Word: morotai
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...invading Babelthuap and the other northern Palaus, the U.S. could not immediately use the vast Palau fleet basin. But airfields in the southern Palaus would serve: 1) for bombing the Philippines-if MacArthur invaded the central Philippines instead of Mindanao, Peleliu would be closer to the invasion coast than Morotai; 2) for air patrols which could clamp the northern Palaus in a neutralizing vise. Last week marine flyers based on Peleliu were already strafing and bombing Babelthuap...
Liberators and PBYs from General MacArthur's command struck repeatedly at Davao, capital of Mindanao. U.S. carriers, of which more than 50 now roam the Pacific, hammered Halmahera, the Jap island stronghold which MacArthur bypassed in occupying Morotai. Still other carrier planes ranged 325 miles behind Palau to strike the Jap base...
...Morotai. One attack hit Morotai, a 695-sq.mi. mountainous, jungled island north of the larger island of Halmahera. On Morotai MacArthur's Sixth Army troops swarmed ashore under cover of heavy air and sea bombardment. Much as at Tarawa, troops had to leave their landing boats at a reef, wade through waist-deep water before they hit the beach...
Apparently no Japs defended the Morotai beaches. Only U.S. casualty: an officer who broke...
...Morotai, where engineers started building an airfield immediately, MacArthur's greatly augmented force of bombers will be within good striking distance of the Netherlands East Indies. But, attractive as the western view seemed, MacArthur's eyes were lifted to the northern horizon where the Philippines lie, 300 miles away. Said he: "They are waiting for me there. It has been a long time...