in ian ▁Island ▁was ▁declared ▁secured ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁se cur ing ▁of ▁T in ian ▁helped ▁to ▁established ▁a ▁large ▁bom ber ▁base ▁from ▁which ▁U . S . ▁plan es ▁could ▁operate ▁over ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁Sea ▁and ▁onto ▁Japan . ▁For ▁his ▁service ▁on ▁Sa ip an ▁and ▁T in ian , ▁ ▁Wal lace ▁was ▁decor ated ▁with ▁the ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Mer it ▁with ▁Com bat ▁" V ". ▁ ▁Wal lace ▁subsequently ▁returned ▁with ▁his ▁regiment ▁to ▁Sa ip an ▁to ▁prepare ▁for ▁further ▁deployment . ▁However ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁Mar ines ▁were ▁later ▁designated ▁as ▁reserve ▁troops ▁for ▁the ▁III ▁Marine ▁Am ph ib ious ▁Corps ▁for ▁the ▁Ok ina wa ▁land ings ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁The ▁ 8 th ▁Mar ines ▁served ▁only ▁as ▁a ▁de ception ▁landing ▁force ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁battle ▁until ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁when ▁the ▁command ing ▁general ▁of ▁T enth ▁Army , ▁Simon ▁B . ▁Buck ner , ▁requested ▁their ▁deployment . ▁ ▁Wal lace ▁brought ▁his ▁regiment ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁front ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁rel ieved ▁the ▁exha usted ▁ 7 th ▁Marine ▁Regiment . ▁The ▁ 8 th ▁Marine ▁Regiment ▁was ▁task ed ▁with ▁cutting ▁off ▁the ▁lines ▁and ▁reaching ▁the ▁coast . ▁Lieutenant ▁General ▁Buck