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55-742: It was held by the Japanese from 1914 until its capture by the United States in February 1944 during World War II , then became Naval Base Eniwetok . Nuclear testing by the US totaling the equivalent of over 30 megatons of TNT took place during the Cold War ; in 1977–1980, a concrete dome (the Runit Dome) was built on Runit Island to deposit radioactive soil and debris. The Runit Dome

110-582: A seamount . The seamount was formed in the late Cretaceous . This seamount is now about 1,400 meters (4,600 ft) below sea level. It is made of basalt , and its depth is due to a general subsidence of the entire region and not because of erosion . Enewetak has a mean elevation above sea level of 3 meters (9.8 ft). Humans have inhabited the atoll since about 1,000 B.C. The islands were first settled by Austronesian islanders. The first European colonizers to Enewetak, Spanish explorer Álvaro de Saavedra Cerón , arrived on 10 October 1529. He called

165-661: A 6,800-by-400-foot (2,070 by 120 m) runway. In June 1945, the 67th CB arrived to build a 35,000 man recreation center to be turned over to CBMU 608. In 1950, John C. Woods , who executed the Nazi war criminals convicted at the Nuremberg Trials , was accidentally electrocuted there. After the end of World War II, Enewetak came under the control of the United States as part of the Trust Territory of

220-738: A palm grove on its eastern side and an airfield across its north half. The island was lightly defended by a garrison of 60 men with a battery of two 12 cm guns and two twin mounted 13 mm machine guns . The island also had 500 non-combatants. On 4 January 1944, the 1st Amphibious Brigade arrived on Eniwetok. Engebi received 692 men from the brigade and 54 naval personnel, commanded by Colonel Toshio Yano. These reinforcements had two flame throwers , thirteen grenade launchers , twelve light machine guns, four heavy machine guns, two 37 mm anti-tank guns , eleven 81 mm mortars , one 20 mm automatic gun, two 20 mm cannons , two Type 94 75 mm mountain guns , and three Type 95 light tanks . They were deployed on

275-466: Is Majuro on a large coral atoll, Majuro atoll. The US Naval built bases for troops, ships, submarines , PT boats , seaplanes , supply depots, training camps, fleet recreation facilities, and ship repair depots. To keep supplies following the bases were supplied by the vast II United States Merchant Navy . The Marshall Islands were in Japan's inner line of defense and 2,887 miles from Japan's homeland. At

330-498: Is deteriorating and could be breached by a typhoon, though the sediments in the lagoon are even more radioactive than those which are contained. The U.S. government referred to the atoll as "Eniwetok" until 1974, when it changed its official spelling to "Enewetak" (along with many other Marshall Islands place names , to more properly reflect their pronunciation by the Marshall Islanders ). Enewetak Atoll formed atop

385-415: Is smaller than Eniwetok and was more heavily defended. When the invasion began the Japanese had 1,115 troops and 250 other personnel on Parry, equipped with 36 heavy grenade launchers, 36 light machine guns, six heavy machine guns, ten 81mm mortars, three 20mm automatic guns, two mountain guns, one 20mm cannon and three Type 95 light tanks. The island is tear-drop shaped with the larger end to the north, facing

440-573: The 1st Amphibious Brigade , recently formed from reservists of the 3rd Independent Garrison in Manchukuo , 3,940 men under the command of Major General Yoshimi Nishida , first arriving on 4 January 1944. On 17-18 February 1944, Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance executed Operation Hailstone , an American carrier strike against the Japanese base at Truk in the Caroline Islands destroying 39 warships and more than 200 planes. Among

495-633: The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that rising sea levels caused by climate change are seeping inside the dome, causing radioactive material to leak out. Section 177 of the 1983 Compact of Free Association between the governments of the United States and the Marshall Islands establishes a process for Marshallese to make a claim against the United States government as a result of damage and injury caused by nuclear testing. That same year, an agreement

550-593: The Empire of Japan by the League of Nations in 1920. The Japanese administered the island under the South Seas Mandate , but mostly left affairs in hands of traditional local leaders until the start of World War II. The atoll, together with other parts of Marshall Islands located to the west of 164°E, was placed under the governance of Pohnpei district during the Japanese administration period, separately from

605-654: The German Empire . Japan built bases on many of the islands and had troops stationed on the Marshall Islands. The tropical Marshall Islands are near the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the International Date Line . Marshall Islands has over five major islands and 29 coral atolls comprising 1,156 individual islands and islets . The Marshall Islands capital and largest city

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660-673: The Marshall Islands during World War II to support the Pacific War efforts. The bases were built by US Navy after the Marshall Islands campaign that captured the islands from the Empire of Japan . By February 1944 the United States Armed Forces had captured the islands. Most of the airfields and other facilities Japan had built were destroyed in allied bombing raids and naval bombardment . US Navy Seabee Construction Battalions arrived as soon as

715-574: The 110th Naval Construction Battalion expanded the base, building a coral-surfaced parking area and shops for minor aircraft and engine overhaul. A marine ways was installed on a Japanese pier and boat-repair shops were also erected. US Navy and Marine units based at Parry Island included: From 1958 through 1960 the United States installed the Missile Impact Location System (MILS) in the Navy managed Pacific Missile Range, later

770-455: The 3rd Battalion, 22nd Marines landed. They pushed towards the southwestern end of the island. By nightfall, they had reached the west corner of the island. The Marine commander, Colonel Ayers, ordered that the attack continue through the night to eliminate the Japanese pocket in the northwest corner. A Japanese counterattack at 09:10 on 19 February reached the Marine battalion command post but

825-467: The 3rd Independent Garrison, which had previously been stationed in Manchukuo . The 1st Amphibious Brigade arrived on January 4, 1944. Some 2,586 of its 3,940 men were left to defend Eniwetok Atoll, supplemented by aviation personnel, civilian employees, and laborers. However, they were unable to finish the fortifications before the American attack came in February. During the ensuing Battle of Eniwetok ,

880-539: The Air Force managed Western Range , to localize the splash downs of test missile nose cones. MILS was developed and installed by the same entities that had completed the first phase of the Atlantic and U.S. West Coast SOSUS systems. A MILS installation, consisting of both a target array for precision location and a broad ocean area system for good positions outside the target area, was installed at Eniwetok as part of

935-519: The American LVTs could not scale an 8 feet (2.4 m) sand dune just inland. These early problems were quickly overcome, and the Americans reached the island's ocean shore by 11:45. A Japanese counter-attack, carried out by 300–400 men, hit the western part of the American line, which was supported by mortar fire. The attack was over by 12:45 and had failed to break the Americans. At 14:25

990-444: The Americans captured Enewetak in a five-day amphibious operation. Fighting mainly took place on Engebi Islet, site of the most important Japanese installation, although some combat occurred on the main islet of Enewetak itself and on Parry Island, where there was a Japanese seaplane base. Following its capture, the anchorage at Enewetok became a major US Naval Advance Base with Service Squadron 4 and Service Squadron 10 stationed in

1045-822: The Pacific Islands , until the independence of the Marshall Islands in 1986. During its tenure, the United States evacuated the local residents many times, often involuntarily. The atoll was used for nuclear testing , as part of the Pacific Proving Grounds . Before testing commenced, the U.S. exhumed the bodies of United States servicemen killed in the Battle of Enewetak and returned them to the United States to be re-buried by their families. 43 nuclear tests were fired at Enewetak from 1948 to 1958. The first hydrogen bomb test, code-named Ivy Mike , occurred in late 1952 as part of Operation Ivy ; it vaporized

1100-413: The area was secured and remove the debris. The Seabees quickly repaired, built and improved the airfield / runways and seaport . Seabees often worked around the clock to get airfields operational so that fighter aircraft and bombers could start operating. The bases were used for staging upcoming campaigns and for repair. At the start of World War I , Japan took control of the Marshall Islands from

1155-674: The atoll became part of the Japanese South Seas Mandate . Japan had no military presence here until November 1942, when an airfield was constructed on Engebi Island. This was used for refueling planes between Truk and islands to the east, with no aviation personnel stationed there; and the island had only token defenses. When the Gilbert Islands fell to the United States in late 1943, the Imperial Japanese Army assigned defense of Eniwetok to

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1210-440: The battle plan was adjusted. Originally, the 106th Infantry Regiment was to invade Eniwetok and Parry simultaneously. Instead, they cleared Eniwetok first, then Parry. Eniwetok Island is a long, narrow island, widest at the southwestern end, and very narrow on the northeastern end. A road existed on the lagoon shore on the southwestern half of the island, where the settlement was located. This topography meant that defense in depth

1265-399: The bombardment. The main landings were carried out by two battalions from the 22nd Marine Regiment , commanded by Colonel John T. Walker , which landed on Engebi at 08:43 on 18 February, supported by medium tanks and two 105mm self propelled guns. There was very little resistance at the beach, except from the southern tip of the island. The airfield was quickly captured, and within an hour

1320-411: The community. Men from the 110th Naval Construction Battalion arrived on Eniwetok between 21 and 27 February 1944 and began clearing the island for construction of a bomber airfield. A 2,100-meter (6,900 ft) by 120-meter (390 ft) runway with taxiways and supporting facilities was built. The first plane landed on 11 March. By 5 April the first operational bombing mission was conducted. The base

1375-432: The cruiser USS  Louisville began to bombard the northern and eastern ends of the island. The battleships USS  Tennessee and USS  Pennsylvania opened fire on the beach defences at dawn, and at 07:20 the destroyer USS  Phelps  (DD-360) began direct fire. At 08:00 a naval air attack began, and at 08:11 the naval bombardment resumed. Artillery from the islets captured on 17 February also added to

1430-401: The destroyer USS  Hailey delivered more than 900 tons of explosive onto the island, with the 104th Field Artillery on Eniwetok and the 2nd Separate Pack Howitzer Battalions on Japtan Island to the north providing additional fire support. The invasion force consisted of the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 22nd Marines, who had just finished mopping up at Engebi. The 1st Battalion advance on

1485-666: The end of 2008 and May 2010. Due to stock market losses, payments rates that have outstripped fund income, and other issues, the fund was nearly exhausted, as of May 2010, and unable to make any additional awards or payments. A lawsuit by Marshallese arguing that "changed circumstances" made Nuclear Claims Tribunal unable to make just compensation was dismissed by the Supreme Court of the United States in April 2010. Marshall Islands Public School System operates Enewetak Elementary School. Marshall Islands High School on Majuro serves

1540-402: The end of the war, the Marshall Islands came under the control of the United States as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands until the independence of the Marshall Islands in 1986. Major US Navy Bases: Minor US Navy bases: At the end of the war, the Marshall Islands came under the control of the United States as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands until

1595-469: The explosion clouds of the nuclear bombs in 1957/58, several rockets (mostly from rockoons ) were launched. One USAF airman Jimmy Robinson was lost at sea during the tests. Robinson's F-84 Thunderjet crashed and sank 3.5 miles (5.6 km) short of the island. Robinson's body was never recovered. A radiological survey of Enewetak was conducted from 1972 to 1973. In 1977, the United States military began decontamination of Enewetak and other islands. During

1650-425: The independence of the Marshall Islands in 1986. Marshall Islands were given self-government on 1 May 1979. Compact of Free Association was make between the Marshall Islands and United States on 21 October 1986. These close associations United States dollar and English are used in the Marshall Islands. The Compact of Free Association agrees that US is responsible the defense of the Marshall Islands. The compact gives

1705-671: The island " Los Jardines " (The Gardens). In 1794, sailors aboard the British merchant sloop Walpole called the islands "Brown's Range" (thus, the Japanese name "Brown Atoll"). It was visited by about a dozen ships before the establishment of the German colony of the Marshall Islands in 1885. With the rest of the Marshalls, Enewetak was captured by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1914, during World War I and mandated to

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1760-410: The island. The main invasion fleet arrived off Eniwetok early on 17 February. Naval bombardment of Eniwetok began on 17 February, and at 13:18 US forces landed on Canna and Camelia islets, near Engebi. No resistance was encountered. A blocking force was placed on the island chain to the south of Engebi to stop the defenders from escaping. At 06:55 on 18 February the battleship USS  Colorado and

1815-416: The islet of Elugelab , It also created two new elements : Fermium and Einsteinium . This test included B-17 Flying Fortress drones to fly through the radioactive cloud to test onboard samples. B-17 mother ships controlled the drones while flying within visual distance of them. In all, 16 to 20 B-17s took part in this operation, of which half were controlling aircraft and half were drones. To examine

1870-404: The lagoon side of Eniwetok. At 07:40 a third destroyer opened fire to the east of the landing beaches, and at 08:10 a fourth destroyer also commenced bombardment. At 08:10 naval gunfire halted for 15 minutes to allow carrier aircraft to attack. The first troops landed at 09:17, but the initial landings immediately ran into problems. The short naval bombardment left many Japanese positions intact, and

1925-410: The lagoon side, where Colonel Yano expected the Americans to land. They constructed a strong point half way along the shore and smaller strong points at the island's three corners. On 16 February United States Navy aircraft from Task Group 58.4 attacked Engebi. This took the airfield out of operation. It also destroyed up to 14 aircraft and one of the coastal defence guns, at the northeastern corner of

1980-410: The lagoon. The Japanese defences consisted of a series of eight strong points along the beach, protected by trenches and a network of foxholes. Based on experience at Eniwetok, the American naval bombardment of Parry Island was more thorough. On 22 February the battleships USS  Tennessee and USS  Pennsylvania and the heavy cruisers USS  Indianapolis and USS  Louisville and

2035-405: The lagoon. The daily average of ships present during the first half of July 1944 was 488; during the second half of July, the daily average number of ships at Enewetak was 283. Naval Base Eniwetok was part of the vast Naval Base Marshall Islands . US Navy Seabees of the 110th Naval Construction Battalion arrived on February 21 and 27 to begin construction of Stickell Field. It had two taxiways and

2090-413: The lost was the 1st Amphibious Brigade's supply ship Aikoku Maru . Altogether, only 2,586 of General Nishida's men arrived on Eniwetok. These were supplemented by aviation personnel, civilian employees, and labourers. Most were stationed on Parry Island (now Medren), where Nishida established his headquarters. Engebi Island is at the north tip of Enewetak Atoll. The island is triangular in shape, with

2145-518: The next day. U.S. casualties included 73 killed and missing plus 261 wounded. The vast majority of Japanese soldiers were killed, including General Nishida, although 105 survivors were captured. Eniwetok Atoll became Naval Base Eniwetok , providing a forward base for the United States Navy for its later operations. Naval Base Marshall Islands Naval Base Marshall Islands were United States Navy advance bases built on

2200-531: The passage of the Honoring our PACT Act . The 2000 environmental restoration award included funds for additional cleanup of radioactivity on Enewetak. Rather than scrape the topsoil off, replace it with clean topsoil, and create another radioactive waste repository dome at some site on the atoll (a project estimated to cost US$ 947 million), most areas still contaminated on Enewetak were treated with potassium . Soil that could not be effectively treated for human use

2255-473: The rest of the Marshall Islands. In November 1942, the Japanese built an airfield on Engebi Island. As they used it only for refueling planes between Truk and islands to the east, no aviation personnel were stationed there and the island had only token defenses. When the Gilberts fell to the United States, the Imperial Japanese Army assigned defense of the atoll to the 1st Amphibious Brigade , formed from

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2310-434: The right, and the 2nd Battalion advanced on the east. The landing occurred at 09:00 with a combined force of Marines and tanks advancing rapidly past Japanese positions once machine-gun fire had been suppressed, followed by demolition and flame-thrower squads clearing out spider holes and Japanese defenders who had been bypassed, followed by three four-man squads mopping up any survivors. At 10:00 remaining Japanese artillery

2365-628: The system supporting Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) tests. Other Pacific MILS shore terminals were at the Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay supporting Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) tests with impact areas northeast of Hawaii and the other ICBM test support systems at Midway Island and Wake Island . [REDACTED]  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Battle of Eniwetok 2 regiments The Battle of Eniwetok

2420-517: The tanks had reached the northern shore. The 3rd Battalion landed at 09:55 and began to mop up the few remaining defenders. The island was declared secure by 14:50, though mopping-up continued through the next day. US losses included 85 killed and missing plus 166 wounded. The Japanese lost 1,276 killed and 16 captured. On 18–19 February the Americans cleared the smaller islands on the atoll's east side. There they found evidence that Parry and Eniwetok Islands were more heavily defended than expected, so

2475-571: The three-year, US$ 100 million cleanup process, the military mixed more than 80,000 cubic meters (100,000 cu yd) of contaminated soil and debris from the islands with Portland cement and buried it in an atomic blast crater on the northern end of the atoll's Runit Island . The material was placed in the 9.1-meter (30 ft) deep, 110-meter (360 ft) wide crater created by the May 5, 1958, " Cactus " nuclear weapons test. A dome composed of 358 concrete panels, each 46 centimeters (18 in) thick,

2530-485: The tribunal made a compensation award to the people of Enewetak consisting of US$ 107.8 million for environmental restoration; US$ 244 million in damages to cover economic losses caused by loss of access and use of the atoll; and US$ 34 million for hardship and suffering. In addition, as of the end of 2008, another US$ 96.658 million in individual damage awards were made. Only US$ 73.526 million of the individual claims award has been paid, however, and no new awards were made between

2585-594: Was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II , fought from 17 to 23 February 1944 on Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands . The invasion of Eniwetok followed the American success in the Battle of Kwajalein to the southeast. Capture of Eniwetok would provide an airfield and harbor to support attacks on the Mariana Islands to the northwest. The operation was officially known as "Operation Catchpole" and

2640-475: Was a three-phase operation involving the invasion of the three main islands in the Enewetak Atoll. Eniwetok is a large coral atoll of 40 islands with a land area total less than 5.85 square kilometres (2.26 sq mi). It has a mean elevation above sea level of 3 metres (9.8 ft) and surrounds a deep central lagoon , 80 kilometres (50 mi) in circumference. Following World War I ,

2695-432: Was constructed over the material. The final cost of the cleanup project was US$ 239 million. The United States government declared the southern and western islands in the atoll safe for habitation in 1980, and residents of Enewetak returned that same year. The military members who participated in that cleanup mission are suffering from many health issues, but the U.S. Government refused to provide health coverage until 2022 with

2750-600: Was impossible. On the island the Japanese had 779 Army troops, 24 civilians, and five naval personnel, all under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hashida Masahiro. The defenders had two flame throwers, 13 grenade launchers, 12 light machine guns, two heavy machine guns, one 50mm mortar, eleven 81mm mortars, one 20mm automatic gun, three 20mm cannons, and three Type 95 light tanks. Most defenses were foxholes and trenches. Work had also begun on some concrete pillboxes , which were not completed. At 07:10 on 18 February two cruisers and two destroyers opened fire on Japanese positions from

2805-414: Was later named for Lieutenant John H. Stickell . In mid-September 1944 operations at Wrigley Airfield on Engebi Island were transferred to Eniwetok. US Navy and Marine units based at Eniwetok included: The airstrip is now abandoned and its surface partially covered by sand. The Imperial Japanese Navy had developed a seaplane base on Parry Island. Following its capture on 22 February, Seabee's from

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2860-610: Was removed and used as fill for a causeway connecting the two main islands of the atoll (Enewetak and Parry). The cost of the potassium decontamination project was US$ 103.3 million. A report by the US Congressional Research Service projects that the majority of the atoll will be fit for human habitation by 2026–2027, after nuclear decay, de-contamination and environmental remediation efforts create sufficient dose reductions. However, in November 2017,

2915-525: Was repulsed. The 3rd Battalion continued to press the attack south, along the east coast. The Japanese spider hole defensive positions were intact, with heavy undergrowth providing good defensive cover. Progress was slow, as spider holes had to be eliminated one-by-one. The fighting in the west came to an end on the morning of 20 February; however, the island was not declared secured until 21 February. 37 Americans were killed or missing and 94 wounded. The Japanese had 800 dead and 23 prisoners. Parry Island

2970-474: Was signed to implement Section 177, which established a US$ 150 million trust fund. The fund was intended to generate US$ 18 million a year, which would be payable to claimants on an agreed-upon schedule. If the US$ 18 million a year generated by the fund was not enough to cover claims, the principal of the fund could be used. A Marshall Islands Nuclear Claims Tribunal was established to adjudicate claims. In 2000,

3025-404: Was suppressed by naval bombardment, and by 11:55 the 1st Battalion reached the ocean shore, with the 2nd Battalion taking the northern tip of the island by 13:00. The 1st Battalion then turned to the southern tip of the island, reinforced by the 3rd Battalion along the lagoon shore. At 19:30 the regimental commander radioed "I present you with the island of Parry", though operations continued through

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