Home
Subject list
Gilbert Islands
Gilbert Islands
|
1943 Nov 20 |
US Marines began landing on Tarawa and Makin atolls in the Gilbert Islands, encountering fierce resistance from Japanese forces but emerging victorious three days later. The US 2nd marine division invaded the tiny isle of Betio on Tarawa Atoll in the Gilberts. It was the first seriously opposed landing experienced by the Americans in WWII. After 3 days 1,027 US Marine and Navy personnel were killed. Of some 4,800 Japanese and Korean laborers on Betio, 146 survived, including 17 Japanese troops. In 2006 John Wukovits authored “One Square Mile Of Hell.” Links: USA, Japan, Korea, Kiribati, WWII, Gilbert Islands 
|
|
1943 Nov 20 |
US Marine cinematographer Norman Hatch (1921-2017) began filming much of the 76-hour battle for the island of Tarawa. The film was edited and made into a 20-minute documentary: “With the Marines at Tarawa.” In 1945 the film received an Academy Award for best short documentary. Links: USA, Japan, Kiribati, Film, WWII, Gilbert Islands
|
|
1943 Nov 23 |
During World War II US forces seized control of the Tarawa and Makin atolls from the Japanese. Makin Atoll, part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, was the first central Pacific island to be reconquered by the Allies. More than 900 US marines and 30 sailors were killed in the battle for Tarawa. Links: USA, Japan, Kiribati, WWII, Gilbert Islands
|
|
1944 Jan 21 |
A US B-24 bomber that crashed shortly after taking off from an airfield on the Tarawa atoll in the Gilbert Islands. Seven of the 10-member crew were killed including Staff Sgt. Jack Busch, of Kenmore, near Buffalo, NY. In 2019 the remains of Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Vincent J. Rogers Jr. were accounted for. Links: USA, WWII, Gilbert Islands
|