Tarawa (CV 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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'CFOI' the Past UWC? df1Y5 A1'mYg Navy, and Marine Corps aircraft have been carrying out bombard- ment attacks on our objectives. They are neutralizing and will continue to neutralize other Japanese 'air bases adjacent to the Gilbert lslands. ul-Early this morning combatant ships of our Navy bombarded Tarawa. Our Navy screens our operations and will support our attack tomorrow morning with the greatest concentration of aerial bombardment and naval gunlire in the history of warfare. alt will remain with us until our objective is secured and our defensives are established. Garrison forces are already enroute to relieve us as soon as we have completed our job of clearing our objectives ofjapanese forces. 'fThis Division was especially chosen by the high command for the assault of Tarawa because of its battle experience and its combat efficiency. Their confidence in us will not be betrayed. We are the first American troops to attack a defended atoll. What we do here will set a standard for all future operations in the Central Pacific area. Cbservers from other Marine Divisions and from other branches of our armed services, as well as those of our allies, have been detailed to witness our operations. Representatives of the press are present. Our people back home are eagerly awaiting news of our victories. NI know that you are well trained and fit for the tasks assigned to you. You will quickly over-run the Japanese forces, you will decisively defeat and destroy the treacherous enemies of our country, Y you all. our success will add new laurels to the glorious tradition of our Corps. Good luck, and God bless As the sun went down on the eve of the assault, the men stretched out on the decks earlier than usual to get as much rest as they could. Reveille was scheduled for 3:45 in the morning. Few of the men slept. 3:45 a.m.: Saturday, November 20, 1943- D-Day: The transports, several miles off Tarawa and its coral reefs, lay to in darkness. The war- ships moved in closer. Their orders were to im- mediately open counter-battery fire on any shore batteries in their sectors if the shore batteries opened up on the transports prior to 5:45. That was the hour designated for the carrier air- strike against Betio. The moon was at quarter, the sky emptying itself of stars. Over the transports sounded the M din bflffgfjf OPM-Y up ON Tafawa thin piping of bosun's whistles and the whine of winches as the landing boats were lowered over the side for their load of men. 4:41 a.m.: Tension was beginning to build up on our side and among the Japs. It broke with them first. From the long black fringe of the islet came a burst, a red star cluster. Cur warships loomed through the darkness, moving in closer, their guns trained, waiting. 5:07 a.m. Daylight was coming. Suddenly the Japs opened up with their big coastal batteries, forged in Birmingham, England, and used in the defense of Singapore. The firing was close. Near misses claimed casualties among the boat crews but the ships remained afloat. 5:12 a.m.: The flagship pointed her bow beachward and, supported by two of her sister ships, let go a salvo from her 16-inch guns. The ,Iap's 8-inchers were silenced, wiped out. They had been in action twenty minutes. The flagship had been in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Many of her crew had been survivors of that day.

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Such were but a few of the problems confronting General Smith and his staff as they bent over their maps and papers in K Room. Throughout the month of Cctober, Wlellington had been rocking on its heels. The Marines were getting ready to shove off. Their camps had been struck, and their smart green uniforms had been packed away. Marines swarmed on their last liberties ashore. lt was not always gay. The New Zealanders had taken the Yanks into their homes and hearts. lvfany lNfIarines had married New Zealand girls. It was Sunday morning and the sunlight felt warm and good. Church services were held. Landing craft moved between transports with the clumsy grace of a big fish. YVhen morning came on, the lst day of November 1943, they were moving out to sea. On the tenth of November-the traditional Marine birthday, the officers read: Cn November 10, 1775, a Corps of Marines was created by a resolution of the Continental Con- gress. Since that date many thousand men have borne the name Marine. In memory of them, it is fitting that we who are Marines should commemorate the birthday of our Corps by calling to mind the glories of its long and illustrated history. 'fThe record of our Corps is one which will bear comparison with that of the most famous military organizations in world history. During the greater part of its existence it has been in action against the Nation's foes. 'fSince the Battle o Trenton, Marines have won foremost honors in war, and during the long eras of tranquillity at home, generation after generation of Marines have grown gray in war, on both hemispheres and in every corner of the seven seas, that out country might enjoy peace and security. 'fin every battle and skirmish since the birth of our Corps the Marines have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion, until the term Marine has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue. This high name of distinction and soldierly repute we who are Marines today have received from those who preceded us in the Corps. With it we also received from them the eternal spirit which has animated our Corps from generation to generation and has been the distinguishing mark of Marines in every age. So long as that spirit continues to flourish, Marines will be found equal to every emergency in the future as they were i-n the past, and the men of our nation will regard us as worthy successors of the long line of illustrous men who have served as soldiers of the sea since the founding of the Corpsf' Four days later, Task Force Commander Rear Admiral Harry Hill sent this message to his ships: Give all hands the general picture of the projected operation and further details to all who should have this in execution of duties. This is the first assault on a defended atoll and with northern attack and covering forces the largest Pacific operation to date. The whole thing was a beautiful example of democracy in action. The tempo of life did not change after the news had been given out. As D-Day neared brief church services were held daily on the hatches. The men began to spend less time reading and sun-bathing and more time sharpening their knives and oiling their guns. On the morning of D-Day, troop officers read this message, from General Smith, to their men: A great oHiensive to destroy the enemy in the Pacific has begun. American air, sea and land forces, of which this Division is a part, initiate this offensive by seizing Japanese-held atolls in the Gilbert Islands which will be used as bases for future operations. The task assigned to us is to capture the atolls of Tarawa and Apemama. Army units of our Fifth Amphibious Corps are simultaneously attacking Makin, one hundred and fifty miles to the north of Tarawa.

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5:42 a.1n.: The task force ceased firing. The lull was a prelude to the aerial bombardment which was to continue until the final hour of the battle. The japs continued shelling with their other shore batteries. ' 5:48 a.1n.: The shelling continued. Transports were forced to shift their berths and steam out of range. Their clusters of landing craft follwed behind them. This unavoidably delayed the landing. 6:00 a.1n.: The scattered fighting ships resumed firing, plastering the japanese shore batteries to cover withdrawal of transports. The planes had not yet come in. 6:13 a.ni.: The task force ceased firing the second time. The aerial bombardment began. It was not haphazard destruction for their bombs found home. The first phase was swift and brief. It lasted nine minutes. 6:22 a.m.: The task force resumed its shelling. Fire was begun at 10,000 and 15,000 yards and con- centrated on eastern, northwestern and southwestern ends where shore guns were emplaced. As firing continued the big ships closed the range, moving to 2,000 and 6,000 yards. 6:58 a.m.: The Navy was having its day. The task force ceased Hscheduled firingi' and began to silence individual batteries at their own discretion. Ships competed with ship as they worked in for the kill. 7:00 a.m.: A small mine sweeper moved into the lagoon to lay a preliminary smoke screen. japanese coastal batteries fired at her. The little ship was a sitting duck. She didnjt give an inch. Later she was joined by another sweeper, two destroyers and a pursuit boat. The five remained inside the lagoon until Betio had fallen. The sweeperis skipper advised against smoke and the Marine officers concurred. The assault was swung to an alternative plan. The reef lay patiently waiting, and above it was the tide. 8:20 a.m.: Aboard the Flagship, General Smith issued the following message: '4The first boats will leave fifteen minutes late? It was the first hint to the men in the boats that the job was not going to be a pushover. 8:22 a.m.: The first assault waves left the Line of Departure on their journey to the reef-their journey into hell. The japanese guns were ominously silent. The amphibious tractors moved stoically toward the reef. Then came a message to the Flagship: H40 mm. guns firing on landing boats? , 1 , , , 2 .,.. t u .::s. Marines Wade Ashore at Tarawa