Operation Flintlock, Marshall Islands 1944 | Midnight Waves | Easy Red 2

Midnight Waves
2/1/44
Nighttime Japanese counterattacks were launched after the initial U.S. landings during Operation Flintlock. Although the Japanese garrison on Kwajalein had been heavily bombarded and was significantly weakened, its remaining units attempted to disrupt the American foothold with small, determined infiltration groups. These attacks typically occurred after dark, when visibility was low and U.S. lines were still consolidating. Japanese soldiers tried to slip through gaps in the perimeter, using the cover of rubble, palm groves, and destroyed buildings to get close enough for grenade and close-quarters attacks.

The “Midnight Waves” were characterized by their fanatical resolve but limited coordination, reflecting how fragmented the Japanese defensive network had become. U.S. troops—especially those on the forward edges of Red, Green, and Yellow Beach sectors—spent the night repelling sudden thrusts from small groups armed with grenades, rifles, and occasionally satchel charges. Machine-gun crews, riflemen, and tanks posted as night guards cut down most attacks before they could break the perimeter. Although the assaults were intense and nerve-wracking, they failed to dislodge the American beachhead. By morning, the Japanese had taken heavy casualties, and their ability to mount organized resistance was further eroded, helping ensure the rapid U.S. advance across Kwajalein Island the following day.