United States Army in World War II: The War in the Pacific
Seizure of the Gilberts and Marshalls
by Philip A. Crowl and Edmund G. Love
. . . to Those Who Served
Table of Contents
The Authors
Chapter 1: The Decision to Strike Through the Central Pacific
Prewar Plans—Pacific Organization and Early Strategy—The Casablanca Conference—MacArthur’s Strategic Plans—The Washington Conference and the Strategic Plan for the Defeat of Japan
Chapter 2: Selection of Targets and Tactical Planning
Selection of the Targets—Planning for Galvanic—Intelligence on the Gilberts—Organization and Command of the American Forces
Chapter 3: Preparing for the Attack
Training—Logistics—Preliminary Air and Naval Action—Movement Overseas
Japanese Invasion of the Gilberts—Carlson’s Raid and Its Aftermath—American Attacks and Japanese Responses—Japanese Defenses on the Eve of the Attack
Chapter 5: The Landings on Makin
Red Beaches—Establishing the Beachhead—Yellow Beach
Chapter 6: Reduction of the West Tank Barrier
Advance of the 2nd Battalion to the Barrier—Advance of the 1st Battalion—Holding Action on the East—First Day: The Summing Up
Chapter 7: Consolidating the Beachhead
Build-up of the Assault—First Night on Butaritari—Final Mop-up at the West Tank Barrier and Yellow Beach
The Main Action of the Second Day—The Second Night—The Third Day: Capture of the East Tank Barrier—The Advance Beyond the East Tank Barrier—The Last Night—Mop-up—Profit and Loss
Chapter 9: The Capture of Tarawa
Preliminaries to the Invasion—The Landings on Red Beach 1—Operations at Red Beach 2—The Landings at Red Beach 3—Reinforcing the Beachhead—Supply, Communications, and Command—Consolidating the Beachhead: D Plus 1—Tarawa Is Secured—Conclusion of the Operation
Chapter 10: Strategic & Tactical Significance of the Gilberts Operation
Strategic Consequences—Tactical Lessons Learned—Conclusion
Chapter 11: Tactical Planning for the Marshalls
Early Planning—Spruance’s Plan—Admiral Turner’s Attack Plan—The Landing Force Plans
Chapter 12: Training, Logistics, and Preliminary Operations
Training the Army Ground Troops—Training the 4th Marine Division—Logistics—Preliminary Army Air Operations—Preliminary Naval Action—Approach of the Invasion Force
Chapter 13: Japanese Defenses in the Marshalls
Before Pearl Harbor—From Pearl Harbor to the Eve of Invasion of the Marshalls—The Defenses of Kwajalein Atoll, January 1944
Chapter 14: The Invasion of Southern Kwajalein
The Landings on D Day—The Landings on Kwajalein Island
Chapter 15: Reduction of the Main Defenses of Kwajalein Island
The Push Inland: First Day—The First Night on Kwajalein Island—Second Day’s Action—Situation at the End of the Second Day
Chapter 16: Kwajalein Island: The Third Day
The Plan for 3 February—The Attack of the 32nd Infantry—The Morning Action in the 184th Infantry’s Zone—The Revised Plan of Attack—Situation on the Night of 3 February
Chapter 17: End of the Battle for Southern Kwajalein
Kwajalein Island Secured—Completing the Conquest of Southern Kwajalein—Chauncey Island—Burton Island—Final Mop-up
Chapter 18: The Capture of Majuro and Roi-Namur
Majuro—D Day: Northern Kwajalein—Initial Landings on Roi and Namur—The Capture of Roi—The Capture of Namur
Chapter 19: The Seizure of Eniwetok Atoll
Plans and Preparations—Preliminary Air Operations—Japanese Defenses on Eniwetok Atoll—The Seizure of Engebi Island—The Capture of Eniwetok Island—Parry Island
Chapter 20: Consolidating the Victory
Mop-up in the Marshalls—Building the Marshalls Bases—Neutralizing the Bypassed Atolls
Chapter 21: Tactical and Strategic Consequences of the Marshalls Operation
Concordance of Code And Native Names for Islands in Kwajalein Atoll
Tables
1. Ammunition Expended by Japanese on Tarawa and Makin, 13–19 November 1943
2. Japanese Strength in Southern Kwajalein Atoll on D Day
3. Combat Effectiveness of Japanese in Southern Kwajalein Atoll on D Day
4. Japanese Strength in Northern Kwajalein Atoll on D Day
Charts
1. Task Organization of Various Commands for the Attack on the Gilbert Islands
2. Task Organization of Major Commands for the Attack on Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls
3. Task Organization of Major Commands for the Attack on Eniwetok Atoll
Maps
1. The Pacific Areas 1 August 1942
2. Gilbert and Marshall Islands
3. Makin Atoll
4. Tarawa Atoll
5. First Night on Butaritari, 20–21 November 1943
6. Second Day’s Action, 21 November 1943
7. Securing Makin, 22–23 November 1943
8. Kwajalein Atoll
9. Southern Kwajalein
10. Northeastern Kwajalein
11. Third Day on Kwajalein Island, Morning, 3 February 1944
12. Third Day on Kwajalein island, Afternoon, 3 February 1944
13. Last Day of Battle on Kwajalein Island, 4 February 1944
14. Capture of Burton, 3–4 February 1944
15. Majuro Atoll
16. Eniwetok Atoll
17. Capture of Engebi, 17 February 1944
18. Capture of Eniwetok Island, 19–21 February 1944
19. Capture of Parry, 22 February 1944
Maps I-VIII are in the Maps Chapter at the end
I: Pacific Ocean (National Geographic Society Map)
II: Butaritari Island (Western Portion)
III: Betio Island
IV: D Day on Butaritari, 20 November 1943
V: Capture of Betio, 20–23 November 1943
VI: Kwajalein Island
VII: Landings on First Two Days of Battle on Kwajalein island, 1–2 February 1944
VIII: Capture of Roi and Namur, 1–2 February 1944
Illustrations
American Representatives at the Casablanca Conference—Butaritari from the Air—Training Operations on Oahu, Hawaii—Supplies Palletized—Nauru Island—Southern Attack Force—Briefing Troops—Japanese Coastal Defenses—Japanese Tank Defenses on Makin—Landings on RED Beach—Dense Vegetation on Butaritari—Dummy Coast Defense Gun—YELLOW Beach Landing Area—YELLOW Beach Landing—Hulks Off On Chong’s Wharf—Defensive Positions on Makin—M3 Light Tank—Unloading Supplies at King’s Wharf—M3 Medium Tanks—Beached Seaplane—Rifle Pits—Japanese Naval Guns Emplaced on Betio—Western End of Betio After Bombardment—RED Beach 1—Disabled LVT—Landings at RED Beach 2—RED Beach 3—Damaged Medium Tank M4—Damaged Japanese Type 95 Light Tank on Betio—Beach Defensive Positions—Japanese Bombproof Shelter—Mille Under Air Attack—Taroa After Being Bombed—Wotje Under Air Attack—Action at Kwajalein—Landings on Carlson island—Demolished Communications Center and Strongpoint—105-mm. M2 Howitzers—Effect of Bombardment on Kwajalein—Invasion of Kwajalein—Bulldozer Clears Route—75-mm. Howitzer in Action—Flame Thrower—Korean Laborers—105-mm. Howitzer Crew in Action—37-mm. Antitank Gun Firing—Battalion Aid Station—Tank-Infantry Attack—A .30-caliber Machine Gun—Pontoon Piers at GREEN Beach 4—Burton (Ebeye) Island—Japanese Entrenchments on Burton—Japanese Bombproof Shelter—Buildings and Shelters—Namur—Landing Craft Head for Beach at Namur—Medium Tanks—Neutralizing a Concrete Blockhouse—Namur Island Beachhead—A Japanese Torpedo Warhead Magazine—Marines Take Cover—Marines Attack Blockhouse—Attack on Engebi—Invasion of Eniwetok—Machine Gun Squad Firing—Marines Prepare to Attack—Parry Island Under Preliminary Bombardment
Office of the Chief of Military History
Department of the Army
Washington, D.C.
United States Army in World War II
Kent Roberts Greenfield, General Editor
Advisory Committee (as of 17 March, 1954)
James P. Baxter President, Williams College
Brig. Gen. Verdi B. Barnes, Army War College
John D. Hicks, University of California
Brig. Gen. Leonard J. Greeley, Industrial College of the Armed Forces
William T. Hutchinson, University of Chicago
Brig. Gen. Elwyn D. Post, Army Field Forces
S. L. A. Marshall, Detroit News
Col. Thomas D. Stamps, United States Military Academy
Charles S. Sydnor*, Duke University
Col. C. E. Beauchamp, Command and General Staff College
Charles H. Taylor, Harvard University
Office of the Chief of Military History
Maj. Gen. Albert C. Smith, Chief**
Kent Roberts Greenfield, Chief Historian
Col. George G. O’Connor, Chief, War Histories Division
Lt. Col. Thomas E. Bennett, Chief, Editorial and Publication Division
Joseph R. Friedman, Chief, Editorial Branch
Wsevolod Aglaimoff, Chief, Cartographic Branch
Maj. Arthur T. Lawry, Chief, Photographic Branch
* Deceased.
** Maj. Gen. Orlando Ward was succeeded by General Smith on 1 February 1953.