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KIA MARINE HEART TARAWA Nov 20 1943


Raidercollector
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Raidercollector

Here is My Tarawa KIA marine that was MIA, KIA on D-day Nov 20 in the Am, He was with Co.L ,3rd bn, 2nd Marine division under Major Michael P. Ryan who won the navy cross that day. Their company under the command of Ryan came on Green beach 1. where there boats where grounded and had to wade a shore.,They sustain 35 % causalities,Ryan recalled the murderous enfilading fire and confusion. Suddenly," one lone trooper was spotted though the fire and smoke scrambling over a parapet on the beach to the right," marking a new landing point .As Ryan finally reach the beach,he looked back over his shoulder. All (I) could see was heads with rifles held over them," as wading men tried to make a smaller target as possible. Ryan began assembling the stragglers of various waves in a relatively sheltered area along Green beach. This is where probably he was killed wading ashore with L company. He was from St Louis Mo. He was 21 years old when he was Killed.Report shows Fragment to the face.

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Kurt Barickman

Great group Nick!!! 3/2 went in on Red Beach 1 and suffered the worst casualties on D-Day. If you look at a map of that beach; they were facing fire from the beach and as they made their way to the beach from the head of the bird's beak. Have a great officer grouping from 3/2 and suffered the same wounds as your man; shrapnel. Thanks for posting that Tarawa grouping.

 

Kurt

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Kurt Barickman

Ryan formed a combat team from all the stragglers, they were able to secure Green Beach as that was the flat head of the bird's beak which allowed the 6th Marines to come ashore and were a complete unit as they were not subjected to the horrific fire that the 2nd and 8th Regiment had suffered through(less 2nd Battalion) which helped secure the island in one sweep from head to the tail of the island.

 

Kurt

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