Hello, and thank you for listening to The History of World War II podcast, Episode

257, The Fall of Wake Island.

As the month of December was passing by, the Marines on Wake held out, holding up the

Japanese timetable of Operation No. 1.

But by the early morning of December 23, the invaders heavily reinforced approached

the three little islands for their second landing attempt, and no longer a concern were

the defenders' wildcat fighters.

With their overwhelming superiority of men and ships, the Japanese were approaching the

islands' various shores.

As we saw last time, the Marines on Wilkes Island on the lower half of the sideways you had

successfully defended their turf, to the point of massacring every enemy soldier who set foot

on the island.

But had paid a price for it, and now they were being sheld by Admiral Kajioca's fleet,

only to be replaced by more accurate Dodd bombers.

The air attack went on until at least 2pm, and that still left the 900-man force approaching

the main island from the south.

Going back to the early morning, the Marine leading the defense there was 2nd Lieutenant

Robert Hanna.

He watched as the closest Japanese patrol boat to him, Bo-32, touched shore.

As it was almost as big as a destroyer, it held hundreds of men.

But not to let the situation get out of hand, Hanna took control of battery age and had

some 20 shells fired at the craft.

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