bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands, © 2024 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 2 Feb 2024.
Not yet complete.
The Gilbert Islands, 20-24 November 1943
Not yet complete.
The Gilbert Islands, 20-24 November 1943
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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 Gilbert Islands - Makin Atoll
The Sinking of the Liscome Bay
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Sources for Big Pigeon's Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands webpage:
Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands:
- 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 - Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands:
- Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Dead module.
- See also Naval War with Japan > Third & Fifth Fleets - three Liscome Bay crew members from the Pottawattamie area died supporting the Gilbert Islands operation.
- Co. C, 8th Marine Regt., 2nd Marine Div.; KIA 21 Nov 1943 Betio Is., Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Is.; Battle of Tarawa - Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands; BNR.
- Co. L, 2nd Marine Regt., 2nd Marine Div.; KIA 20 Nov 1943 Betio Is., Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Is; Battle of Tarawa - Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands.
- Co. E, 6th Marine Regt., 2nd Marine Div.; KIA 27 Nov 1943 Buariki Is., Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Is.; Battle of Tarawa - Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands.
- Co. E, 6th Marine Regt., 2nd Marine Div.; KIA 27 Nov 1943 Buariki Is., Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Is.; Battle of Tarawa - Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands.
- 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.