administration operate research facilities japan lines built memorial
inscribed peace prevail waters forever should only those fell pearl harbor those served
bravely bibliography superiority speeds onslaught east newsweek movies reference book
sound edited paul michael englewood cliffs jersey prentice hall cohen stan enemy issue
doubt capture missoula montana pictorial histories publishing company encyclopedia
films edited larry langman borg york garland publishing idaho daily statesman
encyclopaedia britannica newsweek august newsweek august
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