Shelling of Johnston and Palmyra

The first attack on the islands came on December 12, 1941. A Japanese submarine, 8,000 yards offshore, broke the surface and fired star shell clusters over Johnston.^[1] The US Marine crews of 5-inch coastal guns tried to find the submarine with star shells, after which the submarine withdrew.^[1]

On the night of December 15, a US Navy supply ship, William Ward Burrows, arrived at dusk to drop off supplies for Marines stranded on Wake, and to retrieve civilian contractors and return to Pearl Harbor. Crew members of Burrows and Marines on Johnston spotted a flash at sea. The first bracket of shells landed on Johnston, and at least one hit the powerhouse, causing a fire that engulfed the building.^[1] The Marines returned fire for ten minutes until the submarine ceased firing.^[1]

There was a similar attack on the night of December 21.^[1] A final attack came on the 22nd, when a Japanese submarine fired a star shell cluster and six shells at Johnston, knocking down a homing tower and wounding a Marine.^[1] Fire from Marine-crewed coastal batteries forced the submarine to submerge.

Palmyra (located 900 miles southeast of Johnston), was attacked once, on December 24, 1941.^[1] A Japanese submarine fired on Palmyra and a US Navy dredge, Sacramento, which sat in the atoll's lagoon.^[1] The shells did minor damage to the Sacramento before the submarine was driven back by 5-inch gunfire.^[1]

Following the Japanese naval attacks on Johnston and Palmyra, both were heavily reinforced. Johnston was given more heavy guns, machine guns, and an infantry company. Similar precautions were taken with Palmyra. Although they were isolated, the Marine, Navy, and civilian garrisons became the front line of Pearl Harbor's defense while it recuperated. Both islands continued to be garrisoned by Marines throughout the war.

Books

• Hammel, Eric (2005). Pacific Warriors: The US Marines in World War II: A Pictorial Tribute. Minneapolis, MN: Zenith Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-2097-6.

News articles and websites

• Lt. Col. Frank O. Hough, Maj. Verle E. Ludwig, Henry I. Shaw (March 15, 2011). "History of US Marine Corps Operations in World War II: Japan Strikes (The Southern Outposts)". Hough*Ludwig*Shaw. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• US Fish and Wildlife Service. "Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge". Archived from the original on December 6, 2013.