_Marine riflemen keep their heads down as they get closer to the
assault beach on D-Day._]
Major Donald M. Schmuck, commanding a company in the 3d Marines, later
recalled how, in the “mad confusion” of the beachhead, his company
was landed in the midst of heavy gunfire in the middle of another
battalion’s zone on the beach of Torokina. Running his company on the
double through the other battalion and the 2d Raiders’ zone across
inlets and swamp, Major Schmuck got his men to the right flank of his
own battalion where they were to have landed originally. His surprised
battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Hector de Zayas, stared at
the bedraggled new arrivals exclaiming, “Where have you been?” Major
Schmuck pointed back to Cape Torokina and replied, “Ask the Navy!”
[Illustration: _As seen from a beached landing craft, these Marines are
under fire while wading in the last few yards to the beach._]
The other trouble came from the Japanese defenders. While the 9th
Marines on the left landed unopposed, the 3d Marines on the right met
fierce opposition, a deadly crossfire of machine gun and artillery
fire. One Japanese 75mm gun, sited on Cape Torokina, was sending heavy
enfilade fire against the incoming landing waves. It smashed 14 boats
and caused many casualties. The boat group commander’s craft took a
direct hit, causing the following boat waves to become disorganized and
confused. Machine gun and rifle fire, with 90mm mortar bursts added,
covered the shoreline. Companies landed in the wrong places. Dense
underbrush, coming right down to the beaches, shrouded the defenders in
their 25 bunkers and numerous rifle pits. The commanding officer of the
1st Battalion, 3d Marines, Major Leonard M. “Spike” Mason, was wounded
and had to be evacuated, but not before he shouted to his men, “Get
the hell in there and fight!” Nearby, the executive officer of the 2d
Raider Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph J. McCaffery, was directing
an assault when he was severely wounded. He died that night.
[Illustration: