Japan Dug In at Eniwetok — Then U.S. Warships Backed Away to Hit Them

February 1944. On Eniwetok Island in the Marshall Islands, Japanese defenders dug positions into the sand, covered them with palm fronds, and waited for the American fleet. From offshore, most defenses were nearly invisible. At close range, naval shells passed above the concealed pits. Rear Admiral Harry W. Hill ordered his warships farther out so their fire would fall at a steeper angle. But changing the angle could not reveal a target no one could see. When the 106th Infantry landed, hidden foxholes and connecting trenches forced its soldiers to search the brush one opening at a time. The 22nd Marines joined the fight as a mission planned in hours stretched across two and a half days. This World War II documentary follows the naval bombardment, the Japanese defenses, and the American troops who had to uncover them on foot. This video uses archival materials and original terminology from the World War II era for historical research and educational purposes only. It is not intended to offend, glorify, or target any individual, group, nation, or organization. #Eniwetok, #BattleOfEniwetok, #PacificWar, #WW2History, #MarshallIslands, #USNavy, #WorldWarII