after the capture of the marianas, the navy turned its attention to the western caroline islands. fast carrier task forces ranged a wide area prior to the landings at peleliu, palau islands, and morotai, in the netherlands east indies, diverting or destroying japanese forces that might have attempted to interfere with the invasion. their planes struck chichi jima, iwo jima, yap, palau, and mindanao, in the philippines. three days before the assault troops were slated to go ashore, ships and planes hurled an intensive air and surface bombardment against the japanese defenses, while minesweepers cleared the waters off peleliu and angaur islands, and underwater demolition teams destroyed beach obstructions. on 15 september, "windsor" participated in the assault landings at peleliu, putting ashore various elements of the 1st marine division, as part of tf 32.