Carlson's Raid On Makin Island - The True Story Of The Raid On Butaritari Island

On August 18, 1942, Carlson's Raiders land on Makin, in the Gilbert islands. They killed 350 Japanese in the raid. An excerpt from the article:

"Again they waded up to the beach. They tried again and this time filled the boat half full of water so that the extra weight would keep them from rolling over. Using palm fronds and rifle butts to paddle to the submarines their effort paid off and arriving at 08:00 hours just minutes before another air raid by the Japanese. Maj. Roosevelt and the other men in the boat just managed to reach the USS. Nautilus just before she slipped beneath the waves as a bomb explosion from the Japanese aircraft shock the surface. The Japanese fighters strafed the messenger boat and some Raiders ashore thought both that the LCRL boat and the USS. Nautilus had been sunk.

No one was harmed in the incident, this incident occurred at 09:30 hours. The submarines remained submerged during the day. Lt. Col. Carlson held a little ‘Gung Ho meeting’ named after the battalion’s motto and attempted to rally his men. At this time he also send out patrols across the Island to locate any enemy forces and look for lost Raiders. They set alight a thousand drums of aviation fuel near King’s Wharf along with recovering Japanese documents from their HQ. Natives provided fresh coconut milk and water.

They also counted the bodies of both American and Japanese. The count came to eighty-three Japanese at the Breadfruit Trees site along with eleven Raiders. Another thirty Japanese were found near the lagoon road and they also counted three dead Raiders that had been with 1st Lt. Peatross. Fifty Raiders had managed to reach the submarines that made the number of Raiders with Lt. Col. Carlson on the beach considerably smaller. Lt. Col. Carlson gave orders to put the raid back on track again.

He explained that they were to cross the island and relocate near Government House then to withdraw through the lagoon. Lt. Col. Carlson readied his force for evacuation and knew what fate it would have if the plan backfired. Japanese reinforcement where certain to arrive soon? In exchange for some weapons a few trench guns and ammo and $50 Lt. Col. Carlson arranged with the Chief of Police on Butaritari, a native, Joseph Miller that the fourteen Raiders was to be buried. Lt. Col. Carlson sent 1st Lt. Lamb and two other Raiders to inspect a forty-foot sloop located off Stone Pier.

They were greeted with rifle fire and in the process killed the sailor with a hand grenade. The boat was taking in water and could not be used. The Raiders had to use their LCRL boats as originally planned. They had also two native outriggers at their disposal. At 18:10 hours the submarines surfaced and headed towards the rendezvous point where the submarines were waiting for their signals from Lt. Col. Carlson at 19:30 hours.

They made contact using a flashlight when Sgt. McCullouh climbed a palm tree. He flashed out signals to meet at Flik Point at the Lagoon`s south entrance at 23:00 hours. The Raiders now paddled out in a string with one motor on the front boat. The ten men in the LCRL boat to the far right wanted to paddle on their own as they said that progress was to slow. Lt. Col. Carlson being a very democratic leader approved. This decision would cost them their lives when they cut themselves loose and they were never seen again. Neither their names nor a headcount was taken.

Finally at 23:08 hours Lt. Col. Carlson and his men were pulled up alongside the submarines. The submariners helped them onboard with search lights on and the wounded being loaded first. The Raid on Butaritari had lasted for 43 hours. Headcounts were made, and a death had to be confirmed by at least two Raiders.

The men that cast off alone were thought to have boarded the USS. Argonaut and Lt. Col. Carlson reported to Cdr. Haines that he was satisfied with all numbers. As the corpsmen worked frantically on the wounded the two submarines set a course for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii at 23:58 hours where they would receive a hero’s welcome on 26th. August 1942.

Lars Erik Gill"