"Bloody, Bloody" Tarawa-- Part 2: In the Gilbert Islands

The November 1943 invasion of the Gilbert islands was the beginning of the U.S. "Island-Hopping" Campaign in the central Pacific during World War II.  U.S. commanders determined that amphibious attacks on Japanese-occupied islands was key to victory.

And, not every island would have to be attacked.  We would chose principal ones and skip others.

The island of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands was the first target of the American campaign.

Tarawa is located about 80 nautical miles from the equator and is the largest atoll in the Gilbert Islands which is a 16-island chain roughly halfway between Hawaii and Papua New Guinea.  The Japanese had seized it from the British a few days after the their attack on Pearl Harbor.

Tarawa's main island, Betio, was the target if the Navy and Marine Corps.

--GreGen