Tarawa (CV 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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12100: First indications Japs were beginning to break were reported. Gases were starting to be found of hari-kiri. The flame throwers of the Eighteenth Regiment Qengineersj were tirelessly covering the different sectors of the iight. The flame guns were especially effective in cleaning out pill boxes. Flame would turn corners in compartmented pillboxes. There was still little food ashore. 12:35 p.m.: Remnants of the Third Battalion of the Second Regiment and isolated personnel of the Second Battalion reached the southwest tip of Betio and secured Beach Green to a depth of about 150 yards. Division headquarters ordered a battalion landed on the south half of Beach Green and Uprepare to continue the attack immediately. The tide had turned definitely, in favor of the Marines. 1:40 p.m.: Sixth Marine Regiment was ordered to put a landing team ashore on Beaches Blue 1 and 2 Hto prevent withdrawal hostile forces to the eastf' 2:50 p.m.: The afternoon wore on while the Marines butchered their way across Betio, with pains- taking slowness. Occassionally it required six to seven hours to cover 50 to 100 yards. NVhile dusk settled on Betio, Colonel Shoup summed up the situation: Our troops are dishing out hell and catching hell. Combat efficiency. We are winning. The long night hours were silent except when punctuated by p-i-i-i-n-g of snipers' bullets 2nd the drone of c'W'ashington Gharlieisn lone visit overhead. The men held their fire through all these hours. The lone Jap plane dropped its stick of bombs and left. This was the plan of attack for the third day of the battle: 1. The First Battalion, Eighth Marines, would swing west from its hinge on Beach Red 2, clear western portion of airstrip, and wipe out the -laps still nested between them and Beach Green. 2. The other two battalions of the Eighth would swing east from their hinge and sweep to the end of the airstrip. 3. Third Battalion, Second Marines, were to hold what they had on Beach Green. 44... ' . --4-.. ii?V , Tamwa Beach Scene During Battle

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'cWe are engaging Target 228 Cat the southern Kip of Beach Green, where Japanese 8-inch coastal emplacements had been concentratedj at 7 until 7:20 a.m., with Fire Support Group 12. We are engaging the east end of Betio at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. for 20 minutes with Fire Support Groups 31 and 22. Fire Support Groups consisted of destroyers and cruisers. Their accuracy was unbelievable. The tiny islet was divided into squares on the target map. Planes and destroyers were allotted to each battalion and worked under the battal- ion commander's orders. Marines storming Tarawa airport 5:22 a.m.: General Smith sent a message to Golonel Elmer Hall commanding the Eighth Marine Regiment, to land his first battalion on Beach Red 2 at once. They started in at a quarter past seven wading in shoreward over the reef. For the men ashore there was little to do but watch, hope, and pray. Many turned away. The battle ahead was better than this. As the First Battalion of the Eighth Regiment was wading in, Golonel Hall sent a message to Golonel Shoup that he and the remaining waves were laying off. Impossible to land vehicles and equipment because of heavy enemy firef' During the initial stage of the second day of battle, Jap mortars got the range of some revetments that had been captured and in which many of the Sherman tanks had been placed for the night. While shells were exploding around them their crews manned them and began a desperate zig-zagging to escape the blasts. They escaped the concentration and were shortly back in the fight. 8:23 a.m.: Golonel Shoup to General Smith: Urgently request rations and small arms ammuni- tions landed on the beach. The great majority of the men ashore had been fighting for over 24 hours without rest and with only the canteens of hot medicated water and the one ration they had brought ashore with them. Working parties were sent out to search the bodies of dead Marines for ammnuition, first-aid packs and water. Rations lay out there on the water. Thursday would be Thanksgiving at home. 9:22 a.m.: Golonel Shoup notified General Smith that he was making every effort to occupy the north and west ends of the island. During the next hour the tempo increased. Gradually the laps were forced back from most of the airstrip. There were a good many casualties, but the men did get across the strip and to the far side of the islet. 10:30 a.m.: General Smith to Golonel Shoup: Do you have suiiicient troops to occupy Betio? Request additional information before committing division reserves elsewhere. 10:50 a.m.: The Third Battalion of the Second Regiment reported it was pinned down. They wanted dive-bombers, they wanted tanks. Both requests were filled. 11:30 a.m.: Colonel Shoup reported the situation still critical. 'cRequest rubber boat battalion of the Sixth Marine Regiment landed Beach Red 2 and attack through area now held by the Second Battlion Eighth Marine Regiment.

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4. Fresh tr0Ops Of the First Battalion, Sixth Regiment, were to strike out along Beach Black fSouthj where the japs had their fortifications in greatest strength and concentration, ultimately to push through the 200 yard front end of the airfield. 8:15 a.m.: The Marines along the south coast went into action. Orders were to advance 1,400 yards along the south beach on a 200 yard front and attain its objective by nightfall. This stretch was about the toughest to crack on the islet. There were at least six pillboxes in every 100 yards, occupied by three to twenty Japs. Naval gunfire had not knocked out these minature fortresses. They had to be neutralized with tank fire, flame throwers, and hand grenades. Marines walked in front of tanks, directly into Jap fire, to spot targets. When these men were wounded or killed, others took their places. All were volunteers. November 23, 1943. 11:45 a.m.: Colonel Holmes reported his first battalion just inland from the south end of Beach Green. This made our disposition stand roughly like this: On the north, where our initial landings had been made, we had extended in two narrow columns on either side of the pier, piercing the airstrip and boxing the area in along the south beach. Colonel Holmes, battalion had secured the entire length of the west beach for a depth of 200 yards. The laps in the west areas were encircled. 11:59 a.m.: Colonel Shoup received this message: CG with small advance party will land Beach Green QNorthj about 12:00.'3 General Smith found it necessary to take to the water before he reached the beach. His landing boat grounded 100 yards off shore. After visiting command posts he returned to the beach for an amphibious tractor, it was the only way to get to Beach Red 2. During the trip the driver was wounded in the head by a bullet and the tractor disabled. Another tractor was sent for, after half an hour delay the General reached his command post. Colonel Shoup notified the Flagship when the General arrived. 1:00 p.m.: On the southern beach the First Battalion of the Sixth Marines renewed its push. It took six hours to cover the next 600 yards. Casualties were again heavy. Medium tanks had to be dis- patched to replace light tanks in neutralizing pillboxes. 3:05 p.m.: f'Land available personnel of Combat Team Two on Beach Green as labor details? 3:30 p.m.: HB Medical land on Bairiki, establish field hospital as soon as possible. A and C Medical land Beach Red 2 soon as possible. Bring morphine, plasma, dressings, stretchersf' 3:50 p.m.: ffLand guns, ammunition and personnel of 'Xi Defense Battalion as soon as possible at pier? Request detail to clear bodies around pierf' 4:00 .m.: f'Situation not favorable for ra id cleanu of Betiof, P P P Before digging in for the night the companies re-formed and moved into defensive positions. f'Unsling packs and dig in. They spoke in whispers to prevent the unseen Japs in front of them from detecting their positions. The sky deepened from rich purple to blackness. The first stars began to shine. Silence settled, disturbed only by the faint scuffing of shovels as the men went on digging their foxholes. Then - 'fBanzai V' Blood for the Emperor! Two words went through the line: H- ffStand fastf, The first Jap counter-attacks lasted an hour. The .Iaps leaped from their holes and charged, running like possessed demons, waiving 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 opening a gap between A and B companies of the Sixth.