According to Business Insider on June 26, a C-130 military transport plane landed at an airport on Peleliu Island on June 22. This is the site of the fierce Battle of Peleliu in 1944, where 1,800 American soldiers were killed and more than 8,000 wounded, while the Japanese forces suffered over 10,000 casualties.
The U.S. Marine Corps stated that this was the deadliest amphibious operation of World War II, as 50,000 soldiers attempted to capture the island before it could be defended by Japan.
The U.S. Marine Corps Engineering Detachment in Palau has been working to restore the airfield since that battle. After 80 years, this is the first time a U.S. military fixed-wing aircraft has landed on the runway on Peleliu Island. Observers believe this event is a sign that Washington wants to expand its military presence in the region.
"The landing of the C-130 on this runway after many years opens up hope for the beginning of a new chapter in the prosperous future of Peleliu Island," said Peleliu Governor Emais Roberts.
A US C-130 transport plane landed at an airport on Peleliu Island on June 22.
U.S. MARINE CORPS
Peleliu is an island belonging to the Republic of Palau. The United States is lobbying for exclusive access to the island, as it holds significant strategic importance in current U.S. policy in the Indo- Pacific .
In March, US President Joe Biden renewed agreements and announced a $7.1 billion aid package for Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. This allows the US access to these territories by land, sea, and air. Palau citizens can also work, study, and join the US military through Washington's programs.
U.S. officials have recently been seeking to restore airports that were once operational. Last year, the U.S. surveyed Tinian Island (Northern Mariana Islands), a U.S. territory, where an airfield was heavily used during World War II.
Surprisingly, Hawaii is a US territory that NATO cannot defend.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/may-bay-my-tro-lai-noi-tung-la-chung-nhan-tran-danh-lon-trong-the-chien-2-1852406261231081.htm
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