Evening star., 1949-03-03
Marines Pay Heavily
To Gain Beachhead in
Caribbean Maneuvers
BY ChorIes J. Yorbroueh
Stor Stoff CORRESPONDENT

Island today-only land assault of
the greatest peacetime maneuvers
ever held.
Veteran but unofficial observers
put a high tally on the cost. but
umpires' results were not complete
on the action.
To Frank C. Howard, 25-year-
old Marine veteran of Saipan,
Tir1ian, Tarawa. who lives at 234
Sixth street Sc. in Washington,
1t was a breeze" To his 18-year-
old Marine brother, Edward How
ard. it was Something" Both
went ashore with elements of the
I'd Marine Division.
Craft Pour Onto Beaches.
From the decks of the Pocono,
Admiral w. H. P. Blandy's COM
mand ship, landing craft could be
seen early last night still pouring
onto the beaches from transports
which ringed the Caribbean
horizon.
Heavy surface vessel fire and air
strikes poured thousands OF
rounds onto the beaches and in
land target points Monday in
softening up exercises Tuesday.
The battleship Missouri fired sal
vos of 16-inch guns and planes
from the carriers Franklin D.
Roosevelt, the Leyte and the Kear-
sarge poured on 1000 and 500
Founders and fire bombs.
At dawn yesterday the Missouri
was under air attack even as
transports began disgorging troops
toward the beaches. Ninety air
craft, doubling as friendly and
enemy planes, then poured slmu-
lated fire on the beaches.
Hand Sand Banks Thrown Up.
But the enemy force had
worked at night. Bulldozers had
piled high sand banks right at
the beaches-Blue Beach, near the
east-center of the l4-mile-long
island; Red Beach, 2 miles to the
west.
These obstacles and an appar-
ent cluttering of landing craft
may have been the reason for
high casualties in the initial
wave, several unofficial observers
said.
Smoke bombs, under water
demolition, blank anti-aircraft
fire and straflng planes pointed up
the reality. Marines poured from
the landing craft and sought shell
ter behind the sand banks the
enemy bulldozers had thrown up
overnight.
Ashore the enemy aggressor
troops had planted f1recracker
land mines that would throw sand
and a scare. They had scattered
propaganda pamphlets, pneumatic
dummy tanks. planes and guns on
a dummy airfield.
Fake Orders Issued.
During the night four Spanish
speaking officers of the enemy
force ashore inf1ltrated the beach
areas and began issuing fake ra-
dio orders to Puerto Rican troops
of the 65th Infantry who landed
on Red Beach.
A 4,500-foot airstrip which Ma
rines Of the I'd Engineer Battalion
had built in II days was one Of
the first objectives.
Seabees of the 105th Battalion
were ashore 18 minutes after the
first wave in charge of 1t. An
drew M. Poland of Florence, Ala.
Their chores included clearing the
beach area for mines, removing
enemy emplacements and prepar-
ing mess facilities for Navy per-
sonnel ashore. Commanding Off
Ger of the 105th was 1t. Comdr.
Harry Stevens, jr., veteran OF
African landings.
BY 4 pm. a pontoon string had
been secured. At least five LISTS
were on the beach pouring out
supplies and equipment.
Enemy Holds High Points.
Enemy troops, in distinctive
green uniforms and helmets, ap-
parently still held command of
high points at dusk, but the air.
field had fallen to the invasion
force. More realism was added
by an actual fire which swept
over the hills through the
drought-dried grass. Pilots over
head said the smoke column was
well over 1,500 feet in several
places.
From the Missouri, the light
cruisers Huntington and Juneau
and a protective screen of de-
stroyers came simulated fire in
support of the troops ashore.
More than 100 ships and subma-
rineS took part in one landing
phase of the Atlantic Command
exercises.
Official observers were we'll
nigh countless, but among those
who went ashore for the initial
operation were Navy Secretary
Sullivan, Undersecretary of the
Navy Kenny, Undersecretary
Draper, Admiral Sir Rhoderick
McGrigor of the Royal Navy and
1t. Gen. Jacob Devers.
At least % members of Con-
gress braved a rough ride to the
beaches on various craft. They
took a good soaking in the short
run from the ramp to the beach.