Army troops that become the 52nd Independent Mixed Brigade land on Ponape; the brigade is formally reorganized in May 1944.

What happened

The 52nd Independent Mixed Brigade was the main army force on Pohnpei, about 3,300 men under Lt. Gen. Masao Watanabe, alongside the navy’s guard unit. Pohnpei was never invaded, and the brigade stayed until it was shipped home in December 1945 and January 1946.