_When the heavy rains of May arrived, deep mud caused by days of
torrential downpours made air delivery the only possible means of
providing forward combat units with food, ammunition, and water. As a
result, Marine torpedo-bombers of VMTBs-131 and -232 were employed in
supply drops by parachute. The white panels laid on the ground at the
right mark the target area for the drops._]
Admiral Ota was 54, a 1913 graduate of the Japanese Naval Academy, and
a veteran of _rikusentai_ service from as early as 1932 in Shanghai.
Ten years later he commanded the _2d Combined Special Landing Force_
destined to assault Midway, but was thwarted by the disastrous naval
defeat suffered by the Japanese. In November 1942, commanding the _8th
Combined Special Landing Force_ in the Central Solomons, he defended
Bairoko against the 1st Marine Raider Regiment. By 1945, however, the
_rikusentai_ had all but disappeared, and Ota commanded a ragtag outfit
of several thousand coast defense and antiaircraft gunners, aviation
mechanics, and construction specialists. Undismayed, Ota breathed fire
into his disparate forces, equipped them with hundreds of machine
cannons from wrecked aircraft, and made them sow thousands of mines.
Krulak and Shepherd knew they faced a worthy opponent, but also saw
they held the advantage of surprise if they could act swiftly. The
final details of planning centered on problems with the division’s
previously dependable LVTs. Sixty-five days of hard campaigning
ashore had taken a heavy toll of the tracks and suspension systems of
these assault amphibians. Nor were repair parts available. LVTs had
served in abundance on L-Day to land four divisions; now the Marines
had to scrape to produce enough for the assault elements of one
regiment. Worse for the planners, the first typhoon of the season was
approaching, and the Navy was getting jumpy. General Shepherd remained
firm in his desire to execute the assault on K-Day, 4 June. Admiral
Halsey backed him up.
[Illustration: _As soon as the parachute drops landed in the target
zone, grateful Marines enthusiastically retrieved the supplies, often
while under enemy fire. Some of the drops were out of reach as they
landed in territory where Japanese soldiers claimed them._
Department of Defense Photo (USMC) 123168
]
Shepherd considered Colonel Shapley “an outstanding officer of great
ability and great leadership,” and chose the 4th Marines to lead the
assault. Shapley divided the 600-yard Nishikoku Beach between 2/4 on
the left and 1/4 on the right. Despite heavy rains, the assault went
on schedule. The Oroku Peninsula erupted in flame and smoke under
the pounding of hundreds of naval guns, artillery batteries, and
aerial bombs. Major Anthony’s scouts seized Ono Yama island, the 4th
Marines swept across the estuary, and LCMs and LCIs loaded with tanks
appeared from the north, from “Loomis Harbor,” named after the IIIAC
Logistics Officer, Colonel Francis B. “Loopy” Loomis, Jr., a veteran
Marine aviator. The amphibious force attained complete surprise. Many
of 1/4’s patched-up LVTs broke down enroute, causing uncomfortable
delays, but enemy fire proved intermittent, and empty LVTs from the
first waves quickly returned to transfer the stranded troops. The 4th
Marines advanced rapidly. Soon it became time for Colonel Whaling’s
29th Marines to cross. By dark on K-Day the 6th Division occupied 1,200
yards of the Oroku Peninsula. Admiral Ota furiously redirected his
sailors to the threat from the rear. Then Colonel Roberts’ 22d Marines
began advancing along the original corridor.
[Illustration: