Evening star., 1943-11-27
Maxim Natives Cared
For Marine Graves,
Col. Roosevelt Says
Hy the Associated Presa

~ the Associated Press.
PEARL HARBOR, Nov. 27-Lt.
Col. James Roosevelt of the United
States Marine Corps paid high
tribute today to the Army landing
forces on Butaritari Island in the
Maxim Atolls and added that sew
eral natives whom he had met on a
previous expedition to the islands
recognized him.
Speaking Of his landing with the
first wave Of the 165th Infantry (the
old fighting 69th) In the newly con-
quered Gilberts on November 20, he
said several natives recognized him
and were they glad to see U.s."
1t had been IS months and three
days since Jimmy, with 1t. Col.
Evans F. Carlson's marine raiders,
landed on Maxim from a submarine
and wiped out the Japs there.
He said the natives were very help
full. They had buried the marines
who were killed In last years raid
and kept flowers on their graves.
They hated the Japs, who had not
harmed them but refused to give
them work or food.
Bridges Span Tank Traps.
Speaking "as marine about q
completely Army landing operation"
Col. Roosevelt said it was entirely
unlike the marine assault on
Tarawa, as the Army sent in tanks
first and then followed them with
the infantry. He said:
AT 1890 we made a frontal at
tack from the lagoon. We hit be.
tween two tank traps. 1t was a
daring move, but entirely successful
because our aerial support knocked
out the Jap guns with direct hits.
The landings were headed bv
half-tracks, light tanks and medium
tanks. The infantry came behind.
The tanks did marvellous lob OF
cleaning out the beaches. The main
resistance was from machine guns
and snipers hidden in two hulks
beached in the lagoon.
The enemy's tank traps were
beautifully constructed but our en-
gineers threw up temporary bridges
to span them"
Three Feet From Slain Comrade.
Col. Roosevelt disclosed he was
only 3 feet from the 165th com.
mander, Col. Gardiner Conroy, when
Conroy was killed. Col. Roosevelt
said that Col. Conroy was 80 busy
directing the attack he forgot his
own safety and stood right in the
open directing the movement" The
heroic Conroy was shot squarely be-
tween the eyes.
He said the soldiers made good
progress the first day and on the
second drove the Japs into a pocket
against their own artillery which
was pointed in the opposite direc-
ton in expectation of an attack
there. On the morning of the first
day the soldiers had landed their
75-mm. artillery and on the second
day they laid down a heavy barraee
on the Jap tank trap.
Backed by aerial bombing thev
tore the Jap tank trap to hell" Col.
Roosevelt said.
Col. Roosevelt said a fresh reserve
battalion under Col Hart then re-
iieved Col. Mahoney's battalion and
drove the Japs out of their artillery
positions. Neither Hart nor Ma.
honey were identified furtherD
mat broke most of the resistance.
Calls Casualties Light.
He stated that American casual
ties were light in forcing landings
on two beaches and moderate on the
third. The Japs were virtually
wiped out and only few prisoners
were taken.
He praised the soldiers. They
were a green outfit and learned the
hard way-in combat. They did
their job and on schedule"
The Japs evidently intended to
make Butaritari Island a submarine
or seaplane base and had 100000
barrels Of oil there. Although some
OF it was set aflre by bombardment,
some was salvaged.
Japanese officers in full parade
dress led a suicidal counterattack
against the American soldiers on
Maxim. Col. Roosevelt said.
"One American soldier, his hand
almost cut of by slash of a saber.
refused to quit. He took the sword
from the Jap and ran it through him
twice.
An intelligence officer tried to
take the sword from that private.
can tell you that that soldier still
has that sword.
The Japs got as far as our COM
mand post. but rifle and machine
guns got every one of them"
An + Aon I1n