Evening star., 1943-11-22
Fierce Fight Reported in Gi|berts
Observation-Disclosures
Two KeyHi|| Towns Takenin Italy
Opposition Strong
At Turuwu and
Slight at Maxim
MAP on Page A-3.)
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
American marines and soldiers
invading Maxim and Tarawa in
the Gilbert Islands pounded dug
In Japanese defenSes on those
Central Pacific stepping stones
today with the support of bat
tleships, carriers and sky fleets
in fighting which Toxic de-
scribed as heavy.
The offensive opened at dawn
Saturday and its outcome must be
decided swiftly because the islands
are too small for large land forces
and too bare to provide much cover.
The Americans punched out sew
eral beachheads against strong re-
sistance at Tarawa, the enemy's key
air base in the Gilberts, and at
Maxim, a seaplane harbor, where
they met moderate opposition.
Their landing covered by naval
units which laid down aerial and
surface bombardments, the invaders
apparently ran into no japanese
sea forces, although the strategic
Importance of the Gilberts may we'll
draw the enemy's fleet into battle
yet.
For 500 statute miles to the west
lies the heavy fortified Truk Islands
vital link to Japanese sea power
and to the north the Marshalls,
where the enemy holds powerful air
bases at Jaluit and Wolfe.
Admiral Chester w. Nimitz, COM
mander in chief of the Pacific fleet,
announced the landing "a hours
after the invasion in communique
which also said fighting continues. ="
The Maxim landings presumably
were made on Butaritari, largest is
land of the atoll. Approximately 10
miles long and 1000 yards wide, it
is shaped much like a mans leg and
foot. Butaritari probably has sea-
plane facilities in an excellent an
chorage surrounded by coral reefs;
a radio station, three wharves and a
stone pier.
The Tarawa landings probably
were made on Betio Island which
has an excellent triangular airfield
long enough for medium bombers.
Supporting the Marines, many of
them toughened to battle in the
jungles of the Solomons, and the
soldiers, were artillery and other
units, but before them was an
enemy, who had had time to dig in;
time to set up artillery and burrow
shallow foxholes in the sand.
Week-long bombings of both the
Gilberts and the Marshalls pre-
ceded the landings, and even as
they came Army Liberators pasted
the Marshalls again to help divert
part of the enemys air force. Some
overhead opposition was reported
in making the beachheads.
BY the invasion the Allies spread
their attacking arc from New
Guinea northeast through the Solo
mons l.100 miles to a f1ange some
2,400 statute miles from the Ha-
waiianS
The widening arc suggested the
Americans primarily were seeking
new air bases from which to launch
attacks possibly on Nauru, west in
the direction of Rabaul in New
q, Britain; the Marshalls or on Truk
itself
Maxim and Tarawa are among the
16 small and rocky islands making
up the Gilberts. held by the British
until they we're seized in December,
l941, by the japanese. Maxim is
about II miles long and Tarawa is
% miles long and made up of nine
tiny atolls.
Marines made hit-and-run land
ing on Maxim in August, 1912, kill
ing at least 80 of the enemy and
destroying seaplane installations and
two seaplanes before withdrawing
They were led by 1t. Col. Evans F.
Carlson and 1t. Col. James Roose-
welt. son of the President, who was
then major and second in COM
n1and