Photographs from the Battle of Eniwetok

26-G-3342 Marines and Coast Guardsmen, who stormed and captured Engebi Island in the Marshalls, display a bullet-riddled Japanese flag, which went down under the terrific firepower of the American’s initial sweep from the Coast Guard-manned landing barges.

26-G-3344 After wiping out the Japanese defenders of Engebi Atoll in the Marshall Islands, Coast Guardsmen and Marines bring back a bullet-torn Japanese battle flag, captured in the invasion. here they pull along side a Coast Guard-manned transport in a landing barge and make ready to climb up the landing net. They brought out Japanese flags and guns as souvenirs of the conquest.

26-G-3363 Coast Guard-manned landing craft, the sea-going taxicabs and trucks of invasion, crowd the shallow waters off Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshalls, while on the beach piles of supplies to back the invaders pile up.

26-G-3365 Coast Guardsmen shuttle landing craft back and forth form the anchorage to the beach of Eniwetok Atoll, bringing in fighters and supplies, carrying back the wounded. On the beach supply dumps swiftly pile up.

26-G-3372 Its bayonet and muzzle driven into the sand, a rifle marks the spot where a marine lies dead on the beach of Parry Island, Eniwetok Atoll, awaiting litter barriers. In background is a coast Guard-manned landing barge, one of the swarm that landed Marines on Eniwetok’s beaches.

26-G-3373 An American Marine, in foreground, still clutches the knife with which he killed a Japanese soldier, in background, in a duel on Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll. A moment after finishing off his adversary, a sniper’s bullet killed the Marine. Coast Guardsmen brought these hardy fighters to the beaches.

26-G-3379 Leaders of the amphibious invasion of Eniwetok Atoll by Army, Marine, Coast Guard, and Navy forces examine a capture Japanese flag. They are, left to right: Colonel Russell G. Ayers, Brigadier General Thomas E. Watson and Rear Admiral Harry AW. Hill, commanding the Army, Marines, and Navy forces in the conquest.

26-G-3381 Storming ashore from Coast Guard-manned landing craft, American Marines stalk a Japanese sniper in the quick cleanup of Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshalls. On the horizon, a Coast Guard-manned assault transport is visible.

26-G-3382 From Coast Guard-manned landing barges, American Marines with rifles and machine guns advance along the beach of Eniwetok. The conquest of the Japanese stronghold was swift and complete. On the horizon ships of the Navy task force, which included Coast Guard-manned assault transports, are visible

26-G-3454 This group of Japanese didn’t die fighting or commit suicide to avoid capture. Take prisoner by U.S. Marines on the beach of Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll, the stripped Japanese huddle together awaiting transfer to a Coast Guard-manned assault transport anchored off shore.

26-G-4296 Explosion in the distance is a direct hit on a Japanese air strip on Fragil Island, Eniwetok Atoll. The air strip fell quickly to attacking Marines. Coast Guard combat photographer Edwin H. Latchum made this remarkable shot as the followed the attackers to the “front.”

26-G-4830 Going in with the Marines, a Coast Guard combat photographer made this picture of the occupation of a Japanese airstrip on Fragil Island, Eniwetok Atoll. A heavy bombardment sept the area before Marines advanced to capture the strip.

80-G-401665 Construction on Eniwetok. Bulldozers working on airstrips.

80-G-47012 Aerial of U.S. invasion of Engebi Island in Eniwetok atoll. Flares (left) signal fleet to lift bombardment so that landing craft may scuttle to beaches.

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