Tarawa (CV 40) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 66 text:

H1 Wzmaf M. 01 , , it-1 ,, 47' fn z 1 Um' Flag Mfvllllllf IJIWI' ff 11r11zz '11 nw., x... .. -.-ADA 4

Page 65 text:

Intelligence officers questioned prisoners. Chaplains moved among wounded Marines on stretchers Warehouse and ordnance section repaired weapons covered with rust and dirt that had been reclaimed from the reef Anti-aircraft batteries were landed and their guns placed in position Seabees were driving bull dozers onto the airstrip, getting it ready for the first American planes due the next morning. Naval and all' l7OIHlJ211'Cl111CHt had been purposely kept off the airstrip to facilitate repairs. Radio Tokyo broadcast this version of the battle 1. That five thousand Marines were sent to the bottom of the Pacific when their transports were sunk. 2. That subsequently the japs sank three large aircraft carriers, one battleship, one cruiser, and shot down eighty-nine planes H3. That heavy fighting still raged at Tarawa November 24 1943 The assault troops began leaving Betio. It was slow business. They were leaving many comrades behind, in shallow graves, still lying face down in the waters of the lagoon, lying along the battered beaches, hanging on brutal wire. They did not talk much, these men who had done the impossible There were no longer boys among them, only men Bloody, bandaged heroes Some natives reached Betio. One expressed his feelings succinctly: f'Betio, boom, boom, good! he said with a wide smile. Most of the Gilbertese felt like that The natives set to work with a will, happy to be paid in British coin instead of the two bowls of rice the Japanese had given them Cemeteries sprang up like patches of weeds. Most of the crosses had names of men printed on them in rough fashion. One read: U killed 10 japs, it will take 100 to avenge your death? 1 . ' . , , . . 93 L . , . 33 Besides the Marine dead, hundred of blackened japanese, seared and charred, lay in blockhouses and gun positions. Men explored. Walking around the islet after the battle, it seemed incredible that such an insignificant sand spit should have been worth so much in blood, that these few acres of coral sand could have been classed as one of the major military bases of the japanese in the Pacific. But it was true. Few noticed at first the two denuded palm trees just a hundred yards from the beach. Private First Class james Williams of Birmingham, Alabama, stepped forward and lifted his bugle to sound colors for the first time over Tarawa. His dungarees were very dirty from wearing them in a tank all through the battle, he was now wearing white. Major General julian Smith took one look at the white uniform of the Japanese Navy and said: Take those damn things off and keep them off! After this had been attended to, Technical Sergeant Vito Million of Philadelphia, and Corporal Mickey Frankenstein of Los Angeles took hold of the shrouds and raised our flag to the top of the tall, shrapnel-pocked palm tree trunk. The British flag was raised on the other tree a few minutes later. Men turned from digging foxholes, unloading boats, burying the dead. They stood at attention their dirty tired young hands at salute. Some of the wounded managed to stand up too. The more seriously hurt could only turn their heads as they lay on their litters. They lost a little of their weariness, a little of their sorrow. They could see their flag. It made them proud. For they knew, more than anyone else, what it meant to put it there.

Page 67 text:

1318 EKQM llffalhl-mmf 58135 s5.111'xQm ' of rusucs OFFICE. MNT DEPQITBIYU -1 f , Mfg AE. AML fn . ii.- NAVY 535,P4a5i3?lsE1i'S