Film Communique - Fifth Issue R2 of 2 (Bloody Tarawa)

Film Communique - Fifth Issue R2 of 2 (Bloody Tarawa) 13:47:55 Convoy of ships en route, mass celebrated on deck of ship. Briefing of marines by CO on deck;large relief map w/ pointer before landing on Betio Island. Ships firing at unseen Japanese sub. Planes over Shelling island. Landing craftw/ large shells, landing craft circling as battleships fire. 13:50:03 Amphibious tanks landing under covering fire (GOOD). Higgins boat caught on reef, soldiers crawl ashore, take shelter on beach from enemy fire. Battle scenes - flame thrower. 13:52:15 Machine guns firing; sniper; machine gun kills Japanese soldier (gory) bodies. Wounded carried out on stretchers - transfusion given on beach. Strecher bearers transfer wounded to rafts, then to Higgins boats. Japanese bodies. Japanese block house where Japanese hiding being demolished by bulldozer - grenades into block house, explosions & dead Japanese. 13:55:47 Japanese prisoner under armed escort. Group of sullen Japanese POWs sitting in underwear. Many Korean prisoners who had been taken to Tarawa by Japanese as slave labor. Bodies & debris on beach. Wrecked Japanese planes & military equipment. 13:57:12 Naked American troops having “shower” on beach. Seabees constructing airstrip, first plane landed by Bill Kelly. Troops salute as American flag raised over Tarawa. WWI Pacific Battles; War Effort; Materiel; Anti-Japanese; Racist; Racism;