THE SECOND MARINE DIVISION IN WORLD WAR II "The Silent Second"

 

PART IVa. D-DAY ON BETIO

The eyes of the two veteran major generals are misty when they view the bodies of gallant Marines who were killed before they reached the seawall. Says Holland Smith, "You must have three or four hundred here, Julian." But the most stirring sight is the Marine who is leaning in death against the seawall, one arm still supported upright by the weight of his body. On top of the seawall, just beyond his upraised hand, lies a blue and white flag, a beach marker to tell succeeding waves where to land. Says Holland Smith, "How can men like that ever be defeated? This Marine's duty was to plant that flag on top of the seawall. He did his duty, though it cost him his life. Semper Fidelis meant more to him than just a catch phrase." Tarawa: The Story of a Battle by Robert Sherrod

 

The Marines awoke early in the morning of D-Day, 20 November 1943, and saddled up in their 782 gear. After a hurried breakfast in the steaming galleys of the transports, they clambered down the swinging troop nets into waiting landing boats that bobbed in the ocean below. War correspondent Robert Sherrod was an eyewitness to the events of the battle and recorded some of his impressions of Marines preparing for the assault in Tarawa-The Story of a Battle:

"At 0400 I went below. I stood outside the wardroom as the first and second waves walked through and out to their boats. Most of the men were soaked; their green-and-brown-spotted jungle dungarees had turned a darker green when the sweat from their bodies soaked through. They jested with one another. Only a few even whistled to keep up their courage...The order had gone out: they must put on clean clothing just before going ashore, in order to diminish the chances of infection from wounds, but now they looked dirty. Under the weight, light through it was, of their combat packs, lifebelts, guns, ammunition, helmets, canvas leggings, bayonets, they were sweating in great profusion."

Second Division Marines climb down the troop nets from their transport to a waiting Higgins boat below. The Marines of the initial assault waves carried out this evolution in the pre-dawn darkness. US Marine Corps photo

As the sun began to peek over the horizon, the boats made a rendezvous with LVTs of the 2nd Amphibian Tractor Battalion. In a hazardous procedure called cross-decking, the fully laden men climbed from their boats into the amtracs while crewmen held the craft together with boat hooks. Then it was the old story of hurry up and wait. Plowing circles in the ocean while all the pieces came together, the amtracs formed into waves for the run-in. Their passengers had a front row seat to what must have seemed like hell on earth. Richard W. Johnston recorded the view in the divisional history:

"The inside of the lagoon was like a smoldering volcano. The long, flat island was canopied in smoke, and its splintered palms looked like the broken teeth of a comb. At many points orange fire studded the haze, and at dead center a great spiral of black smoke curled up from a pulsing blaze that now was red, but at first had been white and hot as a magnesium flare. An ammunition dump."

Just before H-Hour, amphibian tractors grind across the coral reef toward Betio. Still image from USMC combat camera film

The first ships to enter the lagoon were the minesweepers USS Requisite (AM-109) and USS Pursuit (AM-108), which began the dangerous work of sweeping the channels. Taken under fire by Japanese gunners on shore, they were soon joined by the destroyers USS Ringgold (DD-500) and USS Dashiell (DD-659). The line of departure was marked about 6,000 yards from the beach. Now the churning columns of amtracs moved from their assembly areas into the lagoon and began the final run-in to the beach head.

H-HOUR

H-Hour was delayed first to 0845, and then until 0900, in this first large scale employment of amphibious assault against a defended shore. The assault waves were preceded by the Regimental Scout/Sniper Platoon, led by 1stLt William Hawkins, and a detachment of combat engineers under 1stLt Alan G. Leslie, Jr. In the divisional history, Richard Johnston wrote about them:

"Their mission was to land on the end of the pier that reached 500 yards into the lagoon and clean out all Japs—Japs who might enfilade the assault waves. They made the pier, at 0855—the first Americans to land in the Gilberts, the first men ashore in the Central Pacific offensive (if the pier could be called shore). On the way in, they learned a terrible truth: instead of the usually low neap tide which had been taken into account, we had an even lower 'dodging tide,' and the reef was almost bare. It would not float the shallow-draft Higgins boats. Only the amphibious tractors could be assured of reaching land. They learned something else, too. There were plenty of Japs left on Betio, and they were shooting with rifles, machine guns, anti-boat guns and mountain guns."

Only a few hundred yards from Red 3, an amtrac loaded with Marines of Maj Crowe's Landing Team 2/8 heads for the beach. Only a few minutes before this picture was taken, 1stLt Hawkins' platoon of scout/snipers had fought their way across the pier in the background. US Marine Corps photo

Twenty-nine year old 1stLt Hawkins, who hailed from El Paso, Texas,was nicknamed "Hawk." Leading his 34-Marine platoon, Hawkins was killed in action on D+1. He later received a posthumous Medal of Honor for his heroism on Tarawa. Of his actions on D-Day, the Medal of Honor citation noted:

"The first to disembark from the jeep lighter, [1stLt] Hawkins unhesitatingly moved forward under heavy enemy fire at the end of the Betio pier, neutralizing emplacements in coverage of troops assaulting the main breach positions. Fearlessly leading his men on to join the forces fighting desperately to gain a beachhead, he repeatedly risked his life throughout the day and night to direct and lead attacks on pill boxes and installations with grenades and demolition."

Once in their line formations heading to the beach, the assault waves bucked a strong head wind from the south that further delayed their movement. In the tight choreograph of the assault, this meant that naval gunfire support was lifted according to plan, but the infantry Marines were still many yards from the beach. The Japanese used the lull to reconsolidate and reorganize. Now they began to take the amtracs under heavy fire. First, artillery pieces opened up, soon to be joined up heavy machine guns, mortars, and then rifle fire as the tractors clambered into range on the coral reef

Marines of Landing Team 3/2 first set their boondockers onto Red 1's coral sand at 0910 and they were savaged by Japanese fire. Over on Red 3, Maj Crowe's men of Landing Team 2/8 next reached shore at 0917. Japanese gunners had been firing air burst artillery at them for the last 3,000 yards of the run-in. At 0922, Landing Team 2/2 hit the beach on Red 2, struck hard by heavy anti-boat and machine gun fire. all across the beach head it was the same story: heavy casualties, burning tractors, men clinging on to a narrow piece of land.

The living and the dead on Red 3. US Marine Corps photo

Among the many casualties that day was LtCol Amey, CO of Landing Team 2/2. He and his command group waited aboard a landing boat at the line of departure as the first three waves began their run to the beach. Amey then ordered the boat crew to move closer to the beach, but the boat could not float over the exposed coral. Somehow Amey flagged down two amtracs and transferred his group into them. The amtracs came under heavy fire and got separated. Amey's tractor was forced to halt about 200 yards from Red 2 by an obstacle of barbed wire on the reef. As the group waded in, they were hit by heavy and accurate enemy machine gun fire, killing Amey instantly and leaving 2/2 temporarily without a commander.

Red 2 was a slaughter house and Marines struggled forward among the dead and dying to reach the sheltering seawall. A tractor carrying 20 combat engineers was struck by a high-velocity round about 30 yards off the beach. Only three engineers survived, and they lost their equipment in the carnage.

Combat engineers played an intrinsic role in the assault. They were skilled at destroying enemy fortifications with satchel charges, flamethrowers and bangelore torpedoes. and these skills were sorely need on D-Day. Sgt Robert C. Toler, landed in the morning with his engineer platoon of 1st Battalion, 18th Marines. As his Navy Cross citation stated:

"Organizing his platoon and directing vigorous attacks against strong enemy positions blocking the movement of our forces, Sergeant Toler braved intense hostile barrages to lead his men in destroying or neutralizing the most important Japanese fortifications with demolitions and flame throwers, thereby clearing the way for our advancing troops. A fearless and undaunted leader, Sergeant Toler voluntarily performed forward reconnaissance at grave personal risk, remaining in dangerous positions in order to select targets for his platoon's fire."

SSgt William D. Bordelon of Company C, 1st Battalion, 18th Marines and a veteran of the campaign for Guadalcanal, was the senior living engineer NCO on Red 2 that morning. At 22-years old, the Texan was one of four survivors from his amtrac when they made it ashore under relentless fire. His posthumous Medal of Honor citation told a story of incredible courage under fire:

"SSgt Bordelon hurriedly made demolition charges and personally put two pillboxes out of action. Hit by enemy machine gun fire just as a charge exploded in his hand while assaulting a third position, he courageously remained in action and, although out of demolition, provided himself with a rifle and furnished fire coverage for a group of men scaling the seawall. Disregarding his own serious condition, he unhesitatingly went to the aid of one of his demolition men, wounded and calling for help in the water, rescuing this man and another who had been hit by enemy fire while attempting to make the rescue. Still refusing first aid for himself, he again made up demolition charges and single-handedly assaulted a fourth Japanese machine gun position but was instantly killed when caught in a final burst of fire from the enemy."

Historian and retired Marine Joseph Alexander wrote of Bordelon's courage:

"This whole flurry of activity took place in less than 15 minutes. Those who witnessed it were astonished; even the Guadalcanal veterans had never seen anything like Bordelon's furious, one-man war. There were others who should have been similarly honored, but no man on any beach on Betio on D-Day was braver than Bill Bordelon."

In this scene from a Marine combat cameraman's film, a group of Marines wades through the lagoon toward the beach on Betio. This was a hazardous journey on D-Day and many men were killed or wounded before ever reaching the shoreline. Still image from USMC combat camera film

Thirty-three year old 1stLt Alexander Bonnyman was a shore party officer attached to Landing Team 2/8 on Red 3. That day on Tarawa, he saw the need for decisive action, and took charge. Bonnyman's posthumous Medal of Honor citation recounted his heroism during the chaos of D-Day:

"Acting on his own initiative when assault troops were pinned down at the far end of Betio Pier by the overwhelming fire of Japanese shore batteries, [1stLt] Bonnyman repeatedly defied the blasting fury of the enemy bombardment to organize and lead the besieged men over the long, open pier to the beach and then, voluntarily obtaining flame throwers and demolitions, organized his pioneer shore party into assault demolitions and directed the blowing of several hostile installations before the close of D-Day."

BLOOD AND CORAL

At 0958, 2nd Marines regimental commander Col David M. Shoup committed his reserve battalion, Landing Team 1/2 under Maj Kyle. There were only enough amtracs to carry A and B Companies in the first lift. Able and Baker dutifully cross-decked from their Higgins boats and landed on Red 2 at about 1130 under heavy fire. The incoming fusillade was so severe, it forced several tractors to veer off and divert westward toward Red 1.

Many leaders were dead. Radios didn't work. Divisional command out on the Maryland had but a vague idea of the situation ashore. Only fragmentary reports were coming back from the beach, but the situation looked bad. About 45 minutes after landing, a unit radioed the alarming report: "The issue is in doubt." Col Shoup and his his command group made a dangerous approach to Red 2 and hit the beach around 1100. Shoup himself was painfully wounded wading to shore. At 1036 divisional commander MajGen Smith radioed Vth Amphibious Corps:

"Successful landing on Beaches Red 2 and 3. Toe hold on Red 1. Am committing one [Landing Team] from division reserve. Still encountering strong resistance throughout."

The landing team mentioned in the above message was 3/8, released to 2nd Marines' control at 1018. Boated in landing craft, the 3/8 reached the line of departure at 1103 and received orders to land on Red 3 to support Maj Crowe's Landing Team 2/8.

Many of the 87 amphibian tractors that had carried in the first waves onto shore were lost, some to direct hits from enemy artillery and mortars, others holed by machine gun and leaking, others to mechanical trouble. Now, the men of Landing Team 3/8 paid for the loss with their lives because there were no tractors to carry them shoreward. Forced into the water between 500- to 800-yards from shore, the Marines now faced the open reef and the deadly prospect of wading to shore. As the first groups of Landing Team 3/8 began their trek, the Japanese opened up on them with accurate direct fire and mortars. These Marines endured heavy casualties before making shore, especially among the officers and NCOs.

Marines move out from the cover of Tarawa's seawall on D-Day. US Marine Corps photo

Now the hard backbone of the Corps took over. Decimated squads, platoons and companies still had a mission to accomplish. With about 2,000 Marines on the beach by mid-morning, there was nowhere to go but forward. Marines of all ranks stepped up to the challenge. Their opponents were elite troops of the Japanese Special Naval Landing Force. Elite they may have been, but the U. S. Marines were that and more. 31 Navy Crosses were later awarded to men of the Second Marine Division for their D-Day feats of heroism. Their individual acts of gallantry marked the path of victory at Tarawa. Some of their citations, extracted below, bear testament to their courage exhibited by those who fought on an island called Helen.

Cpl Hubert C. Luther, a squad leader in one of the assault companies of Landing Team 3/2, hit the beach on Red 1 and then recognized imminent danger. His posthumous Navy Cross citation read:

"While leading his squad forward in an attack, Corporal Luther observed an enemy 40-mm. gun on his left firing on boats of succeeding waves attempting to land on the beach. Although the weapon was outside of his assigned zone of action, Corporal Luther quickly reorganized his depleted squad and, on his own initiative, led his men in a daring assault on the hostile emplacement and skillfully destroyed the gun and its crew with hand grenades before he was killed."

The beach head was so narrow that amtracs became targets for Japanese hand grenades. Cpl John J. Spillane, Company A, 2d Amphibian Tractor Battalion engaged in a contest with enemy infantry. His Navy Cross citation stated:

"When several enemy grenades were thrown into the troop-filled cargo compartment of his tractor during the initial assault, Corporal Spillane unhesitatingly, and with complete disregard for his own personal safety, began throwing the grenades out of the vehicle, successfully disposing of two before the third exploded in his hand and inflicted severe, multiple wounds."

Against Japanese tanks, the infantry did not yet have bazookas, so they had to reply on grenades and other improvised methods to destroy enemy armor. Sgt Roy W. Johnson, a squad leader in Company I, 3/2, landed in one of the first waves and got his men pushing forward. His Navy Cross citation told the story:

"Detecting an imbedded, well-camouflaged enemy tank obstructing the advance of his squad and inflicting heavy casualties on his company, Sergeant Johnson valiantly risked his life in an effort to neutralize the hostile weapons. Crawling through withering fire, he successfully gained the turret and, after dropping a grenade within the enclosure, closed the hatch and sat on it until the ensuing explosion put the tank out of action... He gallantly gave his life for his country."

A rifleman takes aim at a Japanese defender during the fighting on Betio. Still image from USMC combat camera film

Tarawa was the first combat deployment of the M4 Sherman medium tank by the Marine Corps in World War II. 14 Shermans of the Company C, 1st Marine Amphibious Corps Medium Tank Battalion, fought their way across the reef to provide much needed fire support for the infantry. Under its skipper, 1stLt Edward Bale, Charlie drove in two columns across the reef, led forward by guides to bring the tanks around shell holes and obstacles. By the end of D-Day, only two of Charlie Company's Shermans were still operational.

Joining the the Shermans was the 2nd Tank Battalion, which landed 36 of its M3A1 Stuart light tanks, 19 of which would be lost to enemy fire, sinking, or mechanical breakdowns. Without the tools that would make tank-infantry cooperation so effective in later campaigns (such as tank-infantry phones, clear lines of command between infantry units and tankers, fording kits, etc.) the tankers first had to negotiate the shallow reef just like their infantry brothers.

Colorado, one of the diesel-powered M4A2 medium tanks of Company C, 1st MAC Medium Tank Battalion, on Red 3 during the D-Day combat on Betio. 1stLt Lou Largey commanded Colorado and was also a platoon leader. He led a reinforced platoon ashore, but by dusk, his tank was the only one still in operation on Red 3. Late on D-Day, a Japanese soldier set Colorado on fire with a gasoline bomb, but the quick-thinking crew drove it into the water to put out the flames. Still image from USMC combat camera film

Brave scouts dismounted to wade ahead of the tanks and thread a treacherous needle avoiding shell holes, and the dead and wounded. Many of them were killed by Japanese fire, but others stood ready to take the place of the dead or wounded. Among these Marines was Pvt James W. Tobey, 2d Tank Battalion. His Navy Cross citation told of cool bravery on D-Day:

"When the lane of channel markers laid by his party over a shell-and-bomb-pocked coral reef was swept away, Pvt Tobey unhesitatingly served as a human marker under intense, persistent enemy fire and, after the tanks had safely reached the island, immediately made his way forward one hundred and fifty yards inside the hostile lines to a disabled tank, guided it back through his own lines to the beach and was highly instrumental in restoring it to operating condition."

Once ashore, tanks went where they were needed on the battlefield. One tank commander received orders from an infantry battalion commander to "knock out all enemy positions encountered." Tankers and infantrymen learned by doing, and soon were hammering out the basics that would serve Marines well not only on Tarawa, but in campaigns to come. But it was not easy that day and the tankers faced the same dangers as every man who endured D-Day on Betio.

Early in the evening, pack howitzers of 1st Battalion, 10th Marines landed on Red 2. Lugging their broken down guns by hand, the artillerymen brought five sections to the beach and set them up in a confined space that would never be found in the book. But they were there and that was good enough. By sunrise on D+1, the gunners were ready for fire missions.

The sheltering seawall became a haven for Marines as they struggled off the reef. Behind its cover, they reorganized and regrouped before pushing forward. Beyond the seawall, the Japanese garrison had built an interlocking series of defensive positions, many of which survived the pre-assault bombardment. Now, the infantry was faced with the daunting prospect of destroying these emplacements one at a time. The job began.

An infantryman prepares to throw a hand grenade during the bitter fighting on Tarawa. His buddy holds a canteen. Weather conditions during the battle were extreme, with high humidity and warm temperatures. US Marine Corps photo

PART IVb, D+1

SECOND MARINE DIVISION INDEX

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