Gilbert Islands

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bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands, © 2026 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 29 Dec 2025

The Gilbert Islands, 20–24 November 1943

Japan invaded portions of the Gilbert Islands, a British protectorate, soon after the War with Japan began.
The US Central Pacific campaign began with Operation Galvanic, the invasion of Tarawa and Makin Atolls in the Gilbert Islands on 20 November 1943.
Overall commander of Gilbert Island operations was Admiral Raymond Spruance. Ground forces were in the the Fifth Marine Amphibious Force, commanded by General Holland Smith.

Gilbert & Marshall Islands

The Gilbert Islands - Tarawa Atoll

On 20 November 1943, the Second Marine Division landed on the west shore of Betio Islet, on the southwest end of Tarawa Atoll. Betio was heavily fortified and strongly defended - five days of combat followed, with the first day being particularly deadly as many marines fell before reaching the beach and engaging the enemy.

Various internet sources err when they state that the Tarawa battle ended on the fifth day, 24 November. Indeed combat on Betio Islet ended on 24 November, but combat on Tarawa Atoll ended with the Battle of Buariki Islet, in the northeast corner of Tarawa Atoll, on 27 November. Two men with Pottawattamie County connections died while securing Buariki.

The 2nd Marine Division lost more men in eight days on Tarawa than the 1st Marine Division had lost the previous year in their nearly three months of combat on Guadalcanal. On Tarawa, 894 men were killed in action and 84 later died of wounds.

The Battle for Betio, Tarawa Atoll

The Gilbert Islands - Makin Atoll

Also on 20 November 1943, elements of the 27th Infantry Division landed on Makin Atoll to the north of Tarawa. Unlike Tarawa, Makin was lightly defended, and combat ended on 23 November. 66 US Army troops died securing Makin.

The Battle for Butaritari, Makin Atoll

The Sinking of the Liscome Bay

Task Force 52, which provided naval support for the Makin Atoll invasion, included three new escort aircraft carriers, the Liscome Bay (CVE-56), Coral Sea, and Corregidor.
About 20 miles SW of Makin, a screen of 14 destroyers protected the task force battleships and escort carriers. On the morning of 23 November, the Japanese submarine I-175 exploited a temporary gap in the destroyer screen and launched a spread of torpedoes, one of which hit the Liscome Bay, causing a massive explosion in the bomb storage area.
The Liscome Bay sank in 23 minutes with 644 dead and only 272 survivors. This was the second highest death toll from any WWII US aircraft carrier; the highest being the USS Franklin (CV-13) which lost 787 men from a 1945 kamikaze attack south of the Japanese home islands.

USS Liscome Bay stateside in 1943

Sources for Big Pigeon's WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands webpage:

The Gilbert & Marshall Islands map is from the Seizure of the Gilberts and Marshalls volume in the United States Military in World War II series, produced by the Department of the Army's Office of Military History at https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-P-Gilberts/maps/USA-P-Gilberts-2.jpg
The Battle of Betio, Tarawa Atoll and Battle for Butaritari, Makin Atoll maps are courtesy of The Map Archive.
The stateside photo of the USS Liscome Bay is courtesy of http://www.navsource.org/archives/03/0305607.jpg.

Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands webpage:

Access full individual records through bigpigeon.us > WWII Dead > Roster Records.

09-01 - WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands: (five dead, updated 9 Nov 2025)

See also Naval War with Japan > Third & Fifth Fleets - three Liscome Bay crew members from the Pottawattamie area died supporting the Gilbert Islands operation.

† Johnson, Martin Raymond, SN 345935, US Marine Corps, Monona Co.

Co. I, 2nd Marine Regt., 2nd Marine Div.; KIA 20 Nov 1943 Red Beach 1, Tarawa, Gilbert Is.
WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands @ Battle of Tarawa

† Lee, Raymond Nathan, SN 320153, US Marine Corps, Pott. Co.

Co. C, 8th Marine Regt., 2nd Marine Div.; KIA 21 Nov 1943 Betio Is., Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Is.; BNR.
WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands @ Battle of Tarawa

† Moore, Ned Leo, SN 485544, US Marine Corp, Pott. Co.

Co. L, 2nd Marine Regt., 2nd Marine Div.; KIA 20 Nov 1943 Betio Is., Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Is.
WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands @ Battle of Tarawa

† Paulson, Ralph Lloyd, SN 428145, US Marine Corp, Story Co.

Co. E, 6th Marine Regt., 2nd Marine Div.; KIA 27 Nov 1943 Buariki Is., Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Is.
WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands @ Battle of Tarawa

† Rommel, Max C., SN 510622, US Marine Corp, Pott. & Fremont Cos.

Co. E, 6th Marine Regt., 2nd Marine Div.; KIA 27 Nov 1943 Buariki Is., Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Is.
WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands @ Battle of Tarawa

Notes: Above are two members of the same Marine company in the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment:

Ralph Paulson was the nephew of my uncle, Louis Petersen.
Max Rommel was the brother of Margaret Rommel, earlier a Big Pigeon area rural schoolteacher.
The Second Battalion, previously in reserve during the Battle of Betio Islet, was assigned to pacify the remaining Tarawa Atoll islets. Ralph and Max died on Buariki Islet at the north end of Tarawa Atoll at the very end of the Tarawa Campaign.