The seizure of the Gilbert Islands in November 1943 is best known for the bloody storm landing conducted by the US V Amphibious Force on Tarawa Atoll from 20-23 Nov., resulting in the loss of over 1,000 Marines and sailors, as well as the escort carrier USS Liscombe Bay.

Simultaneous with the Marine landings on Tarawa, the US Army’s 27th Infantry Division under their command of MG Ralph Smith assaulted Makin Atoll in the northeastern section of the Gilberts island chain on 20 Nov. 1943.

27ID’s 165th Infantry Regiment was chosen as the assault element, with the 193rd Tank Battalion and 105th Field Artillery Battalion in tow. The landings were opposed by 284 naval troops of the Gilberts Invasion Special Landing Force, and attached support personnel.

The atoll’s main island of Butaritari was the focus of attack, and it was here that Japanese defenses were prepared in depth, with the seaward defenses protected by numerous machine gun emplacements, rifle pits, 8-in. coast guns and three 37 mm anti-tank guns.

Inland, a two mile long anti-tank barrier system was dug in two parts, and protected by concrete emplacements (one housing a 37 mm AT gun) and log barriers.

The assault on Butaritari began at 0800 on Nov. 20, 1943 following an aerial assault by Seventh Air Force bombers and dive-bombers launched from USS Liscombe Bay, as well as naval gunfire.

The assault element overcame resistance at the beach and swiftly moved inland. The greatest obstacle to their progress proved to be a result of the numerous bomb craters created by the air and naval bombardment, which frustrated the movement of supporting armor inland.

The assault plan featured two landings: the first element would storm the island’s western shore, rapidly moving inland, supported by M3A1 tanks of 193rd TB. Meanwhile, the center of the island would be assaulted by an addition battalion, pivoting west to meet the western force.

Whether the inexperienced troops of Smith’s 27ID could pull it off was a concern of V Amphibious Corps planners. The potential to quickly trap the island’s defenders between the two assault battalions promised a swift victory.

The western assault force encountered more than a cratered moonscape to stall the armored advance. Most of the island’s garrison had survived the pre-invasion bombardment and quickly took up positions to resist the invasion.

Concealed in spider holes and in the tops of trees, snipers had a doleful effect on US troops’ forward momentum, claiming the lives of several officers, including the 165th Inf CO, Col. James Conroy, who was killed while exposing himself to enemy fire.

On the beach, it required more than three hours for the tanks to negotiate the rocky shore and sort out command arrangements between armor and infantry officers. Tempers flared at one point when an officer of 193rd TB refused to obey an infantry officer’s orders.

This aside, the landings had gone well and the western assault force was working its way inland despite stiffening event resistance. The assault on the island’s center was a different matter altogether. Here resistance on the beach had been heavy and losses severe.

Japanese MG positions on the beach and places among half-sunken hulks in the lagoon caught the assault force in a crossfire. Tanks began engaging targets from the decks of their LCTs and LVTs delivering the infantry ashore kept up a steady volume of fire.

The advance element had little difficultly getting ashore in their amphibious tractors, however, the balance of the force was carried on flat bottom LCAs that came to ground on a coral reef up to 250 yards from shore. Infantry had to wade in, damaging radios and flamethrowers.

The armor struggled in the deep water of the lagoon after debouching from their LCTs. A few tanks were lost to flooding but most made it ashore, the M4 Sherman’s 75mm guns eliminating enemy bunkers and grinding down rifle pits.

Progress into the center of the island was rapid once the lagoon defenses were overrun. Nightfall brought a new misery with the enemy infiltrating US positions and establishing sniper posts to annoy the GIs once dawn came.

Fighting on the 21st was centered on overcoming the enemy’s tank barrier system. Here as on the beach, the tanks proved crucial to the mission’s success. The addition of the 105mm guns of the 105th FA also played a key role in the fighting on Nov. 21-22.

An intelligence coup on Nov. 21 gave US forces the exact positions of the enemy’s gun emplacements, which enabled the artillery to place pinpoint fire on the bunkers and rifle pits, before the infantry finished the job.

The Japanese attempt to escape to the atoll’s neighboring island of Kuma was thwarted by a quick occupation of the islet by troops the night of Nov. 22. That same night, the Japanese staged several suicide attacks on US positions that were easily repulsed.

At 1130 hours on Nov. 23, MG Ralph Smith declared the island secured. The 75 hour operation cost 218 American lives. Japanese losses were nearly total.

Valuable lessons were learned about armor’s value during the assault phase and the need for better waterproofing of equipment

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