The most famous one that the other response doesnt mention is the Defense of Wake Island in the opening weeks of the Pacific War.

With about 500 Marines, 4 functional Wildcat fighters (after 8 others were destroyed in a dawn air raid on Dec 8th, and just 6 5in guns and 12 3in guns the Battalion held out for 2 weeks.

On Dec 11 a first invasion convoy of IJN ships was actually beaten back with 2 DD's and 2 transports sunk. But then on 23 December a much larger force built around 2 of the carriers diverted from returning from Pearl Harbor, landed over 2000 troops on Wake, in a battle lasting several hours and costing the Japanese somewhere in the area of 700 casualties before the remaining American surrendered to prevent a slaughter of the numerous remaining civilians on the island (from the pre war PanAm sea plane facilities).

The USN was about 12 hours from launching a rescue operation to either run in more supplies and fly in Marine fighter plans from the carriers Lexington and Saratoga and supporting ships. But when it was learned that the landings had already begun and Japanese carriers were int he vicinity(as opposed to extreme range land based planes from the Marshalls) the plan was called off.

The bridge aboard the Lexington at that moment was probably the closest the USN came to having an outright organized mutiny to ignore orders from a commander, with Admiral Fletcher having to actually leave the bridge so he could say he didnt hear the talk amongst his staff. Meanwhile the CO of the Marine Fighter Squadron that was close to in range to fly to the island had to be restrained when he pulled a gun to try to force his way to a plane to takeoff.

The British launched an amphibious attack against New York City during the American Revolution by landing on Long Island.

This led to the failed American defense at the battle of Brooklyn.

This battle was a defeat for Washington and the Revolutionary army, but it easily could have been an absolute disaster.

Washington was defending New York, with about 10,000 men, while the British were attacking with 30,000. Both sides bungled badly.

Washington made an almost fatal error by deploying his troops on Long Island, where British Seapower could have cut him off from the American mainland and led to his inevitable defeat. The British bungled badly by not moving quickly and aggressively enough to cut him off.

Washington managed to evacuate his whole army by night across the East River to Manhattan on boats manned by the Marblehead Regiment. Then, he managed to out march the British (just) North up Manhattan to escape into mainland New York State. If the British fleet had pushed up the Hudson earlier, they could have cut him off.

If Washington and the entire Continental Army had been cut off on Long Island or Manhattan, and forced to surrender, that might well have been the end of the Revolution. It certainly would have been difficult for the Revolutionaries to fight on.

Washington saw the trap in the nick of time, and managed to evade it (helped by some luck and some British bungling). He was a fast learner, and was careful to never again put himself in a position where he could lose the whole war in a day, or be cut off from the vast American hinterland.

This battle was the best military chance for the British to win the Revolutionary War, and they came close. Washington's escape from the trap was perhaps essential for eventual Revolutionary victory.

American forces also tried to defend Washington DC against an amphibious British attack in the War of 1812. They failed, and the British burned the White House.

The British launched another amphibious attack on New Orleans during the War of 1812 (actually the war was over, but neither side in New Orleans knew it). Andrew Jackson defeated the British attack, winning the Battle of New Orleans.

In the early stages of WWII American military forces tried to defend the Philippines against Japanese amphibious attack. They lost. The Japanese captured the Philippines.

That's four fairly major amphibious landings which American military forces defended against. There were other more minor ones, mostly by the British during the Revolution.

An example of one of the more minor amphibious assaults is the British attack on Rockport, Massachusetts (named 'Sandy Bay' at the time) in the War of 1812.

On the night of Sept 8, 1814, the British warship Nymph launched a sneak attack on the town. The British landed and caught the 'Seafencibles' who garrisoned the Old Stone Fort asleep, capturing all nine of them. (Not sure whether these Seafencibles were US troops or local militia?)

Local legend has it that the townspeople fought off the British using their stockings as slings to hurl cobblestones at them. This legend is not verified.

More likely is that the British had put a cannon in the second boat which attacked town. The cannon fired once into Sandy Bay, and the recoil caused the boat to sink. The crew of nine, floundering ashore, were arrested by the townspeople. There was and exchange of prisoners, and the British sailed off.

Apparently part of the deal was that the British would throw the two cannon in the Old Stone Fort into the sea, but that the Nymph would never bother Sandy Bay fishermen again.

https://kryhul.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/a-war-of-1812-tale-thatll-knock-your-socks-off/