Betio, Gilbert Islands, Kiribati — Micronesia Region of Oceania (Central Pacific Ocean)

Battle of Tarawa Memorial

U.S. Marines War Memorial

Photographed By Roger W. Sinnott, July 21, 2009

1. Battle of Tarawa Memorial Marker

The red plaque on the right of this picture commemorates the 65th Anniversary of the Battle of Tarawa.

Inscription.

Battle of Tarawa Memorial. U.S. Marines War Memorial. Marker front, upper plaque: “Follow Me” 2nd Marine Division United States Marine Corps Battle of Tarawa November 20, 1943 To our fellow Marines who gave their all! The world is free because of you! God rest your souls 1,113 killed 2,290 wounded The Central Pacific spearhead To world victory in World War II “Semper Fidelis”. Marker front, lower plaque: To the People of Kiribati . “During World War II, many lives were lost in the Battle of Tarawa which restored liberty to these islands under British administration at the time. Through the evolution of political development the Gilbert Islands gained its independence on 12 July 1979 from Britain and became the Democratic Republic of Kiribati. The political processes that took place on these islands, since the Battle of Tarawa, would have been difficult to achieve without the gallantry and the blood of these most remarkable men of the United States Marines., Enjoy your independence and guard it well.”, Marker reverse, upper plaque: United States Navy Battle of Tarawa November 20, 1943. In grateful memory to those men who paid for liberty with their lives Sailors, Airmen, Chaplains, Doctors and especially to the Navy Corpsmen 30 killed 59 wounded. To the crews of supporting United States ships carriers, battleships, cruisers and destroyers, submarines, transports and landing craft, Well Done We, your fellow Marines, salute you one and all! God rest your souls. Marker reverse, lower plaque: Sealed Nov. 29, 1987 Camp Lejeune, NC, USA To be opened Nov. 20, 2143 From our world to yours. Freedom above all!. An additional, red, plaque was added in 2008. It reads: 65th Anniversary of Operation Galvanic 20-23 November 1943 Betio, Tarawa Atol, Gilbert Islands The heroism and sacrifices of the United States Second Marine Division and supporting naval forces who landed on these shores to capture Tarawa 65 years ago will always be remembered. Second Marine Division Association November 2008.

Marker front, upper plaque:
“Follow Me”
2nd Marine Division
United States Marine Corps
Battle of Tarawa
November 20, 1943
To our fellow Marines who gave their all!
The world is free because of you!
God rest your souls
1,113 killed 2,290 wounded
The Central Pacific spearhead
To world victory in World War II
“Semper Fidelis”
Marker front, lower plaque: To the People of Kiribati
“During World War II, many lives were lost in the Battle of Tarawa which restored liberty to these islands under British administration at the time.

Through the evolution of political development the Gilbert Islands gained its independence on 12 July 1979 from Britain and became the Democratic Republic of Kiribati.

The political processes that took place on these islands, since the Battle of Tarawa, would have been difficult to achieve without the gallantry and the blood of these most remarkable men of the United States Marines.

Enjoy your independence and guard it well.”

Marker reverse, upper plaque: United States Navy
Battle of Tarawa
November 20, 1943 In grateful memory to those men who paid for liberty with their lives Sailors, Airmen, Chaplains, Doctors and

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especially to the Navy Corpsmen 30 killed 59 wounded To the crews of supporting United States ships carriers, battleships, cruisers and destroyers, submarines, transports and landing craft, Well Done
We, your fellow Marines, salute you one and all!
God rest your souls
Marker reverse, lower plaque: Sealed Nov. 29, 1987
Camp Lejeune, NC, USA
To be opened Nov. 20, 2143
From our world to yours.
Freedom above all!
An additional, red, plaque was added in 2008. It reads: 65th Anniversary of Operation Galvanic
20-23 November 1943
Betio, Tarawa Atol, Gilbert Islands
The heroism and sacrifices of the United States
Second Marine Division and supporting naval forces
who landed on these shores to capture Tarawa
65 years ago will always be remembered.
Second Marine Division Association
November 2008

Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Heroes • Military • War, World II.

Location. 1° 21.373′ N, 172° 55.663′ E. Marker is in Betio, Gilbert Islands. Memorial can be reached from Rue de Betio. The marker is located in Prince Philip Park, a sportsground complex, which was once part

July 1, 2015

2. Battle of Tarawa Memorial Marker

This additional marker is on the reverse upper side of the Battle of Tarawa Memorial.

of the runway used by Japanese forces during World War II. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Betio, Gilbert Islands 00197, Kiribati. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 2 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. New Zealand Memorial to U.S. Marines and Navy (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Betio Memorial Tarawa (approx. 0.6 kilometers away).

More about this memorial. The satellite image on the map link should be used to locate the marker.

Regarding Battle of Tarawa Memorial. In their advance across the Pacific in World War II, U.S. forces made their first major amphibious landing at the atoll of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands, heavily defended by the Japanese. The invasion planners wanted for a flooding tide so the Marines could race ashore in small amphibious craft and Higgins boats. The planners were well aware that the date chosen for the invasion — November 20, 1943 — was a time of neap tides (tides of reduced range because the Moon was near first or last quarter). But calculations indicated the boats should still clear the surrounding coral reef at the appointed H-hour, 0830, and the boats would get in.

Instead, as it turned out, the boats got stuck on the coral 600 yards from shore and the Marines were forced to wade in, rifles over their heads, under withering fire from Japanese

July 1, 2015

3. Battle of Tarawa Memorial Marker

This additional marker is on the reverse lower side of the Battle of Tarawa Memorial.

shore batteries. According to Col. Joseph Alexander’s Utmost Savagery — The Three Days of Tarawa (Naval Institute Press, 1995), Tarawa’s mysterious “tide that failed” lacked scientific interpretation until Donald W. Olson published his seminal essay in Sky & Telescope magazine for November 1987, page 526. Olson showed that the neap tide on November 20th happened to coincide with an apogean tide (when the Moon was at the far point of its orbit around Earth). The combined effect of the two factors was a tide of such minimal range as to fully explain the disaster.

The momentum of the assault was lost, and fierce fighting lasted three days. Four soldiers won the Medal of Honor. As the marker records, the Marines paid a high price for their eventual victory at Tarawa.

Also see . . . Wikipedia entry for the Battle of Tarawa. An account of the 1943 landing. (Submitted on December 22, 2009, by Roger W. Sinnott of Chelmsford, Massachusetts.)

Battle of Tarawa Memorial additional marker image. Click for full size.

July 1, 2015

4. Battle of Tarawa Memorial additional marker

Wider View of Marker at Betio, Tarawa image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Roger W. Sinnott, July 21, 2009

5. Wider View of Marker at Betio, Tarawa

Wide view of the Battle of Tarawa Memorial Marker image. Click for full size.

July 1, 2015

6. Wide view of the Battle of Tarawa Memorial Marker

An additional wide view of the Memorial.

Seawall on Betio’s North Coast image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Roger W. Sinnott, July 21, 2009

7. Seawall on Betio’s North Coast

In 1943 the Marines came ashore here, designated Red Beach One. Still submerged near the seawall are numerous rusting parts of amphibious landing craft.

What Is Left of a Japanese Gun Emplacement image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Roger W. Sinnott, July 21, 2009

8. What Is Left of a Japanese Gun Emplacement

Credits. This page was last revised on July 10, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 22, 2009, by Roger W. Sinnott of Chelmsford, Massachusetts. This page has been viewed 10,034 times since then and 94 times this year. Last updated on July 7, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. Photos: 1. submitted on December 22, 2009, by Roger W. Sinnott of Chelmsford, Massachusetts. 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 7, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. 5. submitted on December 22, 2009, by Roger W. Sinnott of Chelmsford, Massachusetts. 6. submitted on July 7, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. 7, 8. submitted on December 22, 2009, by Roger W. Sinnott of Chelmsford, Massachusetts. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.