76 Hours: The Invasion of Tarawa By Eric Hammel and John E. Lane On the morning of Saturday, November 20, 1943, the U.S. 2nd Marine Division undertook the first modern amphibious assault against a well-defended beachhead. The objective was tiny Betio Island in Tarawa Atoll. The result was an immortal story of tragedy and near defeat turned around into an epic of victory and indomitable human spirit. Although the admirals commanding the Tarawa invasion fleet had assured the Marines that Betio would be pounded to coral dust ...
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76 Hours: The Invasion of Tarawa By Eric Hammel and John E. Lane On the morning of Saturday, November 20, 1943, the U.S. 2nd Marine Division undertook the first modern amphibious assault against a well-defended beachhead. The objective was tiny Betio Island in Tarawa Atoll. The result was an immortal story of tragedy and near defeat turned around into an epic of victory and indomitable human spirit. Although the admirals commanding the Tarawa invasion fleet had assured the Marines that Betio would be pounded to coral dust by a massive naval and air bombardment-the largest of its kind ever seen to that time-the first waves of Marines found the Japanese defenses intact and manned by determined foes. Within minutes of the start of the head-on assault, the American battle plan was a shambles and scores of Marines had been killed or wounded. The assault virtually stopped at the water's edge, its momentum halted before many Marines ever dismounted from the amphibian tractors that had carried them to the deadly, fire-swept beach. Follow-up waves of Marines suffered grievous casualties when they were forced to wade more than 500 yards through fire-swept, knee-deep water because tidal conditions had been miscalculated by the invasion's planners. Follow the bloody battle for Betio in graphic detail as heroic American fighting men advance every life-threatening step across the tiny island in the face of what many historians agree was the best and most concentrated defenses manned by the bravest and most competent Japanese defenders American troops encountered in the entire Pacific War.
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Seller's Description:
World War II-Pacific Signs of use, plastic covering on Dustjacket by previous owner. A graphic account of the 2nd Division USMC's assault in 1943. It was one of the most hard fought battles in the Pacific, with very heavy US Marine casualties. UL-XXXXXX. xxii + 266pp, 31 photos, 6 maps.
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Seller's Description:
Very good in very good jacket. Size: 6x1x9; NOT an ex library book. Signature of both authors on a plain label on front endpaper. Plain label over prior owner name on front endpaper. 266 fpages including the index. Dust jacket has 1/2" tear top rear, no chips. Price is not clipped.