Carlsons marine raiders makin island 1942 by gordon l. In between carriers, 11th meu, makin island arg are busy. The book goes into great detail on the training of the unit and also in the operation at makin itself. Rottman begins with an extended introduction to the unorthodox ltcol carlson and his concept for marine raider units, specially trained to conduct hit. Re pearl harbor to guadalcanal, history of the marine corps operations in world war ii, volume i, by ltcol frank o. The raid on makin island occurred on 1718 august 1942 was an attack by the united states marine corps raiders on japanese military forces on makin island now known as butaritari island in the pacific ocean. Uss makin island lhd 8 westpac cruise book 201112 did you serve aboard uss makin island lhd 8.
Navy has selected the name makin island for its next amphibious assault ship, which honors the daring raid carried out by marine corps companies a and b, second. It also covers what happened to the troops that were left on the island and the lack of proper accountability by the raiders themselves who did not get a proper head count until back at pearl harbor. Makin island raid by the marine raiders during wwii youtube. The makin raid of 1942 and the recovery of the marines lost. Makin island seen through the nautilus periscope before the raid. Louis, ub88 only made it as far as memphis, before low late summer water levels forced her to cut short her voyage on the mississippi and head. Wilfred lefrancois aboard uss nautilus ss168 after the raid on makin island. Makin island as seen from the periscope of uss nautilus during the raid of august 1718, 1942, perhaps during the observation of the island before the marines assaulted it. This page is intended to provide updated information about team raider. The makin raid inflicted only minor military damage, and its strategic impact is disputed. The capture of makin narrates the armys part of the campaign, which was the prelude to later advance among the marshall islands. The battle of makin was fought november 2024, 1943, during world war ii 19391945.
The island that is referred to as makin island is, in fact, the island of butaritari. Carlsons raiders and the makin island raid soldier of. Dean winters, of the 2nd raider battalion, prepare to go onto the deck of the submarine uss nautilus on the morning of august 17, 1942. Six usmc veterans of the makin island raid attended the ceremony. How this storied marine raid came back to bite america. The makin island raid was an attack by the united states marine corps on japanese military forces on makin island in the pacific ocean. This article is adapted from his new book into the rising sun.
Navys victory at midway in june 1942, and as an adjunct to the first american offensive in the war, operation cactus the invasion of the japaneseheld island of guadalcanal in august 1942. On august 1718, 1942, 211 men of the us marine corps 2nd raider battalion conducted a daring amphibious raid on the japaneseoccupied makin island in the south pacific. The raid on the gilbert islands makin atoll by evans carlsons 2nd raider battalion was a victory at. Footage includes recreated scenes of the raid shot by the marine corps in 1943 and the. The capture of makin 2024 november 1943 army center of. Entering the naval reserve in 1941, he has served at sea, and in naval intelligence and the naval office of public information. Damage to a turning gear delayed the ships final checkout trials from august to september 2010. National archives photo moments later, the opening round occurred in a firefight later called the battle of the breadfruit trees, after two large breadfruit trees located where the. This ambitious but flawed operation was intended to divert japanese reinforcements bound. Though originally intended to travel as far north as st. Griffins novel call to arms, book two of the corps series, focuses on the forming of the marine raiders and the raid on makin island, as told. The makin island raid was a folly that movie glamorizes, and carlson was an idealist whose comradeoriented methods had little influence on later commando tactics.
The capture of makin 2024 november 1943 is one of a series of fourteen studies of world war ii operations originally published by the war departments historical division and now returned to print as part of the armys commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of that momentous clash of arms. The lessons of the 1942 makin island raid war is boring. This ambitious but flawed operation was intended to divert japanese reinforcements bound for guadalcanal, over 1,000 miles to the southwest, in the wake of the us landings there ten days earlier. Makin island visited san francisco in october 2010 as part of the citys 2010 fleet week festivities.
Rottman 2014, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. Gordon l rottman on august 1718, 1942, 211 men of the us marine corps 2nd raider battalion conducted a daring amphibious raid on the japaneseoccupied makin island in the south pacific. On august 17, 1942 211 marines set out from two submarines to makin island, the home of a japanese seaplane base. Some historians contend that it led the japanese military to reinforce the island of tarawa and root out the allied local spy network, worsening marine losses when they invaded tarawa and makin in 1943. It is provided for information only and does not constitute endorsement by the united states department of defense, the united states department of the navy or the uss. Uss makin island lhd 8 westpac cruise book 201415 did you serve aboard uss makin island lhd 8. But far worse fighting faced soldiers, sailors and coast guardsmen when american forces returned in late 1943. The battle of makin was an engagement of the pacific campaign of world war ii, fought from 20 to 23 november 1943, on makin atoll in the gilbert islands. The few that even care to know about the raid that took place during 17th and 18th august 1942 in the gilbert islands call it the makin island raid. As the landing craft approached yellow beach from the lagoon, they began to receive smallarms and machinegun fire from the islands defenders. The raiders approached makin in two submarines, nautilus and argonaut. It even became the subject of a 1943 movie, gung ho. With the end of the fighting on guadalcanal, allied forces began planning for a march across the pacific.
Carlson, made a harassing raid on makin island, an atoll in the gilberts. Carlsons raid on makin island the true story of the. Makin island raid by the marine raiders during wwii. Griffins novel call to arms, book two of the corps series, focuses on the forming of the marine raiders and the raid on makin island, as told through the novels protagonist, lt. View of makin island from the periscope of the uss nautilus before the raid the marines landed the night of august 17 th without incident and proceed to attack and kill the japanese garrison. There they met and took aboard tattered raiders, who had managed to juryrig their rubber boats to a native outriggercanoe, on which they were able to negotiate. National archives photo moments later, the opening round occurred in a firefight later called the battle of the breadfruit trees, after two large breadfruit trees located where the attacking japanese troops assembled. They were to kill any japanese troops encountered, destroy japanese buildings and facilities, and gather anything of intelligence value. Entering the naval reserve in 1941, he has served at sea, and in naval.
What follows are accounts of the raid on makin atoll by veterans of the. Raid on makin island, part 822 for the next month, she made calls at ports large and small along the great river including vicksburg and natchez. The true story of carlsons raiders and their world war ii attack on makin island. They landed on the southern shore and moved north against strong resistance from snipers and machine gun teams. A movie based on this account was made, and released on december 23, 1943. Carlsons mission was to stage a oneday raid on butaritari lasting hours starting just before dawn. The marines landed the night of august 17 th without incident and proceed to attack and kill the japanese garrison. The raid on makin was also featured as a level in the electronic arts video game medal of honor. Makin island m3 stuart light tank, bogged down in a shell crater, holds up the advance on the narrow causeway north of jill lake. This study is based upon a first narrative prepared in the field from military records and from notes and interviews recorded during the operation by lt. Mccullough, a radioman in carlsons raiders during the makin island raid. Makin atoll, with the main island of butaritari, was taken by the japanese at the first phase of the quick expansion across the pacific, two days after the pearl. The aim was to destroy imperial japanese installations, take prisoners, gain intelligence on the gilbert islands area. Uss makin island lhd 8 received a visit from enlisted community managers ecm that helped assist 59 sailors in choosing a rate as a part of the professional apprenticeship career.
The aim was to destroy japanese installations, take prisoners, gain intelligence on the gilbert islands area. Makin island 1942 is an osprey raid series book, authored by gordon rottman, with illustrations contributed by several artists. Ww2 makin island raid carlson s marine raiders usmc. The makin raid of 1942 and the recovery of the marines lost after the battle february 21, 2014 by patrick shrier in august 1942 the 2nd marine raider battalion raided what was then called makin island in the gilbert archipelago of the south pacific. The raid on makin island 1718 august 1942 was an attack by the united states marine.
Lefrancois, who participated in the raid, in 1943 published a story about it entitled we mopped up makin island, in the saturday evening post. The raid on makin island is one of those operations that marines point to with pride. Butaritari, which forms the southern base of makin, is the largest island in the atoll. Page content the following account was provided by sgt k. The makin island raid proceedings october 1946 vol. A good book on the subject is carlson s raid by george w. The marine raiders that carried it out were among the best of the best.
This ambitious but flawed operation was intended to divert japanese reinforc. Nov 04, 2019 the raid on makin atoll was primarily a diversion to lure japanese attention away from the main landings at guadalcanal, but things went badly from the start. Selecting the gilbert islands as the first target, planning moved forward for landings on several islands including tarawa and makin atoll. The aim was to destroy japanese installations, take prisoners, gain intelligence on the gilbert islands area, and divert japanese attention and reinforcements from the allied. That raid was also a strategic blunder that, in a very real sense. Ww2 makin island raid carlsons marine raiders usmc 1942 james roosevelt lcrl ss168.
The raid on makin island 1718 august 1942 was an attack by the united states marine corps raiders on japanese military forces on makin island now known as butaritari island in the pacific ocean. Ww2 makin island raid carlson s marine raiders usmc 1942. Makin island was a high risk event, demonstrating both the potential of special operations forces and the hazards inherent in their use. It is provided for information only and does not constitute endorsement by the united states department of defense, the united states department of the navy or the uss makin island lhd 8. There is no evidence that the japanese diverted any forces away from the battle then raging in the solomons, as nimitz had hoped. The most detailed account of the raid ever written. National archives photo decision for the makin raid came in the wake of the u. Uss makin island lhd 8 wasp class amphibious assault ship. The makin raid of 1942 and the recovery of the marines.
The makin island raid occurred on 1718 august 1942 was an attack by the united states marine corps raiders on japanese military forces on makin island now known as butaritari island in the pacific ocean. Some seventy years ago, this past august, the first major collection of captured japanese documents in the pacific theater to arrive at pearl harbor were those captured in august 1942 when the 2 nd marine raider battalion, under lt. This ambitious but flawed operation was intended to divert japanese reinforcements bound for guadalcanal, over 1,000 miles to. The book goes into great detail on the training of the unit and also in the. At first the only military installation that the japanese constructed on the gilberts was a seaplane base on butaritari island of the makin atoll. A second was the raid on makin island by two companies of marine raiders in august 1942, in conjunction with the guadalcanal operation. The makin raid had no lasting effect on the course of the war. These volumes, prepared by professional historians shortly after the.
View of makin island from the periscope of the uss nautilus before the raid. Uss makin island lhd 8 received a visit from enlisted community managers ecm that helped assist 59 sailors in choosing a rate as a part of the professional apprenticeship career track program, pact aug. When they surfaced, the men set out for shore in rubber boats amid heavy rains and a tumultuous sea. This ambitious but flawed operation was intended to divert japanese reinforcements bound for guadalcanal, over 1,000.
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