379-Mile Hop

The formula for Central Pacific warfare was becoming standardized: i) Bomb the important installations on an atoll heavily while 2) neutralizing other Jap bases within 500 miles by knocking out their airfields, 3) bring up the heavy warships and pound the atoll for several days, 4) land troops with artillery on smaller islands adjoining the important installations, 5) throw naval gunfire, bombs, artillery shells on the installations until they are pulverized, 6) send in the foot soldiers to kill whatever Japs still wait for death in the ruins.

This pattern, arrived at on Tarawa, improved on Kwajalein, was last week perfected on Eniwetok, a roughly circular atoll 379 miles northwest of Kwajalein. Through Eniwetok the Japs had been staging their airplane supply to the Marshalls.

To supervise the Eniwetok amphibious operation Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner sent one of his most trusted deputies, handsome, grey Rear Admiral Harry Wilbur Hill, who also had charge of the Tarawa phase of the Gilberts operation.

Harry Hill's ground forces were fewer than had been used either on Tarawa or Kwajalein--less than two regiments.

Against the 1,500 by 2,000 yd. triangular island of Engebi, Harry Hill sent the 22nd Marines, commanded by Colonel John T. Walker of Texas. Against cigar-shaped Eniwetok he sent men of the 106th Infantry (Brooklyn National Guard troops) of Colonel Russell G. Ayers, plus perhaps one battalion of Marines.

On Engebi the Marines scored one of their quickest victories: six hours and five minutes after they had landed, following 1,000 tons of naval bombardment, the island was theirs.

Wrote U.P. Correspondent Richard Johnston for the combined press: "From beach to beach, Engebi was a scene of almost incredible destruction . . . surpassing what was dealt to Kwajalein. Not a single building was left standing by our bombardment. Even the skeleton structures had been hammered down into chaotic wreckage." Marine losses were "light."

Then the Marines joined Colonel Ayer's Army infantrymen, swept up & down the atoll. The U.S. had an atoll from which land-based planes might continue the assault on Truk, only 760 miles away. It also had a new "farthest west" position in the enemy's Central Pacific empire.

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