Category: Buariki

Buariki

One day we took a small boat across the lagoon to visit Buariki island on the far north side of the atoll to visit the site of the last battle in the Gilberts. It was as vicious a fight as any in the Pacific since Guadalcanal.

During our tour of Tarawa we had enough time to take a boat up to the most northern part of the atoll to visit Buariki. It was a gloriously beautiful day. After the shock of the garbage filled and squalid Betio, Buariki was a breath of fresh air. It was more like the idyllic South Seas setting we have seen in movies. The people were friendly and welcoming.

A Google Earth view of Buariki with the little islet of Naa to the north.

The Battle of Buariki

Lieutenant Colonel Murray’s BLT 2/6 (Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion/6th Marines) boarded boats from Betio at 0500 on 24 November and landed on Buota. Murray set a fierce pace, the Marines frequently wading across the sandspits that joined the succeeding islands. Soon he was out of range of Curry’s guns on Eita. Curry detached Battery G to follow Murray. The Marines learned from friendly natives that a Japanese force of about 175 naval infantry was ahead on the larger island of Buariki, near the northwest point of the atoll. Murray’s lead elements caught up with the enemy at dusk on November 26. There was a sharp exchange of fire in very thick vegetation before both sides broke contact. Murray positioned his forces for an all-out assault in the morning.

The battle of Buariki on November 27 was the last engagement in the Gilberts, and it was just as deadly as each preceding encounter with the Special Naval Landing Forces. Murray attacked the Japanese defensive positions at first light, getting one salvo of supporting fire from Battery G before the lines become too intermingled in the extended melee. Here the fighting was similar to Guadalcanal: much hand-to-hand brawling in tangled underbrush. The Japanese had no elaborate defenses as on Betio, but the Imperial sea soldiers took advantage of cover and concealment, made every shot count, and fought to the last man. All 175 were killed. Murray’s victory was costly: 32 officers and men killed, 59 others wounded. The following day, the Marines crossed to the last remaining islet of Naa. There were no more Japanese to be found. On November 28, Julian Smith announced “remaining enemy forces on Tarawa wiped out.”. The Marines had lost 34 men and 56 wounded.

This is a view as the Marines would have seen Red Beaches 1 and 2 as they approached the island. Red Beach 1 is on the far right. We are in a little boat on our way to Buariki.
This is the northwestern end of Buariki.
This is a village on the shore of Buariki.
A little hut over the water at the Buariki village.
This is the boat we took to Buariki. The kids came out to greet us.
A truck drove us around the little island.
This is a communal building in the village.
These are some shy girls we met in the village. As you can see they are very friendly.
These are two little boys we met at the village.
This appears to be a family in the village. Everybody we met was all smiles.
Kids hamming it up.
A typical scene on Buariki.
This is a poi garden.
Some of the village huts.
It seemed incongruous to see this on the island.
Off to work.
A village hut.
A scene just back from the beach.
Another nice scene looking out over the reef that seems to go to the horizon.
The reef goes out for what looks like at least a half mile.
Our guide, Wilbur Jones, in the back, and local guide from Tarawa, Molly Brown.
An idyllic island scene midafternoon.
The water colors changed all day long depending on the depth and the degree of sunshine.
A derelict sinking on the reef.
Another sunken wreck.
This wreck may be from the war.
The western end of Betio as the Marines would have seen it on the morning of November 20, 1943.