China Gal

On the second day of the invasion, D+1, Major Michael Ryan gathered what Marines and Engineers he could and prepared to sweep Green Beach of its defenders. Boosted by the timely arrival of the Shermans 'Cecille' and ‘China Gal', the …

1943-11-21

H03

On the second day of the invasion, D+1, Major Michael Ryan gathered what Marines and Engineers he could and prepared to sweep Green Beach of its defenders. Boosted by the timely arrival of the Shermans 'Cecille' and ‘China Gal', the men moved forward. The Japanese SNLF soldiers were a tough bunch and would not give it up easily.

Betio Island, Tarawa

The Battle of Tarawa was a battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that was fought on 20–23 November 1943. It took place at the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands, and was part of Operation Galvanic, the U.S. invasion of the Gilberts. Nearly 6,400 Japanese, Koreans, and Americans died in the fighting, mostly on and around the small island of Betio, in the extreme southwest of Tarawa Atoll. The Battle of Tarawa was the first American offensive in the critical central Pacific region. It was also the first time in the Pacific War that the United States had faced serious Japanese opposition to an amphibious landing. Previous landings met little or no initial Resistance, but on Tarawa the 4,500 Japanese defenders were well-supplied and well-prepared, and they fought almost to the last man, exacting a heavy toll on the United States Marine Corps. The losses on Tarawa were incurred within 76 hours.

Wikipedia: Battle of Tarawa

Japanese

American