Betio's Relics of War
Admiral Shibasaki's command post still stands defiantly 50 years later.
A few shots of the 8 inch Vickers guns.
These guns were purchased by the Japanese from the British in 1905, during
the Russo-Japanese war.
This gun's barrel was destroyed in the Naval bombardment before the landing.
Photos courtesy of Phil Froom. Thanks alot Phil!!
Please do not use these without Phil's permission.
From the Pacific Wrecks Database:
One of the Shermans that never made it to the beach
Drowned
Tank
The following photographs are curteousy of the Scott Dilcher collection. These were taken in 1993 at the 50th anniversary of the invasion.
This is a photo of the two 8 inch guns on Green Beach. The gun on the left
is in the water. The gun on the right is still intact. The bunkers must
have been hit either by a ship barrage or blown up by satchel charges by
the Marines. It would be interesting to see which group actually did the
demolition, the Navy or the Marines.
Click here for the large version.
Close up, 8 inch gun.
Two different Higgins boats resting on the reef. These shots were taken
with a 200mm zoom lens.
Bunkers on Red 1 or Red 2.
Blockhouse on Red 1 or Red 2.
Red Beach 2, just beyond the pier, looking toward Red 1.
One of the eight inch guns on the tip of Green Beach, part of it lays under
water.
Some LVT track on Red 1 or Red 2.
This gun is just off Red 2 past the pier.
This eight inch gun sits near the road between the islands toward the eastern
end of Betio.
A turret from a Japanese Type 95 tank on Betio. Photographed by Mark Kunzer.
copyright 2000 Wheaton, Illinois
Created 15 August 2000 - Updated 14 August 2001
Return to Index