The Battle of Kwajalein commenced with landings by the 4th Marine Division and the 7th Infantry Division under the command of Marine Corps General Holland "Howlin Mad" Smith, an acknowledged expert on amphibious warfare that some have called the "father of amphibious warfare".
Smith went to Auburn University, graduating in 1901, but his goal was to become an Army officer. He was already a cavalry 1st Sergeant in the Alabama National Guard. Nonetheless, following his undergraduate degree, he went to law school and obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree (JD's were not yet common) from the University of Alabama. He thereafter practiced law in Montgomery, Alabama for a year.
Apparently he had second thoughts about that and determined to revive his interest in joining the Army. He sought a commission, but none were available, so he instead obtained one from the Marine Corps, entering the Corps on March 20, 1905. He'd later claim not to have known of the existence of the Marine Corps until the Army recruiter told them they were not accepting applicants, and referred him to the Marine recruiter down the block, although that's almost certain false. The Marines were well known by 1905, and as he was seeking entry through a direct commission, an application process would have existed, rather than simply joining.
His first assignment as a Marine was in the Philippines. He first saw action in 1916 in the Dominican Republic. He was deployed to France in World War One in June 1917. He was awarded the Purple Heart for service in the Great War, for merit, something that was not done after World War One. During World War Two, he became instrumental in training both Marine and Army units in amphibious operations.
Smith, during World War Two, tended not to plan for disengagement of his forces once they were committed, something the Army regarded as foolhardy but which reflected the reality of amphibious operations. The "no plan for retreat" ethos, however, crept into the Marine Corps as a result, and was evidenced in it long after.
He retired in 1946, and lived until 1967, dying at age 84. His wife had already passed, but he was survived by a son, Rear Admiral John V. Smith, a 1934 Naval Academy graduate.
Sarah Sundin's entry on this event:
Today in World War II History—January 31, 1944: US Army and Marines land on Kwajalein & Majuro in the Marshall Islands, with the first use of the DUKW amphibious vehicle in the Pacific .
The Allies took Majuro in the Marshall's.
The landing force had expected opposition, but the Japanese had withdrawn to Kwajalein and Eniwetok, leaving a single warrant officer as a caretaker in what must have been an anxiety filled roll. He was captured, and along with him, one of the largest anchorages in the Pacific.
The U-592 was sunk by three Royal Navy sloops. All hands were lost.
