Marsh Is.#474 U.S.Forces Invade Tarawa - 1993 Imperforate Mint Issue
November 20, 1943 Tarawa and Makin, coral atolls in the Gilbert Islands, were critical U.S. objectives. A massive amphibious assault of more than 200 ships, 36 troop transports and 35,000 soldiers was launched. Although the islands were comparable to New York’s Central Park in size, they would not be taken easily. Jagged coral reefs and unpredictable tides stranded many landing craft, making them easy targets for a well-entrenched enemy which had survived a two-hour, pre-invasion bombardment. The loss of life was staggering. Out of the 5,000 American soldiers attacking Betio, an island in the Tarawa atolls, over 1,000 troops were killed and another 2,500 were wounded. Only 17 Japanese soldiers and 129 Korean laborers survived out of the force of 4,836. To minimize risks in future amphibious assaults, aerial reconnaissance had to focus more on evaluating shallow reefs and tide levels. New teams were trained in underwater demolition to destroy hidden barriers that hindered amphibious landings.
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