Tarawa

[Marine A5 Sniper]

Watched the combat footage from Tarawa and Saipan last night on History Channel.

Tarawa was first. They had the actual photographer telling the story along with a lot of the veterans. It showed the first footage ever made of Americans and their enemy visible in the same frame firing at each other. I had no idea Tarawa was so small (1/3 the size of Central Park in NYC). The beach was literally covered with Marine bodies and they were buried in very shallow graves on the beachhead (days later from the appearance of the bodies). How the photographer survived I don't know, as he was typically 50 to 100 feet from the Japanese and right in the middle of the fighting and had to stand erect to film. That was one brutal "in your face fight". 6,000 men were killed and 2,000 wounded in 76 hours (Japanese and Americans). There were less than 10 Japanese survivors. Many 1903's were present and not one of them had a grenade launcher on it. One clip showed an A1 Unertl sniper rifle being put to good use.

Saipan looked almost as bad. The incidental killing of civilians, including children, wasn't too pleasant. Once again the Japanese fought to the death. One detail I thought interesting was the use of smoke grenades to kill occupants of a pill box. They couldn't breathe. Fame throwers were used to a great extent.

If you want to see real combat with all its horrors, these two films will do the trick. You may have problems sleeping.

Jim

[Bill F]

Problems sleeping????Surely you jest????

[Rick the Librarian]

I don't think any of us who have never been in combat can ever have a clue what it is like, especially someplace like Tarawa, Normandy or Iwo.

[Bill F]

Army 70 till 73.No I was not on Tarawa.I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last nite.

[Chaz]

At my age, I get up in the middle of the night and watch the History Channel because I can't sleep! But I have seen that particular program and it is a reminder to me of how sheltered my own life has been. B

[PhrogPilot]

I don't think any of us who have never been in combat can ever have a clue what it is like, especially someplace like Tarawa, Normandy or Iwo.

The sacrifices of the few ensure the freedom of the many...

[ALVIN LINDEN #1]

Watched the combat footage from Tarawa and Saipan last night on History Channel.

Tarawa was first. They had the actual photographer telling the story along with a lot of the veterans. It showed the first footage ever made of Americans and their enemy visible in the same frame firing at each other. I had no idea Tarawa was so small (1/3 the size of Central Park in NYC). The beach was literally covered with Marine bodies and they were buried in very shallow graves on the beachhead (days later from the appearance of the bodies). How the photographer survived I don't know, as he was typically 50 to 100 feet from the Japanese and right in the middle of the fighting and had to stand erect to film. That was one brutal "in your face fight". 6,000 men were killed and 2,000 wounded in 76 hours (Japanese and Americans). There were less than 10 Japanese survivors. Many 1903's were present and not one of them had a grenade launcher on it. One clip showed an A1 Unertl sniper rifle being put to good use.

Saipan looked almost as bad. The incidental killing of civilians, including children, wasn't too pleasant. Once again the Japanese fought to the death. One detail I thought interesting was the use of smoke grenades to kill occupants of a pill box. They couldn't breathe. Fame throwers were used to a great extent.

If you want to see real combat with all its horrors, these two films will do the trick. You may have problems sleeping.

Jim

Jim: My DAD was in the Pacific... I was in Vietnam. We both talked about our combat experiences and agreed, we never shed a single tear for the enemy, but we couldn't shed enough for our comrades. If we had one regret in common it was that we both wish we hadn't missed so much! Our enemy, that this! Full Auto is a Bitch on Accuracy! The Japanese were vicious animals that walked upright, the V.C./N.V.A. were trained monkeys with weapons. If you want to lose some sleep, lose it for the 4 successive American generations that have gone to the 4 corners of the earth to keep other peoples free...just like now in those GOD FORSAKEN HELL HOLES IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. Jerry

[Marine A5 Sniper]

Jerry,

I was in I Corps in the mountains west of Danang. I do not lose sleep over the Japanese, Vietnamese, Germans, or any other enemy we have fought, except for the innocent children. They showed a clip of the Marines as they approached the shore of Tarawa, and I recognized that look on their faces. I called it "The Passage", when all you can hear is the clinking of weapons being checked, muttered prayers, cursing, and from a very few - laughter. My grand father knew it (WWI), my father knew it (WWII), and I knew it (RVN). I thought about it for some time that night.

I was surprised that the Marine Corps made such movies. I wish I had taped them.

Jim
USMC
69-72