USS Tarawa (LHA 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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Colonel Frank Libutti Leader of 2,400 combat-ready marines! Colonel Frank Libutti is a native of Huntington, Long Island and is a graduate of the Citadel, Class of 1966. He entered the Marine Corps Officer Candidate Program in August 1966 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in October of that year. Following graduation from the Basic School in March 1967, Lieuten- ant Libutti was assigned to duty with 1st. Battalion, 9th Marines in Viet- nam, where he served as an Infantry Platoon Commander. In 1968, Lieutenant Libutti re- turned to Quantico, Virginia for duty at Officer Candidate School (OCS). During his tour at OCS, he served consecutively as the Chief Instructor, Tactics Section; Commanding Offi- cer, Candidate Company; and the Head of the Academic Section. Lieu- tenant Libutti was promoted to Cap- tain in November 1969. Upon com- pletion of his duties at OCS, Captain Libutti attended the Amphibious Warfare School (AWS). In 1972, upon completion of AWS, Captain Libutti was transferred to Amphibious f uyT 1 4 jfM . ■fi Hr ' i: J£s % ' t; m H1 :|k ' , JrHk flrir ■ M.E.U. Page 20 Squadron Three in San Diego, Cali- fornia for duty as the Squadron Com- bat Cargo Officer. Upon completion of a two year tour in San Diego, Cap- tain Libutti was transferred to 1st. Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He served there as an In- fantry Company Commander for 14 months, followed by staff positions at the Battalion Headquarters serving as the Logistics Officer and later as the Operations Officer. Captain Libutti was promoted to the rank of Major in May 1977, and was reassigned as the Executive Offi- cer, Marine Barracks, Naples, Italy through June 1980. In August 1980, Major Libutti at- tended Command and Staff College, Quantico, Virginia, and upon gradu- ation was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps for duty as the Head of the Career Management Section, Manpower Department. In May 1982, Major Libutti was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and reassigned as the Assis- tant Secretary of the General Staff for the Office of the Assistant Comman- dant Chief of Staff, where he served through May 1983. In June 1983,

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d small arms ammunitions landed the beach. 10:50 a.m.: The Third Battalion of ie 2nd Regiment reported it was nned down. They wanted dive- Dmbers, they wanted tanks. Both quests were fulfilled. 12:00 p.m.: The tide was begin- ng to turn, reports indicated nu- erous Japanese soldiers were com- mitting hari-kari. uesday, November 23, 1943 1:00 p.m.: Casualties were again ?avy. Medium tanks had to be dis- itched to replace light tanks in neu- alizing pillboxes. 3:30 p.m.: B Medical land on liriki, establish field hospital as on as possible. A and C Medical nd Beach Red 2 as soon as possible, ing morphine, plasma, dressings id stretchers. Before digging in for the night the tmpanies re-formed and moved to defensive positions. The sky deepened from rich pur- e to blackness. The first stars be- in to shine. Silence settled, dis- irbed only by faint scuffing of tovels as the men went on digging leir foxholes. Then — Banzai! Blood for the Emperor! Two words went through the line: Stand Fast. The first Japanese counter-attacks sted an hour. The Japanese leaped from their holes and charged, run- ning like possessed demons, waving sabers, tossing hand grenades, firing light machine guns from the hip, charging with fixed bayonets. With knives, bayonets, rifle butts, the marines fought them back. They were repulsed, but not before open- ing a gap between A and B compan- ies of the Sixth. Our wounded could not be moved. Men opened their first aid kits, ban- daged their buddies in the darkness and gave them water from their can- teens. Non-commissioned officers moved among the men, shaking them, warning them to stay awake. 11:00 p.m.: The Japanese attempt- ed to create a diversion. A few min- utes later they charged as before, screaming Banzai! The Marines stopped the charge and threw the Japanese back. 4:00 a.m.: The Japanese launched their final and most desperate attack. It was now or never. A few Japanese were naked and armed only with knives. For an hour, hand-to-hand fighting went on. Men gave their lives to save their buddies. 5:00 a.m.: The counter-attack end- ed. The stars fading. It ' s all over, we stopped them. Stretcher bearers were sent to gather the wounded. Navy corpsman bandaged, ap- plied tourniquets, injected morphine, lit cigarettes and stuck them between cracked lips and said, You ' ll be all right, kid. Soon after, the First Bat- talion of the Eighth succeeded in cleaning out the last remnant of re- sistance on Beach Red 1. 1:12 p.m.: General Smith had the announcement carried by field tele- phone to all units on the islet and by radio to the ships of the task force that the battle of Betio was over. Wednesday, November 24, 1943 The assault troops began leaving Betio. It was a slow business. They were leaving many comrades behind, in shallow graves, still lying face down in the waters of the lagoon, lying along the battered beaches, hanging on brutal wire. They did not talk much, these men who had done the impossible. There were no longer any boys among them, only bloody, bandaged heroes. Timeline Page 19

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bt%fe, WL-utenant Colonel Libutti was reas- sined as the Senior Marine Aide to UJBlAottU 1 ' 1 Commandant of the Marine JSrfCollef C rps. jj-apadt In August 1985, Lieutenant Colo- ■ Hodquarter n Libutti attended the National IMsfcHeadr Var College in Washington, D.C. Ldt Sector l ' on completion in June 1986, he v s assigned as the Executive Offi- iar Libutti « cr lst Marines, 1st Division, Camp iJliwtflur Fndleton, California. In January ... 1 37, Lieutenant Colonel Libutti was -jjafffc f issigned as the Commanding Offi- ' , r r c of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, ■„. ., u v iere he remained in command un- t October 1987. In October 1987, Lieutenant Colonel Libutti was as- signed as the Commanding Officer, Contingency MAGTF 1-88, and was promoted to his current rank of Colonel. In May 1988, Colonel Li- butti served as the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, 1st Marine Division. Colonel Libutti assumed com- mand of the 11th Marine Expedition- ary Unit in August 1988. Colonel Libutti ' s personal decora- tions include the Silver Star Medal, the Legion of Merit Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Purple Heart Medal with two bronze stars and the Combat Action Ribbon. left: Sgt. Maj. Barreol proposes a plan of action to Col. Libutti. M.E.U. Page 21