Peleliu's Forgotten WWII Battlefield

The science team revisited or located 100 sites that represent both WWII specific remains and modern debris (Appendix 3.1). The terrestrial survey inshore of the invasion beaches identified 60 artifact scatters, miscellaneous debris, pieces of equipment, or Japanese defensive positions. The team revisited 14 archaeological sites previously recorded by Denfeld (1980) and/or by Knecht, Price, and Lindsay (2012) and identified 11 previously unrecorded sites. Biological characterization of the reefs included high-resolution (mm-scale) 3D reconstructions from 424 reef plots. Five UCH sites were modeled providing baseline information on the condition and status of these WWII remains. The side-scan sonar imaged 18 acoustic contacts that were investigated; none resulted in identification of UCH. The magnetomer survey produced 20 anomalies. Of these, 12 were associated with project-located UCH, 7 remain unidentified, but are likely associated with single-point ferrous metal objects consistent with the historic Battle of Peleliu. A comprehensive KOCOA analysis of the invasion beaches and inshore area documented the effects of both defensive and offensive actions on the battlefield.