Second Battalion Marines Lebanon - Cruise Book

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W SUIJA BAY A Conventional landing Landings on Suda Bay are no novelty to the local inhabitants, as this area has been usedfor practice operations by Mediterraneanbattalions for as long as 7 or 8 years. Even before this, landings were no novelty, as the same beaches used by Marines for practice landings saw some of the bloodiest fighting of WW II, when the British stubbornly defended the island inthe face of overwhelming odds --inflicting tremendous casualties on German paratroop invaders. By this, their second landing, the Marines knew well what was expected, and were well- accustomed to the landing routine. Too, this landing was conventional in allrespects, lacking the helicopters and rubber boats of the previous landing. All companies landed over Red Beach, beginning at 0800, 10 July, proceeding to pre- assigned objectives, and by 1200 the majority of the Force Beachead Line was s e c u r e d. Com- panies set up defenses, ran small unitproblems, and furnished their own aggressors to test night defenses. At the same time, battalion conducted an FEX to test its communications and staff sections under simulated combat conditions. The exercise secured early on the morning of 11 July.

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By mutual agreement, troops are not allowed to cross cultivated areas and fields in the Suda Bay area-- thus many tactical movements be- come channelized, especially in the area adjacent to the beach fleftj. If you can't go around, go through, was particularly true here fbelowj. Immediately after leaving the boat and crossing 10 yards of beach, it was necessary to plunge into a de- ceptively strong river, which par- alleled the beach.