Sgt._Johnson
June 15th, 1944- Red Beach 1, Saipan
Pvt. Daniel Cobb
2nd Marine Division
Well, the R&R after Tarawa was great and all, but we all knew it was only a matter of time before we got shipped off to some tiny speck of sand off in the Pacific somewhere. This time, it's Saipan, in the Marianas.
I think they knew we were coming. Every inch the Higgens boats crawled towards the beach, they had their artillery zeroed in on us. Once we hit the beach, they threw everything else they had at us too. It's almost like our bombardment did nothing to them at all.
Before we embarked, everyone was talking about how this landing wouldn't be any different from Tarawa. But this is the first time I've been this close to one of our flamethrowers when it does its dirty work. The smell alone has sapped all the confidence from my body.
I just want this to be over already.
June 15th, 1944- Red Beach 1, Saipan
Pvt. Daniel Cobb
2nd Marine Division
Well, the R&R after Tarawa was great and all, but we all knew it was only a matter of time before we got shipped off to some tiny speck of sand off in the Pacific somewhere. This time, it's Saipan, in the Marianas.
I think they knew we were coming. Every inch the Higgens boats crawled towards the beach, they had their artillery zeroed in on us. Once we hit the beach, they threw everything else they had at us too. It's almost like our bombardment did nothing to them at all.
Before we embarked, everyone was talking about how this landing wouldn't be any different from Tarawa. But this is the first time I've been this close to one of our flamethrowers when it does its dirty work. The smell alone has sapped all the confidence from my body.
I just want this to be over already.