Film & Animation
Autos & Vehicles
Music
Pets & Animals
Sports
Gaming
People & Blogs
Comedy
Entertainment
News & Politics
Howto & Style
Science & Technology
Wake Island: The Last Stand That Stunned Japan
Yarnhub
Follow and Wishlist our game on Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/3606970?utm_source=0244
December 1941. It’s the early days of the Pacific War and Wake Island – a small atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean – is enduring daily raids by Japanese bombers. The defenders must rely on half-finished fortifications, outdated coastal guns, the four surviving planes of USMC Fighter Squadron 211, some AA guns that have AA directors, the help of civilian builders, and sheer determination. The poorly equipped but well-trained marines are busily preparing for the worst.
On December 11th, a Japanese landing force under Rear Admiral Kajioka sails closer to Wake Island, determined to obtain this atoll as a forward air base for the Imperial Japanese Navy. The bomber pilots have reported that over the last three days they have leveled the defences there, so not much resistance is to be expected.
Sources:
1. R. D. Heinl Jr. The Defense of Wake. U.S. Marine Corps, 1947
2. J. P. S. Devereux The Story of Wake Island. NY, 1947
3. R. J. Cressman A Magnificent Fight: Marines in the Battle for Wake Island. Naval Institute Press 1997
4. G. R. Cunningham Tactical Effectiveness of Naval Aviation at https://www.historycentral.com/navy/stories/Cuningham.html
5. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/n/narrative-of-captain-ws-cunningham-us-navy-relative-to-events-o-wake-island-in-december-1941-and-subsequent-related-events.html
6. John F. Kinney, Wake Island Pilot: A World War II Memoir. Sterling, VA: Potomac Books, 2005
Hit join to become a member and get exclusive perks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-f2WBfSCZiu0bOBydjot3w/join
Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/yarnhub
Check out our exclusive merch https://yarnhub-shop.fourthwall.com
Join us on Discord https://discord.gg/yarnhub-1087778019822813334
00:00 Japanese Task Force Bombards Wake Island
01:37 US Marine Gunners Ambush Wake Invasion Task Force
03:11 Japanese Destroyer Hayate Explodes and Sinks
04:04 F4F Wildcat Fighters Launch Counterattack
06:35 Captain Henry ‘Hank’ Elrod Sinks Destroyer Kisaragi
07:03 Captain Elrod Crash-Lands Wildcat
08:45 Captain Freuler and 2nd Lieutenant Davidson Intercept Bombers
12:16 Rear Admiral Sadamichi Kajioka Launches Invasion
13:18 US Marine Aviators Hold the Line
15:05 Captain Elrod Falls In Combat
16:16 Commander Cunningham Surrenders
Yarnhub uses the Unreal® Engine. Unreal® is a trademark or registered trademark of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere. Unreal® Engine, Copyright 1998 – 2026, Epic Games, Inc. All rights reserved.
December 1941. It’s the early days of the Pacific War and Wake Island – a small atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean – is enduring daily raids by Japanese bombers. The defenders must rely on half-finished fortifications, outdated coastal guns, the four surviving planes of USMC Fighter Squadron 211, some AA guns that have AA directors, the help of civilian builders, and sheer determination. The poorly equipped but well-trained marines are busily preparing for the worst.
On December 11th, a Japanese landing force under Rear Admiral Kajioka sails closer to Wake Island, determined to obtain this atoll as a forward air base for the Imperial Japanese Navy. The bomber pilots have reported that over the last three days they have leveled the defences there, so not much resistance is to be expected.
Sources:
1. R. D. Heinl Jr. The Defense of Wake. U.S. Marine Corps, 1947
2. J. P. S. Devereux The Story of Wake Island. NY, 1947
3. R. J. Cressman A Magnificent Fight: Marines in the Battle for Wake Island. Naval Institute Press 1997
4. G. R. Cunningham Tactical Effectiveness of Naval Aviation at https://www.historycentral.com/navy/stories/Cuningham.html
5. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/n/narrative-of-captain-ws-cunningham-us-navy-relative-to-events-o-wake-island-in-december-1941-and-subsequent-related-events.html
6. John F. Kinney, Wake Island Pilot: A World War II Memoir. Sterling, VA: Potomac Books, 2005
Hit join to become a member and get exclusive perks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-f2WBfSCZiu0bOBydjot3w/join
Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/yarnhub
Check out our exclusive merch https://yarnhub-shop.fourthwall.com
Join us on Discord https://discord.gg/yarnhub-1087778019822813334
00:00 Japanese Task Force Bombards Wake Island
01:37 US Marine Gunners Ambush Wake Invasion Task Force
03:11 Japanese Destroyer Hayate Explodes and Sinks
04:04 F4F Wildcat Fighters Launch Counterattack
06:35 Captain Henry ‘Hank’ Elrod Sinks Destroyer Kisaragi
07:03 Captain Elrod Crash-Lands Wildcat
08:45 Captain Freuler and 2nd Lieutenant Davidson Intercept Bombers
12:16 Rear Admiral Sadamichi Kajioka Launches Invasion
13:18 US Marine Aviators Hold the Line
15:05 Captain Elrod Falls In Combat
16:16 Commander Cunningham Surrenders
Yarnhub uses the Unreal® Engine. Unreal® is a trademark or registered trademark of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere. Unreal® Engine, Copyright 1998 – 2026, Epic Games, Inc. All rights reserved.
Show more
