Palau is a chain of four islands centered on Babeldaob Island, the largest of the Palau Islands. In the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Palau Aracabesan Island, the wreckage of a Japanese Zero fighter shot down by the U.S. military in the Pacific War was found submerged in the ocean floor at a depth of about 10 meters. Many Japanese Zero fighters were also used over Palau Island, but many of them were bombed by the US forces and crashed offshore. The island of Palau was subjected to massive air raids by U.S. task forces between March 30 and April 1, 1944.
Peleliu Island was located about 50 kilometers south of Babeldaob Island, the main island of Palau. On Peleliu Island, the Japanese, numbering about 11,000, had established a large airfield and had been strengthening the airfield's defenses since April 1944. By the time American forces landed on Peleliu Island on September 15, 1944, there were only a few fighter airfields. The American forces occupied the airfield by September 16. Japanese forces gradually took it against a counterattack from about 90 meters of mountainous terrain, and the Americans occupied it on November 27. The Japanese forces were almost completely wiped out, with only about 450 survivors, 96% of whom were killed in action. Of the 28,000 American troops, about 1,544 were killed and 6,635 were wounded.
