Tarawa

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2nd Marine Division Battle of Tarawa

2nd Marine Division Battle of Tarawa

2nd Marine Division Battle of Tarawa 1943

2nd Marine Division Battle of Tarawa 1943

2nd Marine Division Commo Center on Betio Island Tarawa

2nd Marine Division Commo Center on Betio Island Tarawa

2nd Marine Division fighting on Betio

2nd Marine Division fighting on Betio

2nd Marine Division LCVP wave bound for Tarawa

2nd Marine Division LCVP wave bound for Tarawa

2nd Marine Division LVT wreck Betio Island

2nd Marine Division LVT wreck Betio Island

Marines Creep Japanese Pill Boxes Tarawa Island 1943

2nd Marine Division Marines creep Japanese pill boxes on Tarawa Island 1943

2nd Marine Division Riflemen pinned down Betio Island

2nd Marine Division Riflemen pinned down Betio Island

6th Marines advance eastward on Tarawa on D-Day +2

6th Marines advance eastward on Tarawa on D-Day +2

Abandoned Amtracs Tarawa 1943

Abandoned Amtracs Tarawa 1943

Admiral Keiji Shibazaki’s bunker and Knocked Out Type 95 Ha-Go tank in Tarawa

Admiral Keiji Shibazaki's bunker and Knocked Out Type 95 Ha-Go tank in Tarawa 1943

American flag flies from shell blasted tree on Tarawa

American flag flies from shell blasted tree on Tarawa

Bodies of fallen Japanese soldiers in gully on Tarawa

Bodies of fallen Japanese soldiers in gully on Tarawa

Bodies of fallen Japanese soldiers on Tarawa

Bodies of fallen Japanese soldiers on Tarawa

Bodies of Japanese soldiers by KO’d Vickers gun at Betio

Bodies of Japanese soldiers by KO'd Vickers gun at Betio

Bodies of Japanese soldiers in U.S. landing barge

Bodies of Japanese soldiers in U.S. landing barge which they had captured from invading Marines on Tarawa beach

British 8 Inch gun at Tarawa 1943

British 8 Inch gun at Tarawa 1943

Capture Japanese 140 mm Coast Artillery Tarawa 1943

Capture Japanese 140 mm Coast Artillery Tarawa 1943

Capture Japanese 8 Inch Coast Artillery Tarawa 1943

Capture Japanese 203 mm Coast Artillery Tarawa 1943

Coast Guardsmen inspect Japanese field gun on Tarawa

Coast Guardsmen inspect Japanese field gun on Tarawa

Col Evans Carlson and Col Merritt Edson (MOH) confer on Tarawa

Colonel Evans Carlson and Col Merritt Edson (MOH) confer on Tarawa

Combat photographers who landed with first wave of Marines on Tarawa

Combat photographers who landed with first wave of Marines on Tarawa

Concrete bunker on Tarawa and destroyed Ha-Go tank Betio

Concrete bunker on Tarawa and destroyed Ha-Go tank Betio

Cross topped graves of U.S. Marines beside camp on Tarawa 1944

Cross topped graves of US Marines beside camp on Tarawa 1944

Dead Japanese soldiers and destroyed steel-pillbox

Dead Japanese soldiers and destroyed steel-pillbox Command Post

Dead Japanese soldiers atop pillbox

Dead Japanese soldiers atop pillbox

General Smith, Adm. Nimitz and Gen Richardson on Tarawa

General Smith, Admiral Nimitz and Gen. Richardson on Tarawa

Inavasion fleet Battle of Tarawa.jpg

Inavasion fleet Battle of Tarawa.jpg

Japanese ammunition dump on Tarawa Island after US pilot scored a direct hit from his dive-bomber

Japanese ammunition dump on Tarawa Island after US pilot scored a direct hit from his dive-bomber

Japanese coast defense gun Betio Island

Japanese coast defense gun Betio Island

japanese concrete bunker Tarawa 1943

japanese concrete bunker Tarawa 1943

Japanese concrete bunker Tarawa Island 1943

Japanese concrete bunker Tarawa Island 1943

Japanese stronghold on Tarawa

Japanese stronghold

Japanese Type 92 Machine Gun in Bunker on Betio

Japanese Type 92 Machine Gun in Bunker on Betio

Knocked-out Type 95 Ha-Go tank in front of the Japanese command post off Red Beach 3 on Tarawa

Knocked-out Type 95 Ha-Go tank in front of the Japanese command post off Red Beach 3 on Tarawa

Lt Alexander Bonnyman attack on pillbox on Tarawa

Lt Alexander Bonnyman attack on pillbox on Tarawa

LVT Stopped at the Tarawa Beach

LVT Stopped at the Tarawa Beach

Maj Jim Crowe with 2d Battalion, 8th Marines on Red Beach 3

Maj Jim Crowe with 2d Battalion, 8th Marines on Red Beach 3

Marine 75 mm howitzer in action Tarawa

Marine 75 mm howitzer in action Tarawa

Marine combat photographer Norm Hatch gives a drink of water to a kitten

Marine combat photographer Norm Hatch gives a drink of water to a kitten beside a knocked-out Japanese Type 95 tank

Marine examines ruins of shinto temple on Tarawa

Marine examines ruins of shinto temple on Tarawa

Marine firing on Japanese pillbox on Tarawa

Marine firing on Japanese pillbox on Tarawa

Marine gives aid to buddy wounded by shrapnel on Tarawa

Marine gives aid to buddy wounded by shrapnel on Tarawa

Marine hurls hand grenade at Japanese position on Tarawa

Marine hurls hand grenade at Japanese position on Tarawa

marine machine gun in action Tarawa 1943

marine machine gun in action Tarawa 1943

Marine searches wreckage for wounded buddies on Tarawa

Marine searches wreckage for wounded buddies on Tarawa

Marine throw a hand granade Tarawa 1943

Marine throw a hand granade Tarawa 1943

Marine with a Japanese Kurogane motor tricycle Sanrinsha captured on Tarawa

Marine with a Japanese Kurogane motor tricycle Sanrinsha captured on Tarawa

Marine with carbine ready to go over the top on Tarawa

Marine with carbine ready to go over the top on Tarawa

Marine with Grenades and Ammo on Tarawa Beach 1943

Marine with Grenades and Ammo on Tarawa Beach 1943

Marine with Japanese medical kit at dugout hospital on Tarawa

Marine with Japanese medical kit at dugout hospital on Tarawa

Marines advancing toward Japanese position on Tarawa

Marines advancing toward Japanese position on Tarawa

Marines and wounded Battle of Tarawa

Marines and wounded Battle of Tarawa

Marines approach Japanese bomb proof shelter on Tarawa

Marines approach Japanese bomb proof shelter on Tarawa

Marines at camp on Tarawa beach a week after landings

Marines at camp on Tarawa beach a week after landings

Marines at camp on Tarawa beach a week after landings 2

Marines at camp on Tarawa beach a week after landings 2

Marines at Memorial Service for Fallen Comrades and F6F Hellcat Tarawa 1943

Marines at Memorial Service for Fallen Comrades and F6F Hellcat Tarawa 1943

Marines at Memorial Service for Fallen Comrades on Tarawa 1943

Marines at Memorial Service for Fallen Comrades on Tarawa 1943

Marines Battle of Tarawa 1943

Marines Battle of Tarawa 1943

Marines Battle of Tarawa Beach

Marines Battle of Tarawa Beach

Marines Battle of Tarawa Gilbert Islands

Marines Battle of Tarawa Gilbert Islands

Marines Battle of Tarawa Operation Galvanic

Marines Battle of Tarawa Operation Galvanic

Marines blast Japanese pillbox on Tarawa

Marines blast Japanese pillbox on Tarawa

Marines carry wounded buddy to dressing station on Tarawa

Marines carry wounded buddy to dressing station on Tarawa

Marines give blood transfusion to wounded comrade on Tarawa

Marines give blood transfusion to wounded comrade on Tarawa

Marines in „The Lousy Lousy Loung” dugout on Tarawa

Marines in "The Lousy Lousy Loung" dugout on Tarawa

Marines in action Battle of Tarawa

Marines in action Battle of Tarawa

Marines in action Battle of Tarawa 2

Marines in action Battle of Tarawa 2

Marines in action Battle of Tarawa 3

Marines in action Battle of Tarawa 3

Marines in action Battle of Tarawa 4

Marines in action Battle of Tarawa 4

Marines in action Battle of Tarawa Gilbert Islands

Marines in action Battle of Tarawa Gilbert Islands

Marines in Action During Height of Battle on Tarawa 1943

Marines in Action During Height of Battle on Tarawa 1943

Marines In Action Tarawa 1943

Marines In Action Tarawa 1943

Marines in Trench on Tarawa

Marines in Trench on Tarawa

Marines manning field telephone at Communications Post on Tarawa

Marines manning field telephone at Communications Post on Tarawa

Marines march Japanese prisoners along Tarawa Beach

Marines march Japanese prisoners along Tarawa Beach

Marines Move Wounded Tarawa 1943

Marines Move Wounded Tarawa 1943

Marines on Red Beach 3 advancing to burns Phillips Pier Tarawa

Marines on Red Beach 3 advancing to burns Phillips Pier Tarawa

Marines on Red Beach Betio on 2nd Day 11.00 AM of Battle at Tarawa

Marines on Red Beach Betio on 2nd Day 11.00 AM of Battle at Tarawa

Marines on Tarawa display various Japanese battle trophies

Marines on Tarawa display various Japanese battle trophies

Marines Red Beach 2 Tarawa 1942

Marines Red Beach 2 Tarawa 1942

Marines rest on captured Red Beach Betio

Marines rest on captured Red Beach Betio

Marines resting by LVT 23 on Red Beach 3 at Tarawa

Marines resting by LVT "23" on Red Beach 3 at Tarawa

Marines storm Japanese held airport on Tarawa

Marines storm Japanese held airport on Tarawa

Marines swarm over high embankment on Beach of Tarawa

Marines swarm over high embankment on Beach of Tarawa

US Marines creep Japanese pill boxes Tarawa Island 1943

Marines take cover behind sand dunes on Beach of Tarawa

Marines Take Cover From Japanese Fire On Tarawa 1943

Marines Take Cover From Japanese Fire On Tarawa 1943

Marines Tarawa Island

Marines Tarawa Island

Marines with bottle of Saki and Kirin and Asahi Beer on Tarawa

Marines with bottle of Saki and Kirin and Asahi Beer on Tarawa

Marines with captured Japanese bicycle on Tarawa

Marines with captured Japanese bicycle on Tarawa

Marines with Pin-Up girl picture in Landing Craft off Tarawa

Marines with Pin-Up girl picture in Landing Craft off Tarawa

Shattered beach at Betio Island Tarawa Atoll 24 November 1943

Shattered beach at Betio Island Tarawa Atoll 24 November 1943

Tarawa after battle

Tarawa after battle

Tarawa after battle Gilbert Islands

Tarawa after battle Gilbert Islands

Tarawa Beach 1943

Tarawa Beach 1943

Tarawa beachhead 1943

Tarawa beachhead 1943

Tarawa island beachhead 1943

Tarawa island beachhead 1943

Tarawa Marines and Japanese Booty

Tarawa Marines and Japanese Booty

Troops inspect wreckage of Japanese plane on Tarawa

Troops inspect wreckage of Japanese plane on Tarawa

Two injured pigs get medical attention

Two injured pigs get expert medical attention from Marine regiment surgeon LCDR Glenn G. English at first aid station on Tarawa

Bombers blasting Japanese Airfield at Tarawa 1943

U.S. bombers blasting Japanese Airfield at Tarawa 1943

US Marines in action Battle of Tarawa 1943

US Marines in action Battle of Tarawa 1943

US Tarawa Task Group

US Tarawa Task Group

USMC reinforcements march down pier

USMC reinforcements march down pier

Vickers 203 mm gun Tarawa pacific

Vickers 203 mm gun Tarawa pacific

White crosses mark graves in largest US Cemetery on Tarawa 44

White crosses mark graves in largest U.S. Cemetery on Tarawa 1944

Wounded Marine Battle Of Tarawa 1943

Wounded Marine Battle Of Tarawa 1943

Wounded Marine squad leader directs attack on Tarawa

Wounded Marine squad leader directs attack on Tarawa

Marines Move Wounded On Rubber Raft Tarawa 1943

Wounded Marines moved by rubber raft to larger craft off Tarawa

The Battle of Tarawa was a battle in the Pacific Theatre of World War II, largely fought from November 20-23, 1943. It was the second time the United States was on the offensive (the Battle of Guadalcanal had been the first), and the first offensive in the critical central Pacific region. It was also the first time in the war that the United States faced serious Japanese opposition to a US amphibious landing. Previous landings met little or no initial resistance, Tarawa was to be different.