TARAWA



The topic of this web page is taken from the book Tarawa by Robert Sherrod. Sherrod was a war correspondent for a New York newspaper, following military ventures in Alaska and New Guinea before climbing aboard the expedition to Tarawa. The book he wrote is a compilation of the notes he made during and after the landing began. Going ashore on the morning of D-Day, Sherrod miraculously not only survived the entire battle, but came back unscathed. His narrative presented the stark realities of battle and chronicling the 2nd Marine Division as it took over Betio in a struggle to the death with its Japanese defenders. The account, though brief, is brutal and to the point. Sherrod also included a number of brief personal reflections from ten years later by a number of marines who survived the battle for Betio. Return to Road to Tarawa page