The Fourth Marine Division set three new records on
its first operation: it became the first division to go
directly into combat from boot training in the United States; it
was the first to capture Japanese-mandated territory in the
Pacific, and it secured its objective in a shorter time than
that of any other important operation since the attack on Pearl
Harbor.
Team 3.3, 1st Joint Assault Signal Company, which I was a member of, was attached to the 3rd Bn., 25th Marine Regt., 4th Marine Division and boarded ship, the USS William P. Biddle, at San Diego, Calif.and sailed on January 13, 1944 for the Marshall Islands.
For weeks, the coming battle had been known only by its code
name, "Operation Flintlock". Not until our convoy had passed
the Hawaiian Islands was its destination revealed to all hands
-- the twin islands of Roi-Namur in the Kwajalein Atoll of the
Marshall Islands.
Simultaneously, the U. S. Army's Seventh Infantry Division was
to invade the island of Kwajalein in the same atoll.
In some ways, Operation Flintlock would be the most important of
the Pacific War to date: it would be the first offensive strike
against the enemy to secure a base for future operations.
Up until this time, the strategy in the Pacific had been largely
to keep the Japanese from expanding their gains, to keep them
out of Australia, and to secure our own flank in the South
Pacific in order for the U. S. Forces to drive straight through
the Central Pacific for the knockout blows that were sure to
follow. The Marshalls invasion was to be the spearhead of this
drive and our Fourth Division shared the responsibility for its
initial success.
Kwajalein Atoll was recognized as the main point in the defense
system of the Marshall Islands. The command of the whole area
was centered here. It was also a distribution point on which
reinforcements were gathered and sent out to other atolls. The
Atoll also contained the world's largest land-locked lagoon and
a naval base with fueling and repair facilities.
Roi Island also had the principal airfield in the islands.
Altogether, the Atoll consisted of 85 islands, extended 65 miles
in length, and was 18 miles across at its widest point. It was,
however, 2,439 miles west of Pearl Harbor.
During the long, 18-day voyage to the Atoll, we had a lot of
time to think about where we were going and what we were
expected to do.
We were still remembering Tarawa and the horrors the Marines who
stormed those beaches faced -- the long walk through water to
reach their objective. The prospect of hitting a small, heavily
defended beach was not too cheerful to think about.
Operation maps showed numerous installations -- coast defense
guns, heavy and medium anti-aircraft guns, machine gun
blockhouses, a total of 52 pillboxes, numerous anti-tank
trenches, rifle trenches and barbed wire.
In addition, the twin islands of Roi-Namur were more like huge
sand traps than valuable real estate. The island of Roi
measured 1200 by 1250 yards; Namur was 800 by 910 yards --
neither of them a square mile in size.
An estimated 3,000 enemy troops were there to defend the islands
-- it was not numbers we liked to think about.
The task force which accompanied the the Marine and Army
Divisions to the islands was the largest assembled in the
Pacific to date. The high command had decided there would be no
more Tarawas. Our infantry, for example, would out-number the
defenders two to one, so we were not really too worried.
There were two small islands on either side of the entrance to
the lagoon. Since we were to attack the islands from inside the
lagoon, these were secured on January 31, 1944.
As the convoy of ships entered the lagoon through the Jacob Pass or as some called it, Ennuebing Pass or North Pass, we discovered the water was so clear that one could look over the side of the ship and see the bottom. We could see all different kinds of fish, including sharks. The coral was all colors. It was one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen. It seemed so unreal that, in a few minutes, we would be loading into landing craft for the assault.
I remember wondering what the Japanese defenders must be
thinking, looking out into the lagoon at the massive armada
confronting them.
The two small islands on the other side of the entrance had been
secured. Now we were inside the lagoon, getting ready for our
part of the operation. There were three islands southeast of
the main objective of Roi-Namur. The Second and Third
Battalions of the 25th Marines (led by Lt. Colonels Lewis C.
Hudson, Jr., and Justice M. Chambers, respectively) were
assigned the responsibility of capturing those three islands.
My outfit was assigned to the Third Battalion, 25th Marines. If
my memory serves me correctly, we invaded the island next to
Roi-Namur, which I remember as Ennugarret. Roi-Namur was small,
but this one was even smaller.
I remember that, as we went over the side and down the cargo
nets to our boats, we were all laughing and joking -- trying to
appear unafraid. At the time, very few of us had ever been in
combat. One -- my very good friend, Lynn Putman -- had been on
Midway and gone through that awful bombardment. He knew what we
were in for; but the rest of us were greenhorns.
Soon, we received the signal, and all the landing craft headed
for the beach. About fifty yards from our boat, we could see
the fight going on ashore, but it hadn't really sunk in yet
just how serious this business was.
Suddenly, the Japanese, using a 20MM anti-aircraft, lowered the
muzzle and started to fire on our craft. I could see the
bullets hitting the water and stood in awe as they seemed to
walk directly toward our boat. Before I had time to think,
however, they found their mark and tore into the front and side
of our craft, sending splinters flying everywhere. In that
split second that seemed to last forever, there was no longer
any silly conversation -- no jokes and no laughter. This was on the afternoon of D-day and turned out to be a fairly simple operation.
The gunfire stopped as quickly as it began. In a few seconds,
my friend, Raymond F. Dewey, stook up and remarked, "Hey--if
those guys aren't careful, somebody's going to get hurt!" That
remark broke the ice but, in a flash, we had matured into
Marines and we immediately concentrated on the business at
hand.
Off to War!
Ennugarret
As the attack on Roi-Namur was taking place, I was checking some
communications problems on a point of the island closest to
Namur, which lay a hundred yards or so away. Suddenly there was
a tremendous explosion on Namur. I was thrown backward about
ten or twelve feet by the concussion. I was not injured, but
was somewhat stunned. It seems that a large enemy blockhouse,
used as a storage place for aerial bombs and torpedo warheads,
had exploded without warning.
Many men lost their lives in that explosion, some in small boats
a considerable distance from shore. The explosion sent large
chunks of concrete, torpedo warheads, and bombs high in the sky.
Men caught in the open didn't have a chance with these things
falling all around them from the sky. In a few minutes, the
smoke mushroom resembled what I now know as a small atomic bomb
explosion.
We completed our task by nightfall on D-Day, January 31st and the
island was declared secure. We had artillery ashore the next
morning, February 1, 1944, and were waiting for the main attack
on Roi-Namur by the 23rd and 24th Marines -- scheduled for that
day.
Roi-Namur
On February 13th, exactly one month from the time we left San Diego, the Division (less the 25th Regiment and the
Division Scout Company) boarded ship and sailed for Maui,
Hawaii. Instead of returning to Hawaii with our Division, we
got to stay on the islands as garrison troops (lucky us). We
finally got to leave around March 1, 1944, and rejoined the
Division on Maui around the middle of March.
During this short battle for the Marshalls, the Fourth lost 190
Marines killed and 547 wounded. In a short time, we had become
combat veterans. We had captured 264 prisoners, and 3,472 of
the enemy had been killed.
Although the battle for the islands lasted only 24 hours, it
consisted of some of the fiercest fighting of the war. The
Division was awarded four Medals of Honor, which I think might
be a record for 24 hours of combat.
Success, but at a Cost
BATTLE POSTSCRIPTS
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