Post by tsweeney on Jul 5, 2012 9:15:36 GMT -5
In November 1943 the 2nd US Marines Division landed on a small Beto island in the Tarawa atoll in the Pacific. The island, only a few square kilometers large, was defended by 4500 Japanese soldiers.
There were many things during the Beto landing that went wrong. Because of the unexpectedly low tide the landing craft were trapped on the coral reef several hundred meters away from the landing beaches, called Red Beach 1, 2 and 3. They subsequently became proverbial sitting ducks for the Japanese artillery fire. The Marines were forced to leave their ships and "brodzic" towards the shore, suffering horrendous losses.
On the beach the situation turned from desperate to worse. Element of surprise long lost, the Marines were nailed down to the beach. The only protection from the enemy
fire was offered by a low beach wall
Thanks
Tom
There were many things during the Beto landing that went wrong. Because of the unexpectedly low tide the landing craft were trapped on the coral reef several hundred meters away from the landing beaches, called Red Beach 1, 2 and 3. They subsequently became proverbial sitting ducks for the Japanese artillery fire. The Marines were forced to leave their ships and "brodzic" towards the shore, suffering horrendous losses.
On the beach the situation turned from desperate to worse. Element of surprise long lost, the Marines were nailed down to the beach. The only protection from the enemy
fire was offered by a low beach wall
Thanks
Tom
