Sanborn (APA 193) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 27 text:

the first assault vvaver The first sever- waves consisted of amphibious tractors debarked from LSTs. Most of the waves assigned to Blue Beach were guided in by officers and boat crews in LCVPs from the Sanborn. Soon after these waves were ashore it became evident the battle would be long and fierce, Much of thc tered in an irregular pattern up an-cl across the slope of the island, Our linen moved inland slowly from the beach while a mad scramble vvent on there among the debris of wrecked equipment and piles of hurriedly unloaded supplies. Japanese mortar shells plopped into the water making huge fountains of white M27 of . . ,.,,,., , , s -, f t flf 2 7 X J J ij T 1' n in ii I ii zu' ri s io ii equipment loaded into boats did not reach the beach at all that day due to the intensity of the battle and treacher- ous conditions on the beach. In fact, one vvave consisting of several boat loads of priority cargo did not reach the beach until five days later. As the battle in- tensified the first tractors ashore fale spray among the LST and landing boats. Fortunately only a few found their mark. Almost all vehicles made the beach, but many of them became casualties soon after reaching the embankment of loose volcanic sand. Ten Sanborn boats even- tually succumbed to the incline of the beach and the surf, These boats were