Issue Date: June 21, 2004

The Lore of the Corps
Unsung battle: Fighting at Funafuti Atoll played an important role in World War II

By Robert F. Dorr
Special to the Times

Marines know the names of most places where they’ve fought. But not every Marine would be able to connect the Corps to Funafuti Atoll in the Pacific. During World War II, the atoll was part of the British-owned Ellice Islands.
“Funafuti is largely forgotten today,” said William Bartsch, a Reston, Va., historian and author. “It marked the beginning of the great U.S. advance in the central Pacific, but not everyone remembers that today.”

On Oct. 2, 1942, the 5th Marine Defense Battalion, Reinforced, made an unopposed amphibious landing at Funafuti and began setting up anti-aircraft guns and searchlights amid the sand, palm trees and 400 natives of the atoll.

An article in Leatherneck magazine during the war expressed wonderment that the Japanese never occupied Funafuti, but left it open to occupation. Funafuti gave the Allies a protected rear area as they prepared for Operation Galvanic, the invasion of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands in November 1943.

A document retrieved from government archives explains why Marines went there:

“The sudden decision to occupy Funafuti appears to have been based upon an estimation of the enemy’s intentions. Headquarters believed that the Japanese on Tarawa would soon move into the Ellice Group. It was known that the enemy made extensive aerial reconnaissance of Funafuti in late September [1942]. Evidently, our bold move forced the Japanese to change their plans.”

The initial Marine contingent that came ashore in the lagoon at crescent-shaped Funafuti consisted of the anti-aircraft battalion, two infantry companies from 3rd Marines, a group of Navy Seabees, and a detachment of Navy Scouting Squadron 65 with four OS2U Kingfisher observation planes. Initially, there were fewer than 1,000 Americans on Funafuti, including 853 Marines.

In early 1943, the Japanese began air attacks on Funafuti. The first Marine casualty was anti-aircraft gunner Pvt. William Sleider, who was killed during an attack by 12 Japanese bombers striking from nearby Nauru.

In a letter written in 1976, the late Maj. Gen. Ralph H. “Smoke” Spanjer, who was a first lieutenant in 1943, remembered friendly fighters being brought in:

“We were flying the older F4F-4 Wildcats while the remainder of the [Marine] fighter squadrons in the Pacific were transitioning into the F4U Corsair. At the urgent request of the Seabees on Funafuti, I was part of a four-plane advanced echelon to fly north from American Samoa to the Ellice Islands. With external tanks we flew 700 miles with only one stop at the French island of Wallis and arrived over Funafuti, the largest island in the Ellice group. To our dismay, the Navy Seabees’ desire to be protected by us exceeded their constructive efforts and we were forced to land on barely 1,500 feet of unprepared coral surface.

“The next day [March 22, 1943], we were alerted for our first business and did, in fact, chase a Japanese Emily flying boat but lost it in some rather severe weather.

“On March 27, Capt. [William P.] Boland and I launched against a possible radar target and ended up in hot pursuit of four twin-engine Japanese “Betty” bombers. Our tired F4Fs had to strain to get into position for the attack.

“On the first attack, Boland shot down the lead bomber, which exploded under fire of his six .50-caliber machine guns. Contrary to [an official Marine] history, my guns did not jam and I was able to do some damage to the number four bomber.”

Boland shot down a second Mitsubishi G4M bomber several weeks later. Boland’s two aerial victories were the only two air-to-air kills of the Funafuti campaign.

During the 13 months ending in November 1943, Japanese bombers struck Funafuti nine times. The 90mm anti-aircraft guns manned by Marines were credited with shooting down four enemy aircraft.

Beginning in November 1943, Army soldiers replaced Marines on Funafuti and an Army Air Forces fighter squadron replaced the aging leatherneck aircraft. A small contingent of Marines remained on Funafuti until the end of the war on Aug. 15, 1945 — making an important contribution on an island that has since become part of the independent constitutional monarchy of Tuvalu.

Robert F. Dorr, an Air Force veteran, lives in Oakton, Va. He is the author of numerous books, including “Air Force One.” His e-mail address is robert.f.dorr@cox.net.


http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/stor...ER-2960792.php


Ellie