The Assault on Tinian
The Cynic
against the Japanese? I know my grandfather participated in the assault
with the 105th FA BN but know almost nothing of the action that took place
there or how many casualties were sustained.
Jim
of the war. Tinian has only beach that anyone would considered suitable
for a major assault. That beach is located on the southwesten part of the
island at Tinian Town (now San Jose Village). Most of the rest of the
island is blessed with cliffs that rise up out of the water. Because of
this the Japanese were focused at that location. The Japanese also
suffered from a lack of coordination among the defensive forces.
However, the Americans had other plans. At 5:30AM on July 24th, the 2nd
Marine Division and naval support faked a landing off of Tinian Town. The
Japanese then pulled the remaining defenders into that area. As this fake
assult was unfolding the real invasion took place on two small beaches at
the northwest side of the island. White Beach One (Unai Babui) and White
Beach Two (Unai Chula) were 60 and 160 yards wide. Elements of the 4th
Marine division came ashore at 7:50AM. By 2:30PM both the 24th and the
25th Regiments of the 4th Marines were ashore and by 5:49PM all nine
battalions were ashore. In all 15,614 troops were ashore the first day
with only 77 killed and 470 wounded. In all the battle of Tinian, not
counting mopping up operations, resulted in 389 US Marines killed and 1816
wounded
For current pictures of Tinian check out these sites:
Tinian Elementary School - click the field trip
http://www.gtepacifica.net/community/tes99
or
http://www.gtepacifica.net/community/jimmcc
Jim McCullough
The Cynic <cy...@mymail.net> wrote in article <814t68$9pr@beast>...
Tom Billings
> Can anyone provide any info on the initial assault on the island of Tinian
> against the Japanese? I know my grandfather participated in the assault
> with the 105th FA BN but know almost nothing of the action that took place
> there or how many casualties were sustained.
Tinian was an island with most of its seaside in high cliffs.
This should have made it easy for the defenders. They
concentrated at the only wide beaches on the island, in
the South.
The 4th Marine Division landed on July 24th. The landings
themselves were over the shortest divisional beachfront
used by Marines in the war, about 150 yards near the
northern tip of the island. This was done to fake out the
japanese defenders, who thought thaat the landing would
come over beaches near to Sunharon harbor in the South
of the island. The 2nd Marine Division demonstrated feint
landing efforts off Sunharon Harbor throughout the 24th.
Then on the 25th, they turned around and went North to
the small beaches, now clear of the equipment of the 4 th
Marine Division, and landed in support. Fighting was still
fierce, but the effectiveness of banzai charges was so low
that the island was conquered by the 1rst of August.
Regards,
Tom Billings
--
Oregon L5 Society
http://www.teleport.com/~rfrederi/L5/
Michel Jobé
>In article <814t68$9pr@beast>, "The Cynic" <cy...@mymail.net> wrote:
>
>> Can anyone provide any info on the initial assault on the island ofTinian
>> against the Japanese? I know my grandfather participated in the assault
>> with the 105th FA BN but know almost nothing of the action that tookplace
>> there or how many casualties were sustained.
>
in WWII", US casualties were 389 killed and 1816 wounded. Philip A. Crowl's
"US Army in WWII, War in the Pacific, Campaign in the Marianas" gives 328
killed and 1571 wounded, but without counting mop up casualties.