TARAWA: THE TOUGHEST BEACH

In the annals of the US Marine Corps there was probably no tougher beach to assault than Tarawa Island. Marines met pre-registered artillery and mortars, inter-locking fields of fire, rough terrain, and hidden and dug in enemy positions. Worst of all was the landing itself where the LCTs could not land on the beach due to miscalculations of water depth and tides. Marines had to wade neck deep through the surf to even reach the land which made them easy targets. Losses were terrible. The lesson of Tarawa was the need for better intelligence and preparation. This led to the formation of the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT), which ultimately became the Navy SEALs as we know them today.