Tarawa (CV 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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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

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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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Fire from the Japanese coastal guns was intermittent at first. The deluge of steel from the bombard ment had shocked and dazed the defenders. 'l he amphibious tractors in the first three assault waves therefore managed to lumber over the reef and reach the beach with relatively few casualties But now the l30IT1lJZlI'Cll1lCI1l had ceased. The fire from the beach became more intense. The fourth wave, in landing boats, found insufficient water to clear the reef. The men had to get out and wade in With patient and indomitable courage some lived to reach the beach K Its average depth from water's edge to sea wall was twenty feet. The sea wall, built of coconut logs driven into the ground, was four feet high. On this shallow strip, 100 yards from the pier toward the east, the Second Battalion of the Eighth Marine Regiment later established a beach-head 8:30 a.m.: From the Line of Departure the assault waves headed for the beach 8:37 a.m.: From the Flagship, General Smith issued the message: UH-Hour is 0900 9:10 a.m.: Second Battalion, Eighth Marine Regiment, landed on Beach Red 3. Half hour later 9:12 a.m.: Second Battalion, Second Marine Regiment, landed on Beach Red 2. Shortly, the commanding officer messaged: Meeting heavy resistance 9:17 a.m.: Third Battalion, Second Marine Regiment, landed on Beach Red 1. The commanding officer messaged: ffBoats held up on reef, right flank Red 1. Troops receiving heavy fire in water Shortly after the action opened, the wounded began to move back to the transports. Men risked their lives to swim to their wounded buddies and drag them back to the boats. Many of these became casualties themselves. The first of the landing craft took off for their return to the transports loaded down with the wounded. They carried, on this tragic journey, boys who thirty minutes earlier had been among the finest physical specimens of the country . .33 the commanding officer messaged: ffHeavy opposition? D., . ' F, 10:00 a.m.: The battle for Betio was in a Crescendo of Fury. 'fTough resistance on Beach Red 3 toward the airport. Colonel Shoup ordered the Second Regiment's First Battalion to land on Beach Red 2. QHis Com- bat Team 2 established a limited beach-head against heavy fire at about 2 p.m.j 10:08 a.m.: The Second Battalion of the Eighth Marine Regiment reported that it had advanced inland to the airport. 10:18 a.m.: The Third Battalion of the Eighth Regiment already boated. 10:45 a.m.: The commanding officer of the Second Regiment's Second Battalion reported: HStiff resistance. Need half-tracks. Tanks no good. 11:05 a.m.: The Third Battalion of the Eighth Marines received orders to land on Beach Red 3 ' ' al later noted: cfHeavy and protect the left flank of the Second Battalion. The operations Journ casualtiesf' 11:58 a.m.: The Second Regiment's Second Battalion reported its situation ffbadf, 12:03 p.m.: The Second Regiment's Third Battalion radioed: f'Large calibre guns on west coast. Request air attack. The carrier-based planes roared in. 12:05 p.m.: A and B Companies, First Battalion, landed on Beach Red 2 to support the first waves. R d 3 t re uest of Second Battalion, Eighth Regiment. 12:29 p.m.: Planes shifted to strafe Beach e , a q 12:34 p.m.: The same battalion now had Enemy tanks to our frontff 1200 p.m.: In a gashed tractor were bodies of two Marines and a Navy doctor. The shell that killed them also Wounded ten other men. In the blazing sun, Marines and bluejackets removed their