|
 |
|
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
 USN November 1943  CILHI 1999 |
Location Makin Island is part of Makin Atoll in the Gilbert Islands. Known to locals as Butaritari Island. Borders Makin Lagoon (Butaritari Lagoon). Prewar and during the Pacific War located in the Gilbert Islands. Today located in Republic of Kiribati. Wartime History On December 10, 1941 at 12:45am Japanese vessels arrive off Makin as part of Operation Gi the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. Tenyo Maru and Okinoshima disembarks Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) troops that secure Makin Island. Meanwhile, Nagata Maru entered Makin Lagoon and unloads construction materials for a seaplane base and depart two days later. Afterwards, the Japanese Navy developed Makin Seaplane Base to support seaplanes and flying boat operations. On August 17, 1942 at 3:30am two submarines USS Argonaut (SM-1) and USS Nautilus (SS-168) surfaced off Makin and deployed rubber rafts with outboard engines to land U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) 2nd Raider Battalion including Company A and Company B led by Col. Evans Carlson landed on Makin Island. This was the first Marine operation launched from submarines. Also, the first significant U.S. military action against Japanese occupied territory in the Gilbert Islands. The "Makin Raid" was to disrupt the enemy, destroy installations and divert reinforcements to Guadalcanal. The Raiders claimed 83 Japanese killed and destroyed installations, two small ships and two flying boats by Boys Anti-Tank rifle fired by Sgt Buck Stidham and Sgt Walter Carroll. On August 18, 1942 by midnight, the Marines were forced to evacuate in the face of Japanese air attacks and reinforcements. They used the same rafts to return to the submarines and were forced to leave their dead behind. A total of nineteen Marines were officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Afterwards, the dead Marines were buried in a mass grave by Gilbertese islanders under the direction of the Japanese. On November 20, 1943 U.S. Marines (USMC) landed at Makin and Tarawa. Three days later, the island was declared secure. Immediately, work began to develop the island into a base area and build Makin Airfield to base aircraft on the island. Makin Raiders Mass Grave In 1999 the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory Hawaii (CILHI) found the mass grave of U.S. Marine Corps Raiders killed during the "Makin Raid". They excivated the grave and recovered the remains of nineteen Marines. Ten months later all positively identified and reentered in the United States. Reference: Makin Raiders Mass Grave Recovery. Makin Seaplane Base Japanese seaplane base bordering Makin Lagoon Makin Lagoon (Butaritari Lagoon) When the Japanese occupied the island, used the Makin Lagoon as a seaplane operating area for H6K Mavis and H8K Emily flying boats. During the war, at least four seaplanes were sunk in the lagoon. There are also several American planes, including two F4U's and a B-25 also. Makin Airfield (Butaritari, Antakana, Starmann) Built by Americans after recapturing the island, still in use today USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56) Sunk by November 24, 1943 by a torpedo from Japanese sub I-175 20 miles off Makin. Contribute
Information Last Updated
|
 Map Fallingrain |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
