Operation FLINTLOCK: Invasion of the Marshall Islands, January-February 1944
Operation Flintlock, January-February 1944. Fourth Marine Division attack on Roi Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, February 2, 1944. Shown: Lieutenant Colonel Donald L. Dickson puts up flag on coconut stump. Sign says Namur Press Office. On right is Staff Sergeant Martin Kivel, a Marine Corps Combat Correspondent. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (2017/07/25).
At the end of January, very early February, there were over 300 ships that participated in Operation Flintlock, representing a small portion of the entire USN. These Task Forces included four three-carrier Task Forces (carrying 700+ aircraft), along with three escort carriers, supporting battleships, cruisers, and destroyers, hundreds of cargo ships, attack transports, oilers, tank landing ships, and specialized landing craft.
An attack of this scale had to start way in advance of Flintlock’s D-Day. Everything had to be transported up to thousands of miles, including humans, ammunition and fuel.
So, now we’re celebrating the 80th Anniversary of Operation Flintlock, called the largest amphibious assault of the war at that time. This overall battle helped contribute to the defeat of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy in the Pacific. It was well executed, and the result was huge U.S. Pacific possessions – i.e., an American base from which subsequent operations against the Japanese were successfully launched. From this base, Adm. Nimitz advanced the Marianas invasion by about six months.
All-in-all, Operation Flintlock paved the way for further advances by weakening Japanese defenses.
To read more in depth about battles of the Marshall Islands and other stories, see: Operation FLINTLOCK, The Invasion of the Marshall Islands, January-February 1944 | Article | The United States Army