Operations STALEMATE II & TRADE WIND

FRI 15 SEP 1944
Pacific
1st Marine Division (Reinforced) (Major General William H. Rupertus, USMC) lands on Peleliu, Palaus, in Operation STALEMATE II. Landing is preceded by several days of intensive carrier-based aircraft bombing and ship gunfire bombardment (TG 32.5, Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf).

TF 77 (Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey) lands Army 41st Infantry (Reinforced) (Major General John C. Persons, USA) on Morotai Island, N.E.I., in Operation TRADE WIND; supported by two heavy cruisers, three light cruisers and ten destroyers (TG 77.2) (Rear Admiral Russell S. Berkey) and aircraft from six escort carriers (TG 77.1) (Rear Admiral Thomas L. Sprague), screened by eight destroyer escorts. Airfield facilities built on Morotai will be used in operations to support operations against Japanese positions in the Philippines.

Submarine Guavina (SS-362) sinks Japanese fast transport T.3 off Pagubas, southern Mindanao, 05°35'N, 125°24'E.

Submarines Pampanito (SS-383) and Sealion (SS-315) rescue 73 British and 54 Australian POWs who survived loss of Rakuyo Maru when she was sunk by Sealion on 12 September, about 300 miles west of Cape Bojeador, Luzon. There had been some 1,300 men on board Rakuyo Maru when she was attacked.

Emaciated British and Australian prisoners of war being rescued by Sealion (SS-315) on 15 September 1944.
The POWs had been on board unmarked transports en route from Singapore to Japan when their ships were
sunk by Sealion, Growler (SS-215), and Pampanito (SS-383) 12 September 1944.
(U.S.N. Photograph 80-G-281718, National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.)

Submarine Stingray (SS-186) lands men and stores on Majoe Island, Molucca Sea.

USAAF B-24s sink small Makassar-bound Japanese cargo vessels Kirishima Maru and No.6 Keinan Maru off Mongole Island.

RAAF Beaufighters and USAAF A-20s bomb Japanese shipping off southeast coast of Ceram, sinking fishing vessels No.3 Hoyu Maru and No.4 Bonan Maru.

U.S. aircraft sink Japanese guardboats Kaiko Maru and No.1 Kaza Maru, Marshalls.

Atlantic
Salvage vessel Escape (ARS-6) resumes tow of damaged U.S. freighter George Ade toward Chesapeake Bay (see 16 September).