#OTD in 1943, #Marines with 2d Marine Division landed on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, in the Gilbert Islands. For the next 76 hours, Marines battled against intense Japanese resistance to secure the island and gain control of the critical airfield. The initial landings were especially challenging, as low tides beached many landing craft on an offshore reef, forcing Marines to wade hundreds of yards in the open water under intense enemy fire. Despite fierce resistance and heavy casualties, by the

13K views · 789 reactions | On Nov. 20, 1943, U.S. Marines and sailors with the 2nd Marine Division commenced the Battle of Tarawa, a major offensive during #WWII. The ensuing 76-hour fight saw unprecedented bloodshed for both U.S. and Japanese forces. The U.S. emerged victorious, however, and would eventually defeat the Japanese in the Pacific in August 1945. | U.S. Department of War | Facebook

Seventy-six years ago today, the Marines landed at Tarawa. During this three-day battle, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps lost more than 1,600 men. Today, we honor them. | U.S. Marine Corps