Bypassed Japanese Garrisons

[Wellgunde]

I am looking for information regarding the IJA and/or IJN forces stationed in the following Caroline Islands:
Arakabesan W. Carolines
Aurapushekaru W. Carolines
Babelthuap W. Carolines
Eil Malk W. Carolines
Koror W. Carolines
Kuop E. Carolines
Kusaie E. Carolines
Lamotrek W. Carolines
Lukunor E. Carolines
Malakal W. Carolines
Merir W. Carolines
Oroluk E. Carolines
Ponape E. Carolines
Pulusuk E. Carolines
Puluwat E. Carolines
Sonsorol W. Carolines
Tobi W. Carolines
Truk E. Carolines
Urukthapel W. Carolines
Yap W. Carolines

[Akira Takizawa]

See below.
http://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/japan_garrison.html

There were no garrisons on other islands.

Taki

[hysteric]

Hello Wellgunde,

This is what I have. Some of the information may be from earlier posts by fontessa and others on this forum (which is my best resource), otherwise it was gleaned from various places and may stand correcting. Endersby Island, Mortlock Island and Meyeron Atoll don't match up with the names on your list but were included because they may in fact be the changed names for some places on your list.

No Information on these places
Arakabesan W. Carolines -
Aurapushekaru W. Carolines -
Babelthuap W. Carolines -
Eil Malk W. Carolines -
Koror W. Carolines -
Kuop E. Carolines –
Lamotrek W. Carolines -
Lukunor E. Carolines -
Malakal W. Carolines -
Merir W. Carolines -
Oroluk E. Carolines –
Pulusuk E. Carolines –
Puluwat E. Carolines –
Tobi W. Carolines –
Urukthapel W. Carolines –

Army Units Only:

31st Army “Bi” 備 - Activated February 26th 1944

Kusaie E. Carolines –
2nd South Seas Detachment “Bi” 備
4th Garrison Infantry Group Headquarters
• 19th Independent Garrison Battalion
• 20th Independent Garrison Battalion
• 21st Independent Garrison Battalion
• 2nd South Seas Tank Company
• 2nd South Seas Artillery Company
• 2nd South Seas Mountain Artillery Company
• 2nd South Seas Mortar Company
• 2nd South Seas Anti Tank Company

Ponape E. Carolines –
52nd Independent Mixed Brigade “Bi” 備
52nd Brigade Headquarters
• 342nd Independent Infantry Battalion
• 343rd Independent Infantry Battalion
• 344th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 345th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 52nd Brigade Tank Unit
• 52nd Brigade Artillery Unit
• 52nd Brigade Engineer Unit

Sonsorol W. Carolines –
• 1st Battalion/ 219th Infantry Regiment

Truk E. Carolines –
52nd Division Kanezawa “Kashiwa” 柏
52nd Division Headquarters
52nd Division Communications Unit
52nd Division Ordinance Duty Unit
52nd Division Field Hospital
52nd Division Sea Transport Unit
? Infantry Brigade
• 7th Infantry Regiment
• 69th Infantry Regiment
? Infantry Brigade
• 107th Infantry Regiment
• 150th Infantry Regiment
• 8th Independent Artillery Regiment
• 11th Hybrid Regiment Artillery Unit
• 52nd Division Tank Unit
• 39th Construction Duty Company

Yap W. Carolines –
49th Independent Mixed Brigade “Bi” 備
12th Infantry Group Headquarters
• 323rd Independent Infantry Battalion
• 324th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 325th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 326th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 327th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 328th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 329th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 330th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 3rd Battalion/ 24th Artillery Regiment
• 1st Battery/ 52nd Ant Aircraft Battalion
• 3rd Company/ 18th Engineer Regiment

Meyeron Atoll Based Army Units Arrived April 12, 1944 -
50th Independent Mixed Brigade “Tan” 胆
50th Brigade Headquarters
• 331st Independent Infantry Battalion
• 333rd Independent Infantry Battalion
• 335th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 3rd Battalion/ 42nd Field Artillery Regiment
• 3rd Battery/ 52nd Anti Aircraft Battalion
• 50th Brigade Tank Unit
• 3rd Battalion/ 24th Engineer Regiment

Mortlock Island Based Army Units Arrived May 19, 1944 –
51st Independent Mixed Brigade “Bi” 備
51st Brigade Headquarters
• 336th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 337th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 338th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 339th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 340th Independent Infantry Battalion
• 341st Independent Infantry Battalion
• 51st Brigade 1st Artillery Unit
• 51st Brigade 2nd Artillery Unit
• 51st Brigade Anti Aircraft Unit
• 51st Brigade Engineer Unit

Endersby Island Based Army Units –
11th Independent Mixed Regiment
8th Infantry Group Headquarters
• 1st Battalion/ 5th Infantry Regiment
• 1st Battalion/ 17th Infantry Regiment
• 3rd Battalion/ 31st Infantry Regiment
• 3rd Battalion/ 8th Field Artillery Regiment
• 3rd Battalion/ 8th Engineer Regiment
• 11th Mixed Regiment Anti Aircraft Unit
• 11th Mixed Regiment Communications Unit

hysteric

[Wellgunde]

Thank you Taki and hysteric.

The islands on the list were taken from Guide to the Status of Central Pacific islands (CinCpac-CinCPOA Bulletin 200-45) dated 6 August 1945. The guide lists several hundred islands. It assigns the islands to a number of categories: 1. uninhabited; 2. native inhabited; 3. U.S. inhabited (or uninhabited under U.S. control); and 4. Japanese inhabited. The report does not distinguish between Japanese islands which had a military presence and those which might have been occupied only by civilians. Unfortunately, it does not identify any military formations stationed on the islands. My original post listed only islands in the Carolines said to be Japanese inhabited.

Part of the problem vis-à-vis the report and the information you gentlemen provided is that the report lists ALL the islands in the Central Pacific, some of which are components of larger island groups. For example, Lamotrek is part of the Yap group. We know Lamotrek was occupied by the Japanese military from reconnaissance reports which led to its being bombed on June 16, 1945. Travel pictures of Koror (Palau) show the remains of Japanese anti-aircraft guns and tanks. Arakabesan is also in the Palau group and was the site of an IJN sea plane base portions of which can still be observed.

Hysteric your suggestion that Pacific War era names and contemporary names might be different is a good one and one which I will follow up on. Also of note, some Japanese names for islands in the Mandates are different from those used by the natives.

I will post the rest of the islands later except for those in the Nansei Shoto which Fontessa discussed in another thread.

Warm regards.