Location
Hill 100 is feature in the southern slope of Umurbrogol on Peleliu Island in Peleliu State in Palau (Republic of Palau, (Belau, Pelew). Borders the "Horseshoe Valley" and further to the southwest Peleliu Airfield.
Known to the Japanese as Higashiyama (East Mountain). During the Battle of Peleliu, designated "Hill 100" by the U.S. Marine Corps. This hill was sometimes referred to as "Honsowetz' Hill 100" for Lieutenant Colonel Honsowetz who initially ordered it to be taken. After the September 19-20, 1944 battle named "Pope's Ridge" (Pope's Hill) in honor of Captain Everett P. Pope.
Wartime History
By September 1944, the Japanese defended this location. After the U.S. Marine Corps landing on Peleliu, this feature was in the sector assigned to the 2d Battalion, 1st Marines under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Honsowetz who ordered the feature to be seized.
On September 19, 1944 C Company,
1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment (C/1/1) under the command of Captain Everett P. Pope advanced to Hill 100. Although supported by M4 Sherman tanks, the armor was unable to advance when both to slip off the approach causeway and advanced with only support from mortars fire from 2d Battalion, 1st Marines. Advancing up Hill 100, the Marines faced enemy mortar and machine guns. Killed during the action was Pfc Haig Sarafian (MIA).
By twilight, they were able to reach the summit but discovered the northeast end extended to higher ground where Japanese defenders were able to fire down onto the hilltop. Overnight, the Japanese attempted to probe their position and counterattacked. The defending Marines engaged in hand to hand fighting and resorted to throwing rocks, thrown intermittently with grenades to confuse the Japanese as they ran low of ammunition and grenades.
On September 20, 1944 by dawn, only eight remained uninjured including Captain Everett P. Pope and Sgt Arthur F. Dreves. The surviving Marines were ordered to withdraw and carried off their wounded but were forced to leave their dead. Afterwards, Pope earned the Medal of Honor for his actions and Hill 100 became known as "Pope's Ridge" or "Pope's Hill".
On
October 3, 1944 the ridge was finally captured and the dead recovered. In early October 1944, a mapping team from the 5th Marines encountered Lieutenant Colonel Walt on this hill and named it "Walt's Ridge" (Walt's Hill) unaware it had already been named and that name was instead applied to another feature further to the northeast in the Umurbrogol Pocket.
TBM-1C Avenger Bureau Number 16956
Pilot Baxter crashed September 13, 1944
atop Hill 100 to the Horseshoe
References
Marines in World War II Commemorative Series "Bloody Beaches: The Marines at Peleliu" pages 20-21, 26
The Old Breed "Hill 100 – Walt Ridge (now Pope’s Hill)"
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Last Updated
October 23, 2019
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