Peleliu, << `pehl` uh LEE oo or PEHL uh lee `oo,` >> is a narrow raised reef island in the Western Pacific Ocean. It is also spelled Beliliou. Peleliu is one of the islands of the country of Palau. Peleliu lies about 600 miles (970 kilometers) east of the Philippines. It covers about 5 square miles (13 square kilometers). About 500 people live on the island.
Germany owned Peleliu from 1899 until World War I (1914-1918). Japan held it under a League of Nations mandate until World War II (1939-1945). The Japanese used Peleliu as a military base and dug caves in the soft coral rock for use in defense. United States Marines landed on Peleliu on Sept. 15, 1944. They captured the airfield within a week. But the defenders retreated into their caves and fought on. Organized resistance on Peleliu ended by November 25, but the last soldiers did not surrender until February 1945. From 1947 to 1994, when Palau became independent, Peleliu was part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands under U.S. administration.
See also Peleliu, Battle of.
