Battle
Battle of Tarawa
20 Nov 1943 – 23 Nov 1943 · Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll
On 20–23 November 1943, in Operation Galvanic, the 2nd Marine Division assaulted Betio Island on Tarawa Atoll, defended by a garrison counted variously from about 2,600 to about 5,000 men. A neap tide left only about 3 feet of water over the reef, so only tracked LVT amphibious tractors could cross and half were knocked out on the first day. U.S. Marines suffered 1,009 killed and 2,101 wounded, with 687 Navy dead; of 3,636 Japanese in the garrison only 17 survived. Colonel David M. Shoup received the Medal of Honor, and the losses helped lead to the founding of the Underwater Demolition Teams.
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- [1]Battle of Tarawa
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