Santa Fe (CL 60) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 44 text:

l ,fz,, 4' ' 1 A-,fi gr -V J, ,. f-'T' , 'NWS 5. 1 V pf , ,,W,4W,, . IL- ,I f f , t- ffl-3 if ,f VW, ' M45 fp p Mp, .,. up . . ' -o. - . Once an Dltlttd' had been seized, the Yapanese immediateb' constructed airjields and aircraft facilities. This was basic tenet Q' their carefully laid naval strategy: for, it was believed, the Imperial 1Vavy plus these uunsinkable aircraft carriers would be impervious to American counter-attack. I , l A s , l I x i Marines are already out of their landing craft and well up the beach in an attempt to ouwank ffaps hidden among the trees. 4-0 s ss- ,s s cs,-i,..,s.c,,,., Eg Low-slang, concrete blockhouses Qf this type caused most Illarine casualties and became primary targets W' the fire-support ships. o Q Q 9 .LJ V . , .vQ8'X,,. -X... 55 Q n

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BLOODY ATOLL TAKEN BY MARINES FTER the Bougainville trip, the SANTA FE came back to the Gilberts for the invasion of Tarawa. Assigned as a fire support unit to cover the Second Marines landing on Betio Island, she patrolled close in- shore during the night of D-minus-one to keep enemy planes from using the airfields. D-day was 20 November, and before dawn the MARY- LAND and SANTA FB were bombarding the atoll as- amphibious troops climbed into landing craft for the first invasion of Japanese territory in the Central Pacific. Fighting thus far in the Pacific had beendthrough moun- tainous jungles, but here the battle field was a two mile strip less than at thousand yards wide with every foot of sun baked coral used for defense., After two hours of steady shelling, Cease fire was ordered as the boats neared the beach. Sniper and machine gun toll of the Erst waves was heavy and the SANTA FE closed to point blank range for call fire. Many pill boxes and emplacements that cost over 3,000 casualties in the 72 hour battle for bloody Tarawa were blown to kingdom come. VVhen the Stars and Stripes was raised on a shattered palm tree, a potential airbase had been gained from which bombers could fan out to neutralize the vital Marshalls. Camera .thot of Tarawa Jtretehing low aaron water doe: not rexemhle picture below taken at .tame time, however, it doe: approximate far better what men topside see Q' any meh target. Bloody hattlefor Tarawa continues ar asxault marines landfrom lagoon side. SANTA FE IDI Lving to fright eornerj, providing ealljire.

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lfifreeked radar antenna shows Yap has mastered intricacies of Hnzagie eyeh' and due aflowanee must he made znfuture operations. Suceesjzzf invasion ry' Tarawa, supported en- tzrely hy sea power, was U. S. sVavy's answer r' 5. g , Extensive damage to 8-fneh eoasta! defense gun which 7aps had trans- Re-inforrements about to land on portion of island evidentb' not prevfoushv planted from Singapore proves accuracy of SANTJ FEfre. fired upon. Note heads extending over water. 41 , 3 N