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PART IV. AN ISLAND CALLED HELEN
After Guadalcanal, the Leathernecks of the Second Marine Division were tired. Living on short rations, under regular Japanese air and naval bombardment, fighting in tough combat against a skillful and tenacious enemy, the Marines were worn out. In addition to the stresses and strains of combat, they had endured on the 'canal one of the world's most challenging environments. Many of them were suffering from Malaria, Dengue Fever, and all types of fungal infections. They needed a break and New Zealand offered it. By 1 March 1943, the all divisional units were settled into their camps on New Zealand's North Island. For the Marines who had served in the Solomons, New Zealand became a second home that they would remember fondly for the rest of their lives. And the people opened their homes and hearts to the Americans. In Follow Me! The Story of the Second Marine Division in World War II, author Richard Johnston put it this way:
As malaria burned through the ranks, unit struggled to manage sick-call rolls that seemed to grow and grow. But the pace of life in New Zealand helped the Marines to heal. As young men with a little cash will do, the Marines hit the beach on liberty to take in the sites of Wellington, drink beer, chase women, and just plain have fun. The first few weeks were dubbed, "The Battle of Wellington," not for any brawls, but because they devoted so much energy to having a good time. Living in either pyramidal tents, or huts heated by coal and oil stoves, the men of the Division ate tons of steak, eggs, and butter, and they drank countless gallons of fresh milk.
But the Second Marine Division wasn't in New Zealand for a pleasure trip. Replacements reported aboard and were absorbed into the ranks. Soon, the training schedule began to steal away time to spend with friends out in town. As 1943 wore on, the fewer men came down with the wracking fevers, and a new sense of purpose burned through the ranks. On 1 May, a new commanding general took over—MajGen Julian Smith. He and his staff were briefed on the plans for operations in the Gilberts in August 1943. In September, each battalion landing team carried out amphibious landing maneuvers.
By mid-1943, American forces were planning for major amphibious thrusts into the central Pacific. On 20 July 1943, Adm Chester Nimitz, CINCPAC, was directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to begin planning and preparation for assaults into the Gilbert Islands. OPERATION GALVANIC, as it was code named, the assault had the following assigned tasks for the Second Marine Division:
Tarawa Atoll was located about 2,400 miles southwest of Pearl Harbor. Roughly triangular in shape, the atoll stretched about 18 miles from north to south and was about 12 miles wide at its base. The central lagoon had a channel on its southwestern side large enough for ships to enter. As the largest of the atoll's islands, Betio (code named HELEN) was also the site of the main Japanese defenses. Situated at the southwestern corner of the atoll, Betio controlled access into the lagoon. Betio itself has been described as being shaped like a seahorse lying on its back. The island has a maximum elevation of only 10 feet above sea level and it has no ponds or streams. In 1943 most of Betio was covered by palm trees. Betio was 291 acres of coral sand, about 2 miles long from east to west and 800 yards from north to south at its widest point.
The Second Marine Division was assigned to the Vth Amphibious Corps on 15 September 1943. The Corps also had the Army 27th Infantry Division attached and this unit was given the mission of assaulting Makin, another atoll in the Gilberts located about 100 miles north of Tarawa. Divisional planners completed the operations order on 25 October 1943. The plan of attack specified that the 2nd Marines would make the primary assault with an attached battalion of the 8th Marines. The remainder of this regiment was tasked as divisional reserve and the 6th Marines remained in reserve for the initial landing. Each regiment was designated as a Combat Team, and the individual battalions were each designated as a Landing Team with engineer, antitank, medical and other supportiing elements attached for their specific combat missions.
D-Day for OPERATION GALVANIC was 20 November 1943 with H-Hour set for 0830. The invasion armada arrived on station west of Tarawa Atoll in the predawn hours and began the intricate maneuvers necessary to land the landing force. U. S. naval and air forces had already begun preparatory bombardment against targets on the atoll, and now heavy fire support ships were about to join the fight. But the enemy now had something to say. As the troop carrying ships were moving into position in the darkness, Japanese shore batteries opened up. The heavy batteries of the battleships USS Colorado (BB-45) and USS Maryland (BB-46) laid down heavy fire against the enemy positions and soon other fire support ships joined in.
The landing plan called for an assault against Betio's northern shore. The assault regiment for D-Day was the 2nd Marines, under command of Col David Shoup. Attached was a battalion from the 8th Marines. Assault battalions each were assigned to a beach head of about 500 yards each. From west to east, they were broken down like this: Beach Red 1, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, commanded by Maj James F. Schoettel War correspondent Robert Sherrod accompanied LtCol Amey's Landing Team 2/2 aboard USS Zeilin (APA-3) and captured the D-1 preparations in Tarawa-The Story of a Battle:
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