Nimitz by E.B. Potter

Author:E.B. Potter [Potter, E.B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9781612512259
Publisher: Naval Institute Press

CHAPTER 17

GALVANIC AND FLINTLOCK

ADMIRAL NIMITZ DIRECTED the principal officers of Operation Galvanic to make CinCPac an information addressee on all important radio messages passing between their commands. From this source and from an occasional direct report from Spruance, he early recognized that the assault on Makin had got off to a good start, while that on Tarawa was hitting snags.

In mid-morning, November 20, Turner, off Makin, notified Spruance, “Troops landed Red Beach Makin on schedule at 0830 and are advancing. No opposition.” A little later Spruance, who was in the Indianapolis off Tarawa, informed Nimitz that the first wave had not got ashore at Betio until 9:13 a.m., nearly three quarters of an hour late.

Shortly after 1:00 p.m., Hill, also off Tarawa, reported to Turner: “Successful landing Beach Red 2 and Beach Red 3. Toehold on Beach Red 1. Am committing one landing team from division reserve. Still encountering strong resistance throughout.” Committing reserves so early implied serious trouble. Half an hour later, in a message that concluded with the ominous words “Issue in doubt,” Hill relayed to Turner General Julian Smith’s request for release of the corps reserve. Turner quickly approved the release.

Hill’s message came as a shock to CinCPac headquarters. The staff officers recalled that “Issue in doubt” was the phrase used by the commanding officer at Wake in his next-to-last message before the island fell to the Japanese. Admiral Nimitz sat quietly, showing no emotion, but it was obvious that he was deeply disturbed. At last he said softly, “I’ve sent in there everything we had, and it’s plenty. I don’t know why we shouldn’t succeed.”

A little after 7:00 p.m. Turner reported to Spruance the situation on Makin at day’s end: “Progress satisfactory. Junction made between forces from Red and Yellow beaches. About half Butaritari Island in our hands. Resistance still to eastward. . . . Casualties light.” In fact, the progress was not at all satisfactory. Nimitz had ordered the amphibious forces to “get the hell in and get the hell out.” In view of the invaders’ immense advantage in numbers, Nimitz had expected the conquest of little Butaritari in a single day and the consequent release of the fleet to safer waters.

Narrow, two-mile-long Betio in Tarawa Atoll was known to be far more heavily garrisoned and defended than Butaritari, but with a whole division of battle-hardened marines available to take it, CinCPac had anticipated that it too might be conquered in one day. Hill’s evening report to Turner revealed that the island was still far from conquered: “At no time during the day have tide conditions permitted any boats to land on beach. Damage to LVTs [amtracs] heavy, resulting in difficult reinforcement of beachhead beyond shallow foothold on all Red beaches. Small gap still exists between Beaches Red 1 and 2. Two combat teams committed. No artillery or supplies yet landed.”

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