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The Battle of Kwajalein was fought as part of the Pacific campaign of World War II. It took place from 31 January-3 February 1944, on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Employing the hard-learned lessons of the battle of Tarawa, the United States launched a successful twin assault on the main islands of Kwajalein in the south and Roi-Namur in the north. The Japanese defenders put up stiff resistance, although outnumbered and under-prepared. The determined defense of Roi-Namur left only 51 survivors of an original garrison of 3,500. Marines suffered 206 killed, 617 wounded and 181 missing.
JOHNSON, Theodore K, First Lieutenant, O-013977, USMC, from Massachusetts, Honolulu Memorial + JOHNSON, Theodore Knapp, 13977, Co I, 3rd Bn, 24th Mar, 4th Mar Div, FMF, Marshall Is, February 1, 1944, died of wounds + JOHNSON, Theodore K., 1st Lieutenant, USMCR. Brother, Mr. Charles F. Johnson, 516 Wildwood Rd., West Allenhurst, NJ
Body Not Recovered
Other Comments:
Theodore Johnson was born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts. He was the youngest son of Oscar and Louise Johnson, and attended Dartmouth College. Ted enlisted in the Marine Corps in February, 1942. After completing his training at Parris Island, he was sent to the Marine barracks at Balboa near the Panama Canal. He was only there a few months before being appointed a Private First Class and sent to Quantico, Virginia, for officer candidate school. He received his commission as a second lieutenant in late 1942, and was posted to Company C, First Separate Battalion at New River. Johnson was promoted to First Lieutenant in the summer of 1943, and became the company executive officer. He was close friends with a number of other officers in the battalion, even joining a four-part singing group. "TK" embarked on the USS DuPage in January 1944, and sailed with his battalion for the invasion of Namur. A heavy sleeper, he was late to wake up even on the morning of the invasion. A few short hours later, Lieutenant Johnson was shot in the leg by a Japanese sniper. He was quickly evacuated to the USS Bolivar, but died of his wound during the night of February 1, 1944. He was buried at sea.
Eastern Mandates Campaign (1944)/Operation Flintlock/Battle of Roi-Namur Island
From Month/Year
February / 1944
To Month/Year
February / 1944
Description Japan took over in 1914 and colonised the Marshalls extensively, developing and fortifying large bases on many of the islands. Roi-Namur was the target of the U.S. 4th Marine Division in the Battle of Kwajalein, in February 1944. During the Japanese occupation, the two islands were connected by a narrow neck of land and causeway. After the American occupation, US Navy SeaBees filled the area between the islands by December 1944; the two islands are now joined are presently called Roi-Namur with a total area of about one square mile.
