Pacific War Trivia

1. An American Airborne unit saw action during the invasion and fight for Guadalcanal, but they did not jump. Which American branch of service fielded this unit?

From Quiz American Airborne, WWII. Pacific Theater

Answer: Marines

The 1st Marine Parachute Battalion was formed in 1940 and was later expanded to a full regiment. It made an amphibious landing on the Island of Gavutu as a part of the operation to take Guadalcanal from the Japanese. They fought along side the Raider Battalion at the Battle of Bloody Ridge (aka, Edson's Ridge), suffering so many casualties that they were pulled off the island and sent to the rear to absorb and train replacements.

From Quiz The Battle for Tarawa 1943

Answer: Operation Galvanic

The Battle of Tarawa was a battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that was fought in late 1943. It took place at the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands, and was part of Operation Galvanic, the U.S. invasion of the Gilberts.

From Quiz The Battle of Santa Cruz October 1942

Answer: Battle of Guadacanal

The attempt by Japanese forces to capture Henderson Airfield was the primary backdrop to the Battle of Santa Cruz. By the 25th October, the Japanese attack had already been defeated.

From Quiz Operation Watchtower

Answer: August 7, 1942

Operation Watchtower began with USS Quincy, Astoria, and Vincennes shelling the island and Big E launching airstrikes. Once the airstrikes were over the first Marines went in. They were in for two years of fighting in the malaria infested jungles of Guadalcanal.

From Quiz WWII Pacific Theatre

Answer: Showa

As mentioned above, Hirohito legally reigned as the Showa Emperor. However, according to tradition, Showa became his posthumous name upon death. The other three options were the names of Hirohito's three most recent predecessors.

From Quiz The War of the Pacific

Answer: He ordered his Executive Officer to "take her down" while he remained topside, thus, ensuring his own death.

On February 7, 1943, The USS Growler (SS-215) was making an attack on a Japanese gunboat when the gunboat suddenly turned to ram the Growler. With no chance of escape, Commander Gilmore gave the orders "left full rudder" and "all ahead flank" and he rammed the gunboat instead. The force of the impact was so great that the bow of the Growler was bent 18 feet to port. The gunboat's many machine guns were aimed at the sailors topside, killing two and grievously injuring Commander Gilmore. As the XO (who was half-way down the hatch) waited for him to crawl to the hatch to assist him below decks, Commander Gilmore uttered his now famous "take her down" so his crew and his ship could escape. To this day, submariners still use the term "take her down" in honor of Commander Gilmore.

From Quiz World War II Pacific Theatre

Answer: USS Arizona

At 8:06 on the morning of December 7, 1941, a Japanese Kate bomber dropped a bomb that hit the powder magazine on the ship. The bomb blew up along with the gunpowder that were in the powder magazine. The death toll on the Arizona was 1,100 dead; there were only 300 survivors.

From Quiz The Big E! USS Enterprise, WWII Legend

Answer: Outside Pearl Harbor

She entered Pearl Harbor the evening of the 8th and took on supplies. The absence of Pacific Fleet carriers at Pearl Harbor during the attack prevented Japan from achieving the domination of the Pacific Yamamoto had intended.

From Quiz Battle off Samar

Answer: IJN Yamato

The IJN Yamato was the most heavily armed battleship in history. She had a main battery of 9 18.1" (45.974 centimeters) guns. She was 862' (262.7376 meters) long and weighed 72,000 tons (62,317.301 metric tons, 64,285.714 long tons). The Yamato was the largest battleship in history.

From Quiz The Japanese Occupation of Malaya

Answer: The Meiji Restoration

For thousands of years, the Japan closed itself from the outside world. When 1868 came, Emperor Meiji wanted to modernise Japan and transform it into an industrial and military power. These goals came to include the expansion of the Japanese Empire.

From Quiz The Thousand Mile War

Answer: Fuzzy

RADM "Fuzzy" Theobald commanded Task Force 8 underway. After suffering the loss of Attu and Adak, he was replaced by RADM Thomas C. Kinkaid.

From Quiz World War II in Alaska

Answer: Diversion / Feint

The Imperial Japanese Naval High Command, knowing their assets to be limited, prosecuted the campaign in the Aleutians as a feint in order to draw American naval forces from the mid and south Pacific areas of operations, namely Midway Island.

From Quiz The Coastwatchers

Answer: 400

Approximately 400 Coastwatchers were operating in the 1,000 islands that made up the Solomon Islands. The majority were civilians who knew the islands and its inhabitants.

From Quiz The Silent Service

Answer: USS Shark

USS Shark was lost in February 1942. She attacked a group of Japanese transports anchored near the mouth of Ambon Harbor without scoring any torpedo hits. She escaped with slight damage from a depth charge attack made by the destroyer Amatsukaze. Five days later she reported contact with an empty Japanese cargo vessel. This was the last message ever heard from her. The reason for the loss is still under conjecture, but its probable that she was sunk near Menado by a depth charge.

From Quiz A Bastard of a Place

Answer: John Chalk

Lieutenant John Chalk commanded a rifle platoon of the Papuan Infantry Battalion. His unit ambushed Japanese forces on the night of 22nd July, 1942, a day after the landing, before retreating to fight another day.

From Quiz Major Boyington's Squadron: VMF-214

Answer: Pappy

Major Boyington's men called him Pappy. He was 31 years old and commanded VMF-214 in the Pacific.

From Quiz US Infantry Divisions-The Pacific (Nicknames)

Answer: Hourglass

The nickname of the US 7th Infantry Division is Hourglass. It received the name after its distinct red and black shoulder patch. It saw action in the Aleutians, Leyte, and Okinawa.

From Quiz The Real Bridge over the River Kwai

Answer: British

The majority of the POWs who worked on the railroad were British POWs who were taken at Singapore. 6,318 of them perished while building it.

From Quiz More Japanese Suicide Weapons of WWII

Answer: a code of conduct

During WWII, Bushido was the Japanese soldiers' code of conduct. It stressed duty, and loyalty to the Emperor. However, it was a far cry from the original and true meaning of Bushido.

From Quiz Kamikaze: Suicide Weapons I

Answer: Divine Wind

The word 'kamikaze' literally means 'divine wind' or 'heavenly wind'. The word has its origin in a heaven-sent storm that scattered the invading Mongol fleet in 1250.

From Quiz Marine Raider Battalions in WWII

Answer: they were volunteers (subject to further selection)

Every Marine who served in the Raider Battalions was a volunteer. They received the best equipment available and were given extensive training.

From Quiz The Guadalcanal Land Campaign

Answer: Operation Watchtower

The invasion of Guadalcanal was codenamed Operation Watchtower. The operation called for the seizure of Guadalcanal, Tulagi and the Florida Islands.

From Quiz Peleliu: The Bitterest Battle of the Corps

Answer: the 1st Marine Division

The 1st Marine Division under the command of Major General Rupertus was given the task of invading Peleliu.

From Quiz Tarawa: Three Days of Fury

Answer: the 2nd Marine Division

The 2nd Marine Division was given the task of invading Tarawa. The 2nd Regiment was to go in first with elements of the 8th Regiment assisting, while the 6th Regiment was held in reserve.

From Quiz The Doolittle Raid

Answer: USS Hornet

The Yorktown class carrier USS Hornet carried the aircraft that participated in the Doolittle Raid. She was later heavily damaged and sank in the battle of Santa Cruz Islands during naval phase of the Guadalcanal Campaign.

From Quiz Japanese Atrocities in WWII

Answer: it was against army policy

Officially, rape was against IJA policy.These were empty words because no one was ever charged or punished for raping women. In fact, some officers behaved worse than the enlisted men in this respect.

From Quiz 'Life' in a Japanese POW Camp

Answer: sign pledges not to escape

Upon internment, the first thing the Japanese forced the POWs to do was sign pledges not to escape. This is contrary to the rules of war and everyone knew it. However, because the Japanese threatened to execute anyone who did not sign, the men signed. This was the begining of the prisoners' woes because the Japanese did not respect what they perceived as cowardice or buckling under pressure.

From Quiz The Japanese Soldier in WWII

Answer: helmet

The tetsu-bo was the mushroom shaped helmet worn by the Japanese soldier. The five pointed star denoted the Imperial Japanese Army and the anchor the Imperial Japanese Navy.

From Quiz Semper Fi, Mac

Answer: the boondocker

The ankle length combat boot was called the boondocker. Regulations stated they were to be worn with the standard canvas leggings. More than often the leggings were discarded.

From Quiz Yamashita's Gold

Answer: Japanese

The Japanese supposedly stole the gold from Southeast Asia and hid it in the Philippines. The gold was, it is claimed, hidden in tunnels, caves and other underground systems.

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Last Updated Dec 21 2024 5:46 AM

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